Morning all.
Arsenal desperately needed a striker during the January transfer window, or at least that’s what I thought and I wasn’t the only one. Such a suggestion might sound bonkers now, having beaten Crystal Palace, Liverpool and West Ham by scoring three or more goals in each game but I still think a prolific scorer of goals would improve this Arsenal squad no end. Basically, I think we need a striker who can do what Saliba and Gabriel have been doing on set-pieces, but in open play.
It seems early to be talking about what Arsenal might do in the summer as far as transfers go but I’m pretty sure Mikel Arteta and Edu will already be talking about it. Working on who stays, who goes and who they’d like to bring in. There are those who want to leave too as there is bound to be one or two who simply want to play football each week rather sit on the sidelines for 70 odd minutes week after week. Does the club stick with the players who are more often than not missing through injury, especially those who don’t have age on their side?
So much to think about and so many decisions to make which can’t be easy when FFP and the homegrown rule are factored in. Based purely on the internet and social media opinions, Aaron Ramsdale, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe are the names mentioned when it comes to selling players but that would be four home grown players gone in one go. I can’t see it happening. At least not all four of them going.
Just as I can’t see Kylian Mbappe coming to Arsenal, despite reports in The Independent which suggest he’d be open to making the move to north London. It’d be fantastic to see him at Arsenal but his wages would be astronomical – over £1 million a week I read. No player is worth such an amount in my opinion. But, never say never I guess as wherever he ends up, he won’t cost a penny in transfer fees as his contract with PSG expires at the end of this season.
Mbappe has been heavily linked to Real Madrid and yesterday, rumours were rife around the internet that the same club want to sign Kai Havertz this summer. A headline in The Mirror:
Arsenal ‘losing patience’ with Havertz
Kai Havertz is expected to be put up for sale by Arsenal this summer, according to reports in Spain. It’s claimed by Fichajes that Havertz, who joined the Gunners for £65million last summer, is beginning to test Arsenal’s patience.
The German forward’s lack of attacking output and struggles in adapting to Mikel Arteta’s style of play are cited as the two reasons, but it’s added that previous admirers Real Madrid aren’t willing to cough up the Gunners’ asking price of a similar fee to what they paid Chelsea. Havertz, 24, has failed to score since the turn of the year.
I’m sure this rumour is one a large number of Arsenal fans are hoping to be true. The story is probably little more than mischief making because Arsenal are doing well right now. Next it’ll be William Saliba, Gabriel or even Bukayo Saka. We’ve been here so many times before with Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Arsene Wenger during the good times. Anything to try and upset the Arsenal apple cart. Same as the Mikel Arteta to Barcelona story. It’s all poppycock, or at least most of it is.
It’s not even March yet…..
We have three months of football to go before we see any kind of movement in the transfer window.
- Burnley A – 15th Feb 3pm
- Porto A – 21st 8pm
- Newcastle H – 24th 8pm
What a ridiculous fixture date and time the PL has given us for the Newcastle game but I suppose with Newcastle playing on the 27th in the FA Cup, they couldn’t move it to Sunday.
The Champions League fixtures kicked off again last night and as expected, Man City had an easy time against Copenhagen, winning 3-1 away from home and Real Madrid go into their second leg against RB Leipzig with a 1-0 away win behind them. Bayern play Lazio tonight and PSG take on Real Sociedad. .
This time next week, it’ll be our turn as we travel to Portugal to face Porto.
Catch up in the comments.
Morning Rico,
Usual guff from the tabloids as expected. There are probably only two clubs in Europe that can outbid English teams at present: PSG and Real Madrid. I can’t see PSG being much of a draw, so that leaves Real Madrid…so that’s where the stories go.
Unless big money can be pulled from Saudi Arabia for players close to the end of their careers (Partey/Salah) there will be more transfers between English clubs.
Here’s a guess at Arsenal’s next transfer window:
In:
Toney
Midfielder/Winger (I wonder if we’ll go for Jarod Bowen)
Keeper
Out:
Ramsdale (Premier League)
Nketiah (Premier League)
Partey (Saudi Arabia)
Elneny (End of contract)
Cedric (End of contract)
Morning Rico and Co.
Rumours in the Spanish press carry about as much weight as those empty rumours we routinely see in the Turkish press, when I saw this headline I just passed it by without bothering to read it, now I have read it Rico (thanks 😉) I know that my initial decision to ignore was correct.
To me it’s a story that carries zero credibility. Even before I read the assertion in it I knew that the claim would be that Real Madrid wouldn’t cover the transfer fee Arsenal paid therefore that should tell you all you needed to know about it’s veracity.
There’s no way that Arsenal would ever consider selling Havertz at a loss after one year and why should they, he’s been playing well in my opinion?
How often has he been left out of the starting XI…? A couple of times max…
That doesn’t strike me as ‘Arsenal losing patience’ but it does strike of Real Madrid no longer being relevant, I thought they were the club who signed the superstars? All mouth and no knickers springs to mind…
To me Havertz has been a key part of the squad and team this season, his transfer fee and salary put him out of the reach of this present money-strapped Madrid and it’s, to me, a clear example of a story borne out of a vivid imagination.
Morning Rico and all,
While we talking about selling and buying players, If Everton go down would it be worth us looking a there player Jarrad Branthwaite,
contract run out 2025, his english and a Centre back but most importantly his 6ft 5 going by reports. I reckon him and Ben white could work well together in defending set pieces.
Unless we get rid of Jesus I can’t see Arteta looking for a striker even though we could do with one.
Morning Pete.
I think Real too as PSG can’t seem to get him to stay. The rest is just poppycock I’m sure. Havertz to Madrid is probably a side show..
Morning Kev. They’re comical if nothing else. I think whoever generates such stories forget that there’s little money around these days. FFP has woken up.
Morning Geoff.
There could be a few options open with relegated clubs but they’ll want a premium for their players because of the financial implications relegation can have. I can’t see Arsenal being that busy this summer. Just replacing those who go.
Havertz is a donkey wot has he done.nothing can’t score can’t play football he plays because Arteta paid stupid money for him ESR is much better should have brought a striker instead
Looking at the following t is clear that Arsenal will have to sell before buying any highly rated players.
European clubs with the most debt
# Club League Debt
1 Barcelona La Liga €1.35B
2 Juventus Serie A €900M
3 Tottenham Premier League €826M
4 Inter Serie A €702M
5 AC Milan Serie A €666M
6 Real Madrid La Liga €662M
7 Arsenal Premier League €625M
8 Atletico Madrid La Liga €523M
9 Manchester United Premier League €450M
10 Liverpool Premier League €386M
I think that the big lad from Everton will probably end up at Man United, he looks a unit and a very very good player, but if you’re a young centre-back and you want to play regularly and then you have the opportunity to consider Arsenal as your next club you then see that Saliba is 22 and the best in his position and that Gabriel is 24/25 and a monster who the manager loves – so then, where do you play, I reckon that nobody but nobody is getting into our team ahead of Big Bill and Big Gabby…
But he is a really good player, who’ll probably replace Slabhead for both club and country…
Rico, the relegated clubs may want big money but at the end of the day the bigger clubs know that the relegated club can’t afford to keep them either.
It will be interesting if someone makes an offer around 1 1/2 to 2 million pounds for Saka would Arteta sell.
Surely Man Utd are in more debt than listed Cicero, much more when I last read about them.
According to The Athletic, Utd are £1 billion in dept.
True Geoff. Saka is worth more than £1 million 😂
looking at the debt clubs owe, it’s amazing how they survive.
I wonder how much of that debt is corsed by the players manager.
Burnley is on the 17th February.
Is important to go ahead in Champions League.
I can’t see any truth in the Arsenal looking to sell Havertz story, I’m not his biggest fan (not as extreme as Jack ! ) as Kev points out Arteta likes him – and Arsenal are looking good right now.
There was a story in the summer Real Madrid wouldn’t go above 50m for him,then went and paid a lot more for Jude Bellingham.
Talking to my brother (Chelsea fan) last night,he pointed out fixture on the 16th of March will be rearranged if Chelsea win their FA cup game at home to Leeds.
Would leave us with 22 days between league games.
You could be right Rico. I didn’t check the date of the article on top ten debts. If I could remember the source I’d have another look. It’s an age thing, sadly. 😕
I’m not his biggest fan either Limey but he’s certainly one of Arteta’s favourites. I still think Madrid will go all in for Mbappe..
Cicero, I wouldn’t worry too much. 😜
Benfica 21 16 4 1 32 52
Sporting 20 17 1 2 39 52
FC Porto 21 14 3 4 19 45
They’re there for the taking Kev…
The above should read.
W, D, L, GD, PTS
Benfica have scored 46, conceded 14
Sporting have scored 58, conceded 19
Porto have scored 35, conceded 16
Hopefully Rico, only scoring 35 goals in 21 games shouldn’t fill us with anxiety. Seems that they have a reasonable defence.
We know how to beat a good defence now Kev. 😜
Porto vs Benfica (N)….. 0-2
Benfica vs Porto………… 1-0
Porto vs Barcelona……. 0-1
Barcelona vs Porto……. 2-1
Sporting vs Porto……… 2-0
Porto also lost 0-1 at home to Wolves in pre-season…
They don’t concede many but they don’t score any against the better teams…
I read we have a huge fitness boost ahead of the weekend. Fabio Vieira is back fit. 😂
We do Rico, we’ve not done great under Arteta in europe but this is a very good team that we have now so we should be confident.
Well if Fabio is back then all our worries are over… 😄
What is Portuguese for ‘Playing the low block’…?
Agree Kev. To be fair, we’ve not been good in Europe for years.
“ jogando o bloco baixo”…. 😂
Brentford have agreed a deal for Igor Thiago, meaning Toney is likely to leave. Sounds like they’ve potentially got a better player to replace him..
How did we miss out on a Brazilian? 😜
I didn’t know that you was fluent in the old Portuguese lingo Rico? 😁
Google translate Kev. 😂
Rico correct in saying that many Arsenal fans want a Havertz sale rumour to be true.
Luckily it isn’t happening, and Arteta is happy having this versatile weapon to gameplan with. Personally the more I watch him play, the more I appreciate him.
Some fans that don’t appreciate him should consider maybe not relying on goal numbers to judge him considering that he’s a CM and and an industrious one.
I think opposing defenses and managers get a headache from what Arteta does with him. It’s exactly why he asked to buy him.
It’s gone very quiet at London Colney again, I wonder what plans Arteta has up his sleeve with 3 games in 8 days pending?
Some thoughtful substitutions and team rotation will be needed to overcome aching limbs and niggling injuries. Nelson, Nketiah, Vieira, Tomiyasu, Elneny, Jesus hopefully, Jorginho certainly, Cedric maybe and even Nwaneri might be needed to negotiate all three matches?
I’m really looking forward to being written off by the MSM and proving them all wrong…
With Real Madrid “interested” in Havertz and now Barcelona “monitoring” Martinelli, according to Mundo Deportivo, it seems our players are much in demand. If Football Insider are to be believed, Arsenal are deterring interest in Saka by valuing him at between £150/£200 million.
Would, or should, Arsenal consider selling our Star Boy if an offer of that order came in?
Can’t see Arsenal selling Saka for any kind of money, not right now anyway..
Morning all
New post up.