Morning all.
There’s little to chat about other than the ongoing saga of the Ozil and Sanchez contracts which this morning suggests they’ll get an extra 20% on top of whatever the club offer them, as long as we get back into the top four next season. If it was me, I’d be telling them they could have an extra 20% if they win us the league, not just a top four place. In fact I’d probably offer that to all the players if it wasn’t for the fact they already earn enough for doing their job which for some of our lot has been money for old rope.
Be ambitious Arsenal. Aim for the top!
The other ongoing saga, or should I say sagas is transfers and according to The Mirror, we’ve been linked to 26 players already this summer. They should know of course as they’ve probably made most of them up but as far as actual deals go, we’ve only made the one.
The transfer window officially opens this weekend but that hasn’t stopped Manchester City from blazing a trail for others clubs to follow and like us, most other clubs have been relatively quiet. Everton though are going about their business without fuss.
Arsenal though, who despite winning the FA Cup and allegedly pledging an estimated £200 million for Arsene Wenger to spend have yet to make a serious move but the Frenchman likes to do things by the book, so perhaps he’s waiting for the official date, July 1st.
So, who exactly are Arsenal in the market for, and when will see some movement at the Emirates?
From Mbappe to Mahrez: A Look at the Gunners’ Targets:
So far, there has been more speculation about who is leaving the Gunners than who will join the North London giants. Back-up goalkeeper David Ospina, who played a central role in helping the club to win its third FA Cup in four years, has been linked with a move away in a bid to play more regularly, with a transfer to Fenerbahce only failing due to Arsenal’s price tag.
Talisman Alexis Sanchez could also be primed for a move abroad, after a tumultuous season that has seen him linked with Bayern Munich and, more worryingly for Gunners fans, Manchester City.
The departure of Sanchez would be a huge concern for the club, and one which would force Arsenal to invest in a global star. Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe fits into this bracket, after a stunning season that saw the 18-year old achieve fame on the international stage.
A reported fee of £150 million will deter most clubs, however, while it is thought that Mbappe only has eyes for a move to Real Madrid (otherwise he will remain in the French principality for another year at least).
Leicester City’s Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez has also been linked with a move to the Gunners, after announcing his decision to leave the Foxes following an indifferent season. He would command a more reasonable fee of around £30 million, although it is fair to say that his star has fallen slightly since Leicester’s title winning success of 2016.
Conversely, RB Leipzig’s winger Emil Forsberg is a player who is clearly on the rise, but the German club (who unlike the Gunners secured Champions League football last season) are refusing to consider selling their star asset.
Are There Any Other Rumours?
Elsewhere, Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder Rafinha has also been linked with a switch to the Emirates, thanks largely to a lack of playing time at the Nou Camp. While a fee is not yet reported, Rafinha’s pedigree and style of play would be ideally suited to the Gunners, who once again be focusing on the midfield and wide areas for their main transfer targets.
That said, whilst Arsenal may have been slow to identify targets so far there is every chance that will have their busiest and most productive transfer window for years.
Morning guys.
I thought we’d get Henry but seems he’s off to Everton. Must mean he wasn’t guaranteed much football which might just be a good thing. Perhaps an indication that the club are going bigger and better…
Or am I still dreaming… lol
Good Morning all.
I’d like to think the same Rico, but with lack of news of incoming players recently and the Ozil/Sanchez saga i cant help but feeling this window will slip by as others have, promising so much and delivering so little.
There are good players available this year, PEA, Mbappe (maybe) Lacazette, Lemar, Mahrez….i could go on.
As long as i dont hear the fabled line, “We will only add to the team if real quality becomes available” then i might just survive.
Bumba, it’s all still early days really. The stuff with Sanchez and Ozil is just the media, nothing has been confirmed by the club and we know the media spout rubbish…
It’s easy for City as they just throw money around because they can.
If things are the same mid July, then my worrying will start, until then, i won’t rise to the media bait…
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Rico – I’m with you “… it’s all still early days really”. At least this season the club seem to have made actual inquiries about some of ‘our targets’ and even some confirmed bids. There does appear to be actual action going on in the background this transfer window instead of our usual coy lowball bidding, stalling and lack of serious business. Maybe I’m being too optimistic?
As for Onyekuru, I don’t think he was a primary target, but one of those possible promising players for the the future if the price is right. As the window doesn’t actually open until Saturday, there is still plenty of time left. Let us hope that Arsene, Gazidis and law don’t fritter it away hoping to get a bargain price in the closing days of the window.
Seems HH is playing up again…
Ah, I’m back. Just wrote a reply to you Cg but it disappeared…
Morning to you. After last season, logic would suggest a better transfer window looms, but we still have an out of date manager managing them.
His signings to be big personalities imo, the kind which brought him early success……
Agreed, i am usually generally optimistic, often leading myself to be dissapointed. Logically, it is still early doors so ill try and get back to my glass half full outlook!
bumba – Pour yourself a full glass and sit back and enjoy the summer. Its early days yet. Who knows we may actually sign some of the more appealing targets we are being linked with.
If not, enjoy your tipple.
Afternoon all and thank you Rico.
Onyekuro to Everton !………………..he wont get in nthe team as he has to be loaned out again due to work permit stuff, so why dont buy him and loan him out as it is relatively peanuts what his fee is !.
I like GG`s new name of Lacazette…………….Laxative !……………..he`ll either be shit hot or just shit !…….
I know you say it`s only early in the TW, Rico, but how many times has that been said only to drag to the last mins of the TW with either a panic buy or just a goalkeeper with no out field player bought !
🙂
I want to eat my words when on 1st July…………Mbappe is unveiled to the world as a Gooner on a 10 year contract with a buy out clause of £1Billion !……………………………….I cant even blame sunstroke today ! hahaha
Aparrently TH14 thinks La Laxitive is a good player !
Le Coq – “…Mbappe is unveiled to the world as a Gooner on a 10 year contract with a buy out clause of £1Billion…” ? Whatever you’re on must be good.
Lc, but in those summers gone by, the club has not been out of the top four, and Wenger has never faced so much stick as he did last season.
To not change the ways would mean things will only get worse…. But that’s me being logical…
I`m on a cloud !………..look up and wave ! hahaha………………………….actually I haven`t even opened my eyes yet so I`m probably still dreaming !…………in that case, what the fcuk you doing in my dream CG dressed as Pamela Anderson in Bay Watch ? 🙂
Arsene has made me bitter and cynical, Rico ! 🙂
Lacazette is now staying put according to Lyon…
Deep down Lc, I’m sure this summer and the coming season will be very little different to those gone by over the last few years…
Goes through defences like he’s leaving a shovel
What sort of summer weather is this ?………………..I`m going down the gym with Pamela !………………or is it CG ? ……………………………….and when I come back I expect some good transfer news !
If I have to change anymore wiper blades for customers.I don’t know what I’m going down with but it won’t be Pamela Anderson.I’m on my third shirt already today.
Howdy, forum folk. Nice opener Rico, with a sponsor slipped neatly in, ?
We are all on tenterhooks, waiting for any firm signings.
It appears Mbappe only has eyes for Real Madrid, so Le prof has lost his powers of persuasion.
They all like to showboat in a galactico club, and don’t relish the challenge, week in week out, in the EPL. Easy money, easy competition, in nice weather.
Looks as though Kos is being given the glad eye by AC Milan. TBH, I don’t think he is all that anyway. Very over rated IMO.
Thomas Lemar looks to be signing for us though, from Monaco for £30 million.
We obviously need to strengthen in all departments, from goalie to centre forward. If we have to rely on Cech for another season in goal, we will regret it.
If Sanchez wants away, we really shouldn’t be holding him back, that just breeds resentment, and in any case he will leave on a free next year, if he won’t sign an extension.
We don’t have a bad team, just not a great team. We cannot compete with the glamour clubs or ridiculous wages. Star players don’t want to be part of a struggle, they want instant success and adulation.
Barca are still hoping to get Hector, he must be tempted.
I fear it’s Mid table for us next season. Everton will overtake us, then we still have Spuds, Citeh, manure, Chelski and Liverpool to overcome. All with exciting younger managers.
Hey ho. C’est la vie.
Has to be done Meerkat… 😉
Your comment on Koscielny caught my eye. I’m clearly not alone in thinking we could do better. I think he’s a bit soft personally, both as a footballer and in personality…
Afternoon Rico and All
Not surprised by the news coming out of Lyon, Aulas was always likely to reveal his innermost eventually.
Why didn’t Wenger stay away and leave the negotiating to Gazides, after all Ivan pushed through the Alexis deal without Arsene poking his Gallic hooter into things 3 years ago?!
Now all I can just see is Man Ure stringing us along all summer over Martial before Mourinho pulls the carpet away from under our feet at the very last minute.
Demba Ba anyone!
Afternoon Kev.
Me neither re Lacazette. Martial has already said he’s not leaving Utd….
I wonder if we were ever in for either…
Lemar sounds a possible though… 😉
Martial was probably agents testing the water Rico.
I would guess that there’s been no contact from Arsenal towards Martials representative so the player has come out and stated his undying love of all things Manc and Mourinho…
It’s all so very tedious.
As for Lacazette, I do think we’ve made a bid, it’s been rebuffed, we’ve not gone back and Aulas is stamping his feet in frustration like a 5 year old because we’ve not upped our bid.
£30 million last summer, £44 million this summer and it still isn’t enough for that senile old git of a Lyon president.
Probably Kev.
I guess that Aulas bloke said we had made a bid but who knows with him…. As you say, git!
Yeah Lemar sounds more positive Rico.
Monaco are a good club to do business with at least they’re straightforward.
I’m surprised they are selling though Kev.
I was glancing through NewsNow – not sure why I bother – and it’s full of so much rubbish it’s untrue.
You get more sense on Arseblog News, at least they shift through the garbage and leave you – minus the advert pop ups – with anything that’s relevant and probably factual.
I don’t want us to sign anymore Manure rejects! If Napoleon doesn’t want them why should we?
Chris Smalling? Nooooooooo.
We should be after the same players that they want, not their dregs. Welbeck is a good example. LVG was right to get rid. Nice lad, works hard, but achieves very little.
I don’t want us to lose Giroud, tall players such as him, will always caused a defence problems. Look at Peter a Crouch, Olivier is in a similar mould but not as gangly and clumsy. We would miss his goals.
Monaco? Yeah it’s not as if they need the dough but they’ve always been a club that gives players a chance and don’t stand in their way when those players want to move on.
Their academy must be one of the best in Europe.
How to differ between the two though Kev. Unless it’s official, it’s all garbage isn’t it…
I’m not convinced he’s going Meerkat. Prob just his agent stirring the pot because Ollie didn’t get much playing time. I wouldn’t be overly sad if he left though, as long as we sign someone better, like Lukaku… 😉
I’d love to see what Welbeck can do in an injury free season, then if he’s still not do much other than the hard work, let him go…
I`m back !…………and it has come to my attention that we haven`t bought anyone since my gym workout ! ……………..if only Wenger and Gazidis worked as hard as me down the gym they would have bulging wallets ! hahaha
Adonis Kev !………………… have you been bench pressing a Croissant in the front of your cab ? 🙂
Danny couldn`t hit a cows arse with a banjo let alone a ball !………shame as everything else about him is good…..powerfull, skillfull, fast, works hard !, but !……add first sentence ! hahaha
Yep, I agree with you Rico, if Welbeck got an injury free run of games, up front and still didn’t deliver then we’d know he need replacing eventually, but even then he can still do a good job on the flanks and he always scores against the Mancs.
Right I’m off to bench press a sandwich ?
Enjoy Kev…
Afternoon Rico. Another no-news day so far.
Evening Adam, I expect they’ll be a few more too…
Night…
Good moaning,
Just watched Chile go thru. They are being talked about as having a serious tilt @ the WC. IMO, it’s not all about champions league footie for Alexis, therefore he would be better to stay @ The Arse as the main man than be a bit part @ Bayern, or whoever Newsnow Bullshit throw up to get Arse hits on their pathetic sites?
Now for some proper info` on the rumours, none of the silly stuff ! 🙂
https://twitter.com/bbcsport_david
Adam, keep the faith mate, only 7 more Saturday’s till Leicester !
That’s plenty of time yet for Arsene to do his legendary double bluff and shuffles lol.
Only eleven months Micko and they’ll be just one more season left on his contract… lol
Morning all..
You lot sound like “only 51 weeks and 6 days til Xmas” hahahaha
Morning all.
Hi Scott.
New post up now.