Morning all.
Nearly all the newspapers are running a story this morning which relates to Gianluca Scamacca. Arsenal and West Ham are interested in the 6’ 4” Italian striker but Arsenal have struck first. However, our £34 million offer has been rejected. The media love that word don’t they, especially when it’s in the same sentence as Arsenal. Remember the Dušan Vlahović story which went on for yonks?
I’ve no idea if this Scamacca rumour has legs to it but with our desperate need for a striker or two, we’re going to be linked with all and sundry until the club actually sign someone.
There’s absolutely no way Mikel Arteta will go into the new season with just Flo Balogun and possibly Eddie Nketiah if he signs a contract extension. In reserve, there Mika Biereth and Nikolaj Moller but both are 19 years old (Moller is 20 next month) and probably in need of a loan. Personally, I think Flo Balogun will stay, at least until our Europa League Cup campaign is over which with a bit of luck, won’t be until May when we’ve reached and won the final.
I know YouTube only shows a players best bits but I had to look him up somewhere because I’d never heard of him until his name appeared in the back pages. £34m seems a lot to offer a relatively unknown club for a 23 year old unknown player but isn’t this what we want to see the club do, shingled them up early and before any other club gets a look in? I’m sure if it’s only Arsenal and West Ham in for him (pinch and salt) then he’d choose Arsenal. I say that because the Europa League is better than the Europa Conference League, just. Lol
The names linked to Arsenal seem to be the same. Tammy Abraham, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Gabriel Jesus but it’d be just like Arsenal to sign a player like Scamacca. That’s not a criticism by the way as I hadn’t a clue who Takehiro Tomiyasu was until his arrival at Arsenal and he’s alright isn’t he? More than alright I’d say.
Having spent the last two and a half years clearing out the so called big names, I can’t see Arsenal falling into the same trap again. Big names and big wages can lead to big problems. We as a club need to be in a position to move players on for money and not for free. Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette, Mustafi and Kolasinac all left for zero pennies and that’s not a good way to run a club. I don’t blame Arteta or Edu for any of that though and although they were clearly in support of Aubameyang’s new contract, who could tell he’d drop to the depths he did? It’s easy to say he’s done it before, after the event.
What’s more important now is to look to the future, having learned from the past. Signing younger players who will all but guarantee a sell on fee when they want to leave or the club want them to leave.
England v Hungary is one of many fixtures taking place today. ESR isn’t in the squad this time but last night he hammered home the under 21’s first goal. A good strike it was too. Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale could start, although I suspect Pickford will be Southgate’s choice. Scamacca could feature for Italy against Germany if you’re interested. No? Me neither, but should he become an Arsenal player any time soon, that might change.
See you in the comments.
Good Morning
Scamacca played for Sassuolo
He is 1.90-1.95 cm tall and was one of the revelations of the Italian Championship. He is currently a national team player.
Jm, that’s in the post.
Have Arsenal ever signed a senior Italian footballer from Italy?
Not that I can recall, Italians tend to stay in Italy, a bit like English players staying in Blighty.
We may have taken the odd one on loan but nobody who actually made a name for himself.
But you can see the market that Arsenal are shopping in, we cannot compete for the really stellar names so we have to be imaginative and I’m all in favour of that.
I’m glad that the club is playing hardball over Bellerin and Torreira, we aren’t a charity and we’ve gotta toughen up. Interesting to see Pogba, Mata and Rat Face leaving ManUtd for zero, will the mob at OT get rubbished for this as Arsenal were for Ozil, Aubameyang and the gang who left for nix?
Don’t hold your breath waiting…
Be fair Rico, you didn’t actually give his height in centimetres and I for I really wanted to know that….
ESR isn’t in the squad this time but last night he hammered home the under 21’s first goal.
Interestingly it was Balogun’s run that started it.
In case you missed it yesterday :- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/61686339
😀 Kev, I didn’t. Still haven’t to used to cms…
G’day Rico and all.
From those you tube clips he looks just what we want, tall, physically strong and a confident finisher. Mind you, the marking by the various defenders was pretty hopeless. Perhaps we can swap him for Pepe.
Morning Cicero. I always say, and still believe, if it’s in the newspapers, a transfer rumour is poppycock. Lol
Sassuolo finished 11 th in serie A , 4 teams above them scored less goals and will be looking for a forward .
I reckon that it’s a classic stalking horse situation , we reveal the fee that his club would accept and one will step in and he will stay in Italy.
Or the fee they won’t accept. Lol
The rod that we made for our backs is beating us again , now Bellerin wants us to tear up his contract so that he can go on a free . I suppose if we did it for so many others he feels that we should do it for him too.
If we do though who will be next ?
Just say no. If he wants a move that badly, take a pay cut so Bettis can afford him..
Torrieira to Lazio and a decent fee…
Bellerin to Roma and a decent fee…
If it buys us Hickey with some change leftover I’m all in on that…
It’s the ‘decent fee’ bit which is hard to achieve Kev. Other clubs plead poverty when they come knocking on Arsenal’s door.
We do seem to buy high and sell cheap.,Maybe we are just too nice or easily manipulated. Take an average Serie A player like Remo Freuler , Swiss international playing for Atalanta valued at £ 20 million . Why should Torriera be cheaper ?
He shouldn’t be, we’re just too soft. It all began when Arsenal did that stupid deal with Chelsea imo.
New post up now