232 Comments

People talk about next this next that. There is no such thing. Every player needs some certain conditions to thrive. Salah for Liverpool isn't the same as Salah for Egypt. Messi for Barcelona wasn't the same as Messi for Argentina or psg. Had Messi followed fabregas to arsenal back in the days, there is possibility that we won't have seen a messi that score 91 goals in one calender year. Salah under mourinho was not the same as in Roma. We shouldn't be buying a player hoping he is the new Salah just because they are from the same country. If he's good for our system let's get him. But I doubt if we'll ever see a striker that will score 30 goals under arteta when the same guy is expected to be making goal bound clearances and last ditch tackles.

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The San Marino FA are the troll kings! Check online for what they have tweeted recently about Manchester City and Manchester United!

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We’ve see this Arsenal move for a player that they know won’t agree to come at that particular time

We did the same for Sesko last summer then Leipzig promptly extended his contract

Now we are supposedly trying to sign Cunha when it’s obvious he’s Wolves best hope of avoiding relegation. Again, his contract is being extended

Are we doing this to satiate the fan base.

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Arteta: Just signing a striker isn't enough to win title.

Saw that headline and just had to say how would he know he's done neither of those things.

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Ben Jacobs

@JacobsBen

Manchester City do hold an interest in Omar Marmoush, but a January deal is not yet advanced.

#MCFC have not made an approach to Frankfurt as of now. There are doubts Frankfurt will consider a mid-season sale given they are in the mix to qualify for #UCL. Marmoush is understood to keen on a Premier League move, but his contract has no release clause.🇪🇬

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City operate surgically sometimes.

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What does that mean mean surgically?

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They have targets in positions they need, and they know will bang and they go get them. Remember Mahrez, or KDB, or Bernardo Silva? Every one knew these players would be hits.

They are going to get rid of Grealish in the summer. And they are going to get a top performing player in there. We have needed a striker that bags for years. Remember keeping Holding for years? we don't solve issues quickly.

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Yeah I dunno about that one. Yeah sure they've been super successful but they've dropped off a cliff recently because their signings haven't been great or they've foolishly decided not to replace certain players.

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Everyone makes mistakes though. Last summer they falsely believed their dominance would continue. But you will see how they will move this Jan and in the summer.

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Bro Man City are finished. You're just talking nonsense. Pep should do the honorable thing and leave that dusted club. They're never beating all the allegations. Money aside, no smart footballer would be joining up there.

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Lol, They still have a core of treble winners. Foden, Savio, Haaland, Gvardiol, Doku, Rico Lewis are all under 25. Ruben Dias, Ake and Akanji, Rodri are all under 30 and still in their prime too. 5 to 7 quality players and they will be back competing for the league again next season. They have made mad money in recent years from sales. They will start recruiting this January.

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Since this is the same team sans Gundogan that won the title a mere six or seven months ago, why the need for 6 or 7 quality players? Always buy, buy, buy. Guardiola can use the TREBLE WINNERS squad he currently has - but this time he has to set his sights lower. Those charges are not going away any time soon, either.

I'm sure they think they will win the title just because they beat Leicester after thirteen forgettable games. Not gonna happen.

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Their era has ended. KDB and Bernardo leaving is the deathnail while they both are regressing physically. You literally named players mostly made up of defenders. Foden is rubbish, and Haaland can't wait to turn up at Madrid or Barca. Doku? You can't be serious. Savio? Meh. They are finished. No one in ttheir right mind would be running to join that outfit. There are many other rich clubs around to launch your career than City.

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Evan Ferguson stories ramping up. I like him but not pushing the needle.

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Nah, leave that. We don't need just anyone. He can't get games at Brighton.

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Ben Jacobs

@JacobsBen

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14m

Wolves position on Matheus Cunha remains the same. No intention to sell the Brazilian, and the intent is to tie him down to a new deal. #AFC among those who admire Cunha, but Wolves haven't received bids to date, and if any come in January they are expected to be turned down.🐺

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Well this is over anyway. I am guessing they will put a release clause around £60m for a summer transfer now.

There is value out there. We have to find it. But it is not Cunha at £70m. Buy smart not necessarily big.

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If Cunha decides to sign a new contract with Wolves when he has a chance to join Arsenal then he is not worth the stress. He can't be that dim can he?

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3dEdited

He'll obviously be sold if they get relegated. And if they survive, probably a gentleman's agreement or a release clause if he still wants to leave in the summer. Similar to Caicedo.

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They'll not get close to what they can get now if they get relegated. They are a selling club but Noone should expect them to come out and say "we'll sell him for the right price". They have no reason to make this easy for us.

But this deal is very doable. Wolves knows it even if they don't say it. The player and his agents know it. Players get these kind of chances once in a lifetime - a big team comes along then never returns. I can almost wager a bet Cunha forces the move if we bid and they play hardball.

The only thing stopping this deal is willingness on our part.

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Selling him lowers the chances of them staying up. You think they'd rather get 70m now and higher the chances of getting relegated? Than keeping him there and see what the future holds? Okay.

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It's not just about what Wolves prefer. There are different parties at play. The player, his agents, the buying club, there's so much Wolves can do if we really really want this and the player wants it too.

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3dEdited

We remember how it worked with Caicedo and Brighton. It's the exact same thing. Brighton even renewed Caicedo, kept him that winter and sold him for a PL record fee 6 months later. Wolves lose nothing by keeping Cunha there.

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Wolves offering a new contract to Cunha...we move on

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One thing I’ve always liked about Arteta he’d spend every last penny Kroenke allowed spending.

Wenger’s player valuations were mad

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Still, some credit, for January buys like Trossard and Jorginho. Plan B difference makers who came in, did the job asked of them-- and left Arsenal some flexibility in the next transfer window(s).

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3dEdited

Hey look if we're willing to spend whatever to get Cunha that should mean we'd be willing to spend to get a worthwhile alternative. Worst thing we can do is get dicked around for most of the window and end up having to scramble for someone else late in the window.

Also wolves paid 45-50 million for Cunha so he's not going for anything less than 60-70 and if we're willing to spend that much there's plenty of alternatives.

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I don't see Wolves selling us Cunha at any price. They cannot sell their best player when they are a fart away from relegation places (1 point). He's literally their one hope of surviving. Even if the player is aware that Arsenal will not wait for him, it's now or never and he pushes for a move, there's no way Wolves sell him. It's an impossible deal.

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If we can't force a buy from Wolves if we really really want the player then we are not a big club. What am I saying? If we really want Cunha we will get him. I have absolutely no doubt about this. And it's so early in the transfer windows so they can look for replacement(s) easily.

We're a big fish that should be eating small fries, we should act like it for once.

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Jobe Bellingham looks alright but if the insistence is young up and coming English talent I can't look past Adam Wharton.

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I've got two friends who Saints fans and they convinced Tyler Dibling is destined for greatness but probably too young for us at the moment.

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He is a supreme talent. Watched him a few times this season and he has been a menace. But he is 18, just a bit older than Nwaneri. Putting title race pressure on him would be mad. Not that saints would let him leave anyway.

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Saints should take the January premium-- if on offer.

They're going straight back to the Championship, and will lose him in the Summer anyway.

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They will lose him in the summer but it will be for a price they want. Going down doesn't mean you sell cheap these days. Relegated sides get the price they want now. Remember Ramsdale?

Leeds selling Summerville and Georginho Rutter for £25m and £40m last summer should tell you something.

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Dibling for £25-30M would be very good business.

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I wonder if Arteta will consider starting Declan Rice as the right FB and playing Partey in the 6 role.

The team is more balanced when Partey in in the middle

If Partey can play in right back then Rice can do it too.

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I think Rice would better at right back than Partey. He has great crossing abilities, he can run a lot along the wing and is pretty strong in the duels.

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Didn't Partey have experience of playing right back at Atletico.

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Should we play saka on the left back just to accommodate martineli on the left wing just because saka had experience of playing left back?

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Yes he did. To fit in Rodri they moved him to RB but both were too good to not have in the starting 11

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I wouldn't mind that either if Partey can handle the defensive transitions like he did at Brentford. That is the only issue.

We all know he is better than Rice on the ball.

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Cunha for £70m???

Nah that would be stupid. He is a really good player but that money is stupid. We shouldn't spend more than £50 to £55m on him.

That could be a Kvara money. There isn't value in spending that on a Cunha. There is a lot of value out there under or around £50m.

That Alex Balena guy at Villareal, Marmoush at Frankfurt are both exciting players. I would bet they will be under £50m.

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We paid 50mil for white four years ago, that is around 70-80 million in today market and many people see it as a good deal for a defender. But 70 million for an attacker who can actually help us win game by scoring rather than stop goals and drawing games is being seen as outrageous. We just spent 40m on a midfielder that didn't really excite or lift the spirit of the team. Sometimes we are penny wise and pound foolish.

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White was 23, is English when we signed him. Now he is 27. We will recoup some of the fee when we eventually sell him. Even if we don't we would have gotten a decade worth of service by then.

Cunha is 26 in may. 70m would be our 3rd record fee. We will barely get a fee when he leaves in 5 years unless he is like Salah with longevity. I want an attacker that is a level raiser. And if we have to spend that kind of dough it also has to be a guarantee. The profile is also awkward with Cunha. He is basically a Jesus type of player that scores more. Do we need that for 70m? 50m and I would get him. But we need a pure striker and a pure winger more than a false 9 type of player. And if we get that type of player the price has to make sense.

Even Havertz at 65m was overpriced despite his contributions. He was 45m max. We want the same thing but paying way over the market value is not the way to go.

Give me Marmoush at 50m rather than Cunha at 70. Bynoe Gittens is 20 and looks like a talent at Dortmund.

I barely see any attackers who are value for money above 60m. Isak to Newcastle 60m. Madrids brazillian forwards are all under 50m. The flops are all at inflated prices. Antony, Pepe, Hoijlund, Lukaku, Sancho, Mudryk to name a few.

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3 years from now what will be your preference: recouping the money spent on Ben White or having an EPL medal?

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How much do you think white is worth now despite buying him at 23 from then a recently promoted club? He is English as if being English means a better player. White's values started failing since we bought him. I'm not even sure that anyone can pay 100m for Rice presently. So what is the big deal of being English? On the contrary, saliba came in as an unproven, foreign, teenager, but his value has greatly increased. He was already better than white the year we paid English premium on white. Same for big Gab, his value has increased. If there is anything, we should be weary of spending huge sums on English players.

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The big deal of being English is, you will get better fees from English clubs who are rich unless it is ridiculous wages and they aren't performing like Rashford. That is the deal. We got 25m for Nketiah. Doesn't that prove something? 40m for Chamberlain, 20m for Walcott, 25m for willock, 30m for Iwobi, 30m for ESR.. Most of our biggest sales are English who are wanted by English clubs.

If we had to sell White today, we would get 40m at least.

And Cunha isn't 22 like when we got Big Gabi. And certainly not 18 like whe we got Saliba. He is 4 months away from 26. That means no resale value for a 70m signing. And he won't serve you for 10 years like a 22 year old would. Plus he isn't at the level we need for that fee even if he is 22. That is why it is completely different. That is why the fee matters so much. 40m to 50m would be a different conversation.

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How much is onana compared to ESR. Or is that donkey who has brought nothing to villa also an English player? Most of the players you listed above were sold below their market value apart from maybe chamberlain. Iwobi for example, a homegrown player sold and all the sum was spent on Vieira whom according to your narrative should be cheaper. How much do you think iwobi is worth now? Just watch fulham's games, everything goes through him. Walcott is by far a better and dangerous player than the 'world class winger' martineli.

Who's even going to squander 40m on Mr Benjamin white? A guy who was brought in as a central defender and now playing as a part-time right back. Is he displacing timber anytime soon. He's not even better than tomiyasu if that one can stay fit. He withdrew from national duties, what sort of player does that? Since he made that decision, he has regressed. A player that should be aspiring to displace Walker and TAA decided to be sitting at home when others are pushing themselves to impress the national team's manager and fans. What did you think kept the likes of Messi and Ronaldo going?

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Cunha for £70m would be a good deal for us. I can't see it happening though.

It's impossible Wolves sell him to us. At any price. And I doubt we wait until the summer for him. He's not coming.

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It wouldn't be a good deal for us. He is a good player but that is a mad fee.

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Winter is cruel. It is what it is. I doubt he's cheaper than that even in the summer though. It's kind of a market price for me.

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But that isn't good longterm. Spurs signed Solanke for £65m. Now he is going to be good for them now. But Jackson at £30m is looking like a similar level despite being half the price.

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Solanke has no skill whatsoever apart from scoring few goals. He is English and that is the reason he's where he is today and a player like osimhen is being shit upon in England.

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So you’d risk spending €50m on an ‘exciting’ player unproven in the league, but €15m over your Cunha valuation is ‘stupid’ money territory ?!

Wolves paid €50m for Cunha and his contract runs through May2027.

They have no need to sell their star player at even money while in relegation fight.

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It isn't just a €15m fee though. Higher wages, and it would be our 3rd record signing ever. It is £70m. You are talking as if Cunha would come in and make us win the PL.

There are no guarantees with signing from the PL unless they are players that have performed for years like Rice. Cunha has had a good season and half at Wolves now.

Newcastle signed Isak for £60m when we signed Jesus for £45m. We missed out on Bruno Guimaraes for £35m.

There is value on the continent. Those unproven players might become a 100m players in a year.

We need an attacker but we need to think about how it affects us longterm too. Signing Cunha for £70m now would mean we wouldn't go for Isak in the summer. That is why I wouldn't go big. Get me marmoush for under £50m than Cunha at £70m.

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Cunha is on 60kpw.

Arsenal could easily double his wages and still make him an attractive option to sell if things don’t work out.

We are in the title fight and our star attacker is out for two ( at best) months and you want sit on funds( if available) until next season.

Cool.

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I don't want to sit on funds. I just don't want to over spend on a player that we would regret in a year and half.

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Having watched Wolves more than I'd like to admit-- Mattheus Cunha is the player we were promised when we signed Gabriel Jesus.

If anything, it'll be Jesus who'll be departing in a year-and-a-half-- because of Cunha.

He'd fit right in up top in the press too.

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But they’re not “ Oven ready”.Cunha is.And can play multiple positions,which we know Soecial sauce loves.Whatever occurs,we’re going to get stiffed on the January premium,can’t be avoided unless you’re in loan land.

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PP talking sense for once.

Taking his meds on time has its benefits

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No, January premiums from the PL are stupid. Elsewhere, you might over pay, but you can still get value.

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Say Arsenal pay ‘stupid’ money circa 70m for cunha and he helps us to a league double, or even one better.

How’s that extra 15m looking now?

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If you can guarantee me that, I would. But it wouldn't.

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I honestly don't want any mega fee player when the likes of Mbuemo can't be more than 45-50 million

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I don't mind a mega fee if the player is worth it. No one talks about Rice being a 100m player. I wouldn't mind spending that on Isak.

And Mbuemo wouldn't be sold in January . That is the problem. We need a forward right now. And he is right sided more than left sided.

Based on the Cunha links, I assume we rightfully are looking for left sided attackers.

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Rice is NOT 100m player.

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The Cunha links are BS though

Wolves aren't gonna sell their best player in January and risk going down in June.

I would never spend that much on Isak [100-125 million] or Kudus [85 million] because either those transfers can buy two players of comparable class.

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The links are NOT bullshit though.He is Oven ready.Makes a lot of sense.

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Comparable class 😂😂😂. I know you don't like spending money.

We could have gotten Kudus for £40m.

But Isak, a player who is delivering right now? No, we wouldn't.

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Mbuemo and Mamoush can be gotten [on paper] for less than Newcastle will want for Isak

We have at least four critical areas of need in the squad

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Wheatley just said Arsenal wants Cunha. I think that definitely shows there's interest. I'll be absolutely delighted if we do the blindingly obvious thing for once. He can play anywhere up top I hear. That'll be an absolute game changer. I hope

I didn't just jinx it.

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Cunha - 'terms agreed' not sure the source can be trusted

Bellingham the Younger - might be worth a punt!

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Jobe looks quite cumbersome. Not sure his technical level is even close to what's required in an Arsenal player.

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To be honest I've never seen Junior Bellingham play!

Tyler Dibling has impressed me whenever I've seen him.

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