Arsenal’s dynamic duo. Ramsey conundrum.

Morning all.

If ever there was a warning that the grass really isn’t always greener on the other side, the Aaron Ramsey move to Juventus is a big fat one. I can only think that his agents were right behind this last summer. A chance to earn an enormous chunk of his deal which earns our old Welshman a reported fee of £400k a week. Great if money alone is a footballers ambition is life, rubbish if football is still the dream. Arsenal are in a similar situation with Mesut Ozil. £350k a week and he’s barely giving back £10k a week’s worth of football but Ramsey is different I think, or at least he was for Arsenal. When he played, he played! I’ve no idea what Juve have done with him but if headlines on Newsnow are to be believed, he’s no longer required. The most hideous of headlines link him to Toots. I bet Ramsey wishes he’d just signed on the dotted line for Arsenal when he had the chance. Perhaps Arsenal will take him back on loan as long as most of that £400k salary is paid by Juve, like £390k!

Not every move to a big club goes wrong though but more often than not for Arsenal players, it does. Henry’s move to Barcelona was always going to work out well and with Gnabry, it was only a matter of time before his career took off but apart from Cole’s move to Chelsea all those years ago, I can’t think of many real success stories. Man City nicked a few of our players who won a trophy or two but they’ll never be remembered in the same way as the guys who Arsene Wenger brought to Arsenal during his early days. The double seasons, the Invincibles, the relatively unknown figures who turned Arsenal into a great. They are the success stories in my opinion. Buying ready made, big money signings to win is easy. Well, a lot easier than turning rough stones into pure diamonds which is what Arsene Wenger did.

It’s probably what Mikel Arteta needs to do now. Sell big, buy cheap and get the best out of who he has. I don’t think there’s a single player who when Wenger arrived, was ageing a bit, who didn’t say Arsene Wenger and his weird ideas prolonged their career. Not many who left haven’t at some stage muttered something about wishing they’d stayed. But that’s football, that’s life too.

I’m sure that during his time working alongside Pep Guardiola, young footballers around the world were being looked at. Who they could sign, loan out again and see if they’re any good. Players like Pablo Mari who City signed just a few years ago, yet never played a minute for them and now here he is at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta must have been the man to orchestrate the loan move. My point is, there must be more like Pablo out there who Mikel Arteta might fancy bringing to Arsenal. Players who have dipped their toes into Man City but have never swam. Players who are now elsewhere. If Edu was the man to spot Gabriel Martinelli, then I’m sure he has a few other ideas up his sleeve.

With Mikel Arteta and Edu banging their heads together, there’s a big transfer pool to be tapped into I reckon. South America and the Man City ‘not quite good enough’ – which doesn’t mean they’re not good footballers, it just means there’s probably been a more experienced and more expensive player who Man City preferred.

I know football fans like to see big names arrive at their own clubs but I can’t see Arsenal treading that path. By big names I don’t mean players who the media have made look big, I mean the kind of players no one needs to look up on the internet to find out which position he plays in or who he plays for.

That’s my Sunday waffle over, I’m off to type Dayot Upamecano and Thomas Partey into my browser.

Stay safe guys.