Goodbye Abou, or is it? Higuain tipped for Arsenal move & Alexis Sanchez get’s your vote….

Morning all.

The transfer window opened yesterday here in the UK. No ‘ins’ but there were a few ‘outs’ announced by the club:

Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ajayi
Vassiriki Abou Diaby
Jack Jebb
Austin Lipman
Ryo Miyaichi
Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill
Josh Vickers

Jack Jebb was a bit of a shock for me as he was tipped to be a future star but clearly, either his football or something else has not quite been up to scratch…

Abou.......
Abou…….

Abou…….

167 appearances in nine years…..

Forget that awful, statistic and for just one moment, also forget about how frustrated, annoyed or any other emotion you have got for the player, who had he been able to stay fit, may just have been the perfect replacement for Patrick Vieira…..

His problem was Dan Smith and that dreadful ‘assault’ on the Frenchmans ankle as since that awful day back in 2006, things were never the same. I’m as guilty as most Arsenal fans for giving Diaby a hard time but right now, I actually feel quite sorry for him. Not because he’s leaving Arsenal but because a very talented and gifted footballer has been deprived of a good career because of one man.

And that man was never punished, unlike Abou Diaby of course.

But he might not really be going according to the journalists as a pay as you play deal could yet be agreed between the player and Arsenal. I personally think that idea wouldn’t benefit anyone, certainly not Arsenal as all he’d do is take up a place in the squad, a place that someone else could and should fill. Let Diaby go and play in a less physical league where players like Dan Smith will be few and far between.

Jack Wilshere is another player who has suffered injury and he knows what it’s like to be targeted and here in the PL he gets very little protection and that’s a guy who England really need to be fit and playing so, just imagine what treatment a Frenchman would be allowed to endure.

Among the talk of Diaby staying, there’s talk of Tomas Rosicky going.

Finally, Alexis Sanchez has been voted the fans player of the year on the official site. 66.4% of the voters thought he deserved the award. Francis Coquelin came second with Santi Cazorla close behind in third place.

Gossip:

Former Naples star Jose Alberti reckons Gonzalo Higuain is set to leave Napoli and sign for Arsenal on a huge contract despite rumours yesterday that Man Utd had agreed terms for him. 90% sure he said he was that Higuain is heading our way. I don’t believe that either….

The agent of Jackson Martinez has confirmed his player has sorted out his future and a deal has been agreed with a top European club. An announcement is expected within the next few days, not that that means he’s heading our way of course.

The Metro have a big headline ‘Arsenal are ready to sign Claudio Marchisio from Juventus with the player’s contract talks stalling’. His agent is clearly trying to sort a bigger and better deal for his player at Juve by telling the media that many clubs have been in contact.

Then there’s Iker Casillas. With David De Gea expected to move to Real Madrid this weekend, the Spaniard is on his way out apparently so that automatically means he’s heading to Arsenal rather than Petr Cech who could head to the neighbours if Utd sign Lloris…

Exhausted? Me too…

Have a good Thursday folks…

76 thoughts on “Goodbye Abou, or is it? Higuain tipped for Arsenal move & Alexis Sanchez get’s your vote….

  1. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Good Morning Lovelies and Hunkies.

    A good post Lady. I believe the transfers though when I see them wearing AFC shirt. You have my utmost respect how you manage to scrape the bottom of the barrell everyday after the season ends, to give us a post.

    But still….you manage to give us a daily cheer. And for that I raise my hat to you.

    Ahhh Diaby. I hope he is gone. FOR GOOD. yes I do pity him, but as you said….he will take up a place in the squad. better leave it free than fill it up with someone who is never fit.

    Gnabry and Wellington Silva……what role do yo think they will have next season????

  2. Hell Raising Devil says:

    Just saw this comment…….Abou Diaby will finally, *literally* be like a new signing for somebody.

    lol

    I hope AW does not get any funny ideas. Because we will soon be feeling like TR07

  3. Wavy says:

    2nd!

    Morning all.

    A piece of news to gladden all arsenal hearts……..the moronic, chav dwarf has been banned from driving for six months for doing 60 in a 50mph zone! He must have amassed a good few points prior to his latest total disregard for the law! Does the last bit sound familiar? Tosser!

  4. rico says:

    I hope if Tomas does go they let him go for free. Would be cruel, albeit shrew if they only activated the extra year in order to get a fee for him..

  5. Joe says:

    Enjoyed the post this morning Rico thanks.
    I hope Diaby stays at the club to my mind it proves that the club hasn’t gone the whole way to worshiping at the alter of all consuming money.
    The thing is if he stays he will take a squad number but is that a big issue with the number of world class midfield players we have and under 21 players around club.

  6. rico says:

    Thanks Joe..

    I guess it’s a problem when having to submit a squad for the league and champions league as he’ll take a place – to be honest, Diaby must have a huge mental issue to overcome as well as physical and I’m not convinced this is the league for him to sort either out…

    IF he is to stay, pay as you play is the only option but I wouldn’t bank on him earning much money so why not go somewhere else…

  7. rogerbij says:

    Remember Diaby at his best!

    If he wants pay per play I dont mind so much…how big can our squad be?

  8. Joe says:

    Rico you are right he must have issues every time he takes to football or training pitches.
    Having problems posting it’s the old invalid security token. 🙂

  9. Hell Raising Devil says:

    The Gunners are now actively looking to offload Campbell on a permanent basis and hope to raise £8million from his sale. There is certainly interest in him, mainly from Real Sociedad and Fenerbache, but it is the latter that has agreed a deal in principle to sign him, according to Turkish outlet Hurrynet.

    Campbell turns 23 this month, and Fenerbache are targeting younger players this summer to help with their ageing squad. It has not been reported how much the agreed deal is worth, but it is thought to be in the region of £6million-£8million.

    Campbell was loaned out to Villarreal for the second half of the season but struggled to impress the Spanish side or Wenger during that period.

    Lukas Podolski is another player that Arsenal are looking to move on this summer, his £95,000 per week wages make him one of the highest earners at the club and Wenger is keen to free up room on the wage bill for new additions.

    Meanwhile Woijech Szczesny is expected to leave the club as a transfer for Petr Cech moves closer. Arsenal do not want to keep Szczesny as a second choice keeper earning a reported £90,000 per week. We have been told Szczesny could be loaned out to Southampton, but also a permanent move can not be ruled out.

  10. potter says:

    rogerbij :- this explains it I believe ,

    Clubs register a squad of up to 25 players, which must include at least eight ‘home-grown’ players, at the end of each transfer window.

    – Home-grown players do not have to be English; home-grown players are defined as those who “irrespective of nationality or age, have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to 21st birthday”

    – Clubs can supplement squad with unlimited number of players under the age of 21.

    Diaby came to us too late to be classed as home grown so he will take up one of the 17 foreigner spaces . If you look at our squad for last season we had 16 of those. So if we keep him and nobody moves on , we are only in the market for 1 extra player. I doubt the club will wish to be restricted by this.

  11. rogerbij says:

    Thanks Potter! Super clear comment. Does anyone think we could keep Diaby on a pay/play deal for the English cups only to prove himself? Im with you all on not offering a real contract of 1m per year or whatever…

    7.5m for Campbell?? Ill bit your hand off for that. Offer the same for Podolski and you can have him too!

  12. potter says:

    Campbell , Myachi and Martinez have all reached 22 so will either take some of those spaces or go , Podolski obviously frees one up and that’s why I am baffled by us offering extensions to fringe players like Arteta and Rosicky . Szczesney was always home grown so his leaving doesn’t help squad numbers. The whole thing is a nightmare I hope the club are on top of it because I’m not sure that I am.

  13. tsgh says:

    Good read Rico.

    Not sure Diaby cost us as much money sections of fans have been led to believe. Insurance covered all the cost whilst he was off reason his contract was not terminated.

  14. `Rick says:

    Afternoon Rico and the house.
    Rico it looks like my keyboard probleme is coming to an end .
    Next week Iam seeing someone who tells me he can sort things out for me.
    ( I think you can understand).
    My Daugther is going to post a comment for me.

  15. `Rick says:

    I believe that the Premier League and Clubs will shortly be holding their annual
    conference. No doubt top of the agenda will be Dykes proposal for the squad size. They will vote on it and I think this could affect what clubs will do in the transfer window.
    As things stand Potters summary is allmost spot on.
    With all the on loan players now back and the Ox promoted from U21
    we now have 18 foreign and 9 home grown.
    The question is what is Arsene going to do with Campbell Podolski Sanogo
    Mikal Flamini Rosicky and Silva.
    Untill we see some departures we will not see any new signings.
    Now prove me wrong Arsene.

  16. tsgh says:

    Spot on Rick.
    Mikel is staying. Rumors are AW wants him as an Assistant/manager in future..

    I wonder why Dyke is not on the Bilderberg invitee list since he sees himself as a so important? 🙂

  17. rico says:

    Re the squad – I said similar in a post a few days ago. Right now there’s not much room for too many new signings so something/someone has to give…

    Ts, re Arteta and him being assistant manger, surely by the time he hangs up his playing boots, AWs contract will have expired and surely he’ll be retired from AFC…

  18. `Rick says:

    Rico Ts did you know that while he has been out injured Mikal has been doing some coaching at Hale End. I hear the kids love him.

  19. rico says:

    I didn’t know that Rick. If he’s staying to coach then fine but as a player, I can’t see where he fits in now….

  20. Malaga gooner says:

    It’s just we never do our transfers in public. The news feeds never have a clue what we’re doing

  21. Lee says:

    Today is a day for the speedos….. Brudder and 47 have matching Daniel Craig lycra, tight fitting trunks, I saw them once over Clissold Park catching a few rays! 😉

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