Morning all.
Not every Arsenal fan is interested in what’s going on in the academy, but for those who are, Jeorge Bird reported yesterday that the club has offered professional contracts to five second-year scholars.
- Winger – Kido Taylor-Hart
- RB/CB – Daniel Oyegoke
- Winger/FW – Nathan Butler-Oyedeji
- GK – Ovie Ejeheri
- LB – Mazeed Ogungbo
We’ve all heard of Taylor-Hart, if for no other reason than Kev and Rick singing his praises on here but he’s definitely one to keep for a good while yet so fingers crossed he’s signs the deal on offer. Here’s a taster of what’s to come from him.
I think I’m right in saying all five are 18 years old and before anyone thinks ‘too young’ – Bukayo Saka was 17 years old when Unai Emery gave him his debut. Another 18 year old whose contract needs sorting out soon is Miguel Azeez. He’s a very talented young player who I think Arsenal really need to keep hold of.
NN has been full of headlines relating to ESR and his contract situation which Aston Villa are supposed to be keeping an eye on. Firstly, ESR has a contract until 2023 and secondly, the chances of him not signing a new one are slim to none in my opinion. So Villa can look all they like, but they’ll never touch. I think there’s more chance of Jack Grealish joining Arsenal than ESR joining Villa.
But, Dani Ceballos, David Luiz, Martin Odegaard and Mat Ryan have all left the club as their contracts expire at the end of the month.
All developments regarding players extending their contracts; joining/re-joining us; or leaving us will be officially communicated as soon as they are confirmed.
Ødegaard and Ryan perhaps.
That’s not the case for a few Youth players though as Levi Laing, Joseph Olowu, Luke Plange and Jason Sraha have been released by Arsenal. Good luck to all of them.
Rumours in relation to Arsenal additions this summer extends to back room staff as Luís Campos, ex Director of football at newly crowned champions of French football Lille. From what I’ve read about him he has an eye for talent and the ability to get transfers done. He’s being linked to Arsenal and Real Madrid.
Lastly, the official website have been running a fan vote for player of the season. Kieran Tierney came in third which was no great surprise. Had he not been injured, I’m sure he’d have been in with a chance of finishing higher. Yesterday though, 2nd place was announced and I was surprised to see Pepe’s name. I reckon he must have a really big family and they’ve all voted several times over. I jest of course. Top spot must be between Saka and ESR and my money is on Saka because he’s been consistent all season. Holding too has been consistent as has Xhaka but other than them, too many players had a very up and down eight months. Aubameyang in particular has by his standards, had a poor season.
Hopefully this time next year, there’ll be more than a handful of Arsenal players in with a chance of being voted the club’s best player of the season. Better still, the Premier League’s player of the season.
Maybe Emi Buendia will be one of them as according to The Sun, both Arsenal and Aston Villa have made an offer for him.
See you in the comments.
Morning Rico, thanks for the post, yes Alan Miller had the unenviable job of understudying David Seaman when our No.1 was one of the best in the world and in his pomp, eventually he left to join West Brom.
The Emile Smith Rowe rumours are classic click-bait and could even be a wind-up from Aston Villa who might actually be a bit miffed with Arsenal fans going on about signing Jack Grealish when we’re no better than them. What goes around so to speak.
I’ve read recently that both Calum Chambers and Matteo Guendouzi have the option of an extra year on their contracts and that Arsenal can activate it this year, so in essence as of this summer they are under contract for two more years if Arsenal decide to flick the switch. That could make a bit of a difference regarding their transfer value?
Morning Kev, Scott, all.
No one was going to force Seaman out of goal back then we’re they Kev. Happens sometimes I guess. Very sad he’s gone at just 51 years old.
The Grealish, ESR etc stories are boring really. Grealish will probably end up in Manchester but I hope Bissouma joins Arsenal.
That’s good re Chambers and Guendouzi. I’d like to see Chambers stay and yes, a better fee for the latter hopefully. I think I read somewhere he’d agreed terms with Marseille. Probably in the Beano.
Morning Rico and all.
It’s fantastic getting info on the kids.
Hart certainly has an abundance of talent!!!
Shouldn’t be too long before he’s blooded into the squad I’d reckon.
How good is rebadged season and the crap rumours that go with it?
I just read that Bissouma is angry at Arsenal for not making a formal bid, as he wants to join us.
Who makes this garbage up lol
Jeorge Bird
@jeorgebird
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17h
Alex Kirk named as Arsenal’s scholar of the year. Great season for the centre-back, who played nine times for the U23s despite still being eligible for the U18s. Also trained with the first-team a lot.
One to watch?
Yes Rico, but Brighton want a lot of dough so I think it could be a long drawn out deal and if we don’t get him then we don’t get him, £40m is far too much just as the reported £55m for Odegaard is far too much.
Another Centre Back for the future. We seem to be suddenly producing defenders which is long overdue. Shame we can’t say the same for defensive midfielders.
I can understand why Brighton want that kind of price for Bissouma Kev. Whether they’ll get it though is a different matter because most clubs have been hit hard by Covid. We could do with him submitting a transfer request if he really wants to join Arsenal and Arsenal want him.
Do we really need Odegaard? Personally, I don’t think he’s a priority.
Theres some click baity stuff coming out from the French media side Rico regarding Guendouzi, one said that Arsenal had agreed on €10m, which is patently untrue and another that said that Arsenal were being greedy!
I reckon the Arsenal will settle on £15m.
Same old Kev, other clubs seem to think our players come cheaply yet sting us when we buy players. It’s of Arsenal’s own doing though I think.
Kev, I read that Bissouma led the league in interceptions and tackles this past season.
That’s exactly what we need so maybe we should just pay what we must to get him rather than dither over a few million here and there.
I’m not my saying stump up what they ask for first thing, but just don’t lose out on the type of player we really do need.
Will Auba stay guys???
Thoughts?
Gee, if he manages to find form again, no question that we’d want him but we can’t put up with another 20/21 effort.
It was dismal.
As much as I like Bissouma and as much as Buendia is the next ‘white hope’ the clubs who sell those players will have already identified their replacements, players that’ll cost a fraction of what it costs for Bissouma etc. It’s those players who I wish Arsenal would be going for, France must be full of them, but you need a scouting network and Arsenal have got rid of theirs…
Haven’t Arsenal set up a scouting network again Kev?
Perhaps the club should seek help from Arsene re the French players coming through..
That’s true Kev, but Bissouma is proven commodity, and we need to act like a big club.
Guendouzi was exactly as you’ve described and he’s done reasonably well, but he’s still a while away from dominating the middle of the park.
There’s plenty of hidden diamonds out there, but we need someone read to go straight away, imo.
You say that Scott, but Bissouma joined Brighton in 2018 and slotted right in I think. What’s to say there isn’t someone else isn’t out there?
I’d love to see Bissouma at Arsenal though.,
Rico, I never said someone else would not slot straight in.
I asked why we should the chance when there’s a guy on offer who would almost certainly immediately make a difference?
Chelsea, City and Utd identify what they need, and buy the best possible person to fill the void.
We keep trying to make do, and that’s the difference, imo.
I know we can’t just spend money on a whim, but this is one position we can fill that will make us a much better side, imo.
I didn’t say you did Scott. Doh!
We have to remember that without European football, fans, ticket sales etc, funds aren’t going to be in the hundreds of millions.
Rico.
For years we’ve complained about taking cheaper options.
Now we are asking for it?
We will stay mid table if that’s the case, imo.
It’s not about cheaper options Scott, it’s about being smart in the transfer window.
Morning Rico and all
With all these kids coming through that look pretty good it makes you wonder what was really behind Steve Boulds Sacking.
From what I have read about Guendouzi is that if we don’t get a good enough offer for him we will in-force his contract for another year so we don’t loose him for free next season who knows another year he may turn out to be a good player.
Morning Geoff. I don’t think Arteta is the forgiving kind re Guendouzi.
Hi Geoff,
Did we hear any reason for the Bould sacking?
Good afternoon Rico and all
Its important to be smart in every situation, even when we might be having vast resources.
For example last year…..was Willian needed when we had Nelson?? Imo, unless we get a good sum for Willian….10 million will be fine, he would turn out to be a waste of space. Nelson might, nay…would have, given us more I am sure since he is used to playing with Saka and ESR. And its easier for younger ones to gel together than it is for older ones to do so.
A club like Arsenal should not try to make do. We even had that under AW when he used to fit square pegs in round holes. Granted, he wanted a team of footballers, but in reality some of those playing were only players who should have been used in their proper position. We can all recall the team between 2007-2012 when we had about 4 footballers who could play the number 10 position but were stuck on the wing or elsewhere.
Plus some of the signings beggar belief. Don’t tell me that Squillaci and Silvestre were much better than one of our own…even though CB productions were sparse in our academy.
Yes, all managers are human and make mistakes…but here we are talking about millions which could and should have been spent wisely, carefully and towards what the team needed.
Afternoon Devil, and all the money we missed out on by allowing contracts to run down. Hundreds of millions when added up I’m sure.
Over the last 25 years, Arsenal have been poor at dealing with player contracts and sales. Even Fabregas and Henry went too cheaply.
Sky Sports reckon we’ve upped our offer for Buendia after the first was rejected.
Was it Arteta ? Was it a coach that has now gone , was it Bouldy ?
As always it’s rumour surrounding speculation, The only people that know are not journalists or writers of blogs on tinternet
it will come down to whether he can do a job for us and if he’s the best option he will be retained.
Hindsight is a luxury managers/clubs don’t have when it comes to transfers.
These hidden gems should be in our sights all the time, but as future first team players, or at least players we can sell for a profit if they don’t fully live up to expectations.
Evening Rico and the House.
What a differance a day makes /.Boiling hot yesterday pouring with rain today.
Thanks for todays post Rico and for showing that clip about Kido.
I think you can see why I rate him so much,and why as Kev says we simly must tie him down.
Evening Rick, pleasure. I can see why, he looks a real talent.
Geoff Scott we will never know for certain why Bould was sacked.
But how about this. Friction between Mertisaker and Bould
For 7 years Merts was one of the players that Bould ( as a defensif coach)
was coaching. Now for the last 2seasons the position is reversed.
Merts is the boss man and is laying the Law down
Did Bould tell him he got things wrong by sending all those defenders ou on loan and
leaving him with a very poor team. and has he told him that if we do the same thing this season we could be in the same mess
This is just thought
Rico
Danny Ballard wonhis 7th cap last night. what a end thr seson he has had.
The good news is Ireland do not play again untill Sept
So he can have a month off and be availale for the tours
Excellent Rick, he should be well rested and ready to put his foot in the defensive back door during pre-season.
Morning all
Morning Rico, where has the bloody sunshine gone?
Morning Kev, it’s over west Berkshire with deep blue skies…. 🌞
So the Conte to Spuds deal looks dead in the water, as usual a foreign coach wants a mega contract with bonuses and he also wants to bring all his mates with him and have a war chest for new signings, so a part of me says to those tosspots in Middlesex for knocking him back.
I mean think about it, Thomas Partey was going to make us contenders, £45m up front, just as Nicholas Pepe was going to make the difference – but are we any better?
I hold no illusions that signing Buendia, if we do, will transform our team, yes he might make a slight improvement but it’s not going to turn us into contenders, the same applies to Bissouma, he good of that there’s no doubt but is he transformative?
I get a lift out of seeing our youngsters come through but everything else is just about money, more money and even more money and frankly it’s boring me now…
Kev, ditto. I’d love for our academy players to be the ones who step into the gaps we have in the squad and maybe one or two will but as you say, that’s not the game we all fell in love with many years ago.
I understand why fans, not all I know, want the club to spend big on quality players but there’s no guarantee with them as most recently Partey and Pepe have proved. Aubameyang and Lacazette too in a way.
In hindsight, would AMN or Willock been as capable of doing what Partey has done all season? Possibly, but unless he has a cracking season next term, he’ll have been a waste of money imo. Pepe too.
says ‘well done’ to those tosspots etc…
Just seen a NN headline suggesting Juve could offer Ramsey plus cash for Bellerin… 🤣
This one is for Scott…
Osman 🎗
@OsmanZtheGooner
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14h
Contacts have been made By Juve & Arsenal for the swap of Hector Bellerin and Ramsey. Juve will also pay additional money (approximately €8m)
Quote Tweet
Rudy Galetti
@RudyGaletti
· 15h
Discorsi avviati tra #Arsenal e #Juventus per lo scambio #Bellerin-#Ramsey: per il 🏴 sarebbe un ritorno ai #Gunners, per lo 🇪🇦 rappresenterebbe la prima esperienza fuori #EPL. Riflessioni in corso sul conguaglio a carico dei ⚪⚫, attorno agli 8 mln. #calciomercato #transfers
Oops, I didn’t see your comment on Ramsey Kev. 😂
I’ll go and have a word with the sun… lol
Please Rico, send it onto Essex as I’ve got the Grandkids up today. 😉
Just Arsenal News, they love a click bait story don’t they Rico…
Ramsey is 31 this December,
I’m not sure about his injuries at Juventus as that’s always an issue with him or what kind of salary but if it’s a proposition from Juve then you’ve gotta hand it to them as they’re a really well run and smart club.
Maybe we should just sell them Bellerin for €25m and take Ramsey on loan for a year?
Or just sell them Bellerin Kev.
New post up now
https://highbury-house.com/2021/06/05/areas-to-improve/
As he is Welsh , is this another example of a foreigner coming to boost his pension fund ?