Morning all.
Fed up with transfer rumours already? No, me neither..
The Europa League final passed me by last night as it wasn’t until this morning I realised it’d taken place. Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen had gone through the season unbeaten but Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman ruined their night by scoring a hat-trick. I must admit that until Atalanta knocked Liverpool out of the competition earlier this season, I’d not really heard/read much about the club or their manager Gian Piero Gasperini but now, there’s no avoiding either. Well done them I say.
Perhaps Chelsea will add Gian Piero Gasperini to their potential managerial prospects as once more they go in search for a new one. I did read somewhere that Tuchel could make a return which if true is quite amusing. In fact much which goes on at Chelsea is amusing these days. De Zerbi is another name linked as he’s out of a job.
Another manager potentially on the move is Vincent Kompany as he’s tipped for the Bayern Munich job and Thomas Frank clearly wants a new job too as he’s been telling the world he’s happy at Brentford but if a big club came in for him he wouldn’t say no. Something like that anyway. Arne Slot is the new Liverpool manager, we know that by now but will Ten Hag still be at Man Utd after the FA Cup Final? Let’s hope so eh….
Meanwhile, back at Arsenal things seem settled although the media have been trying to cause a stir with their “Arteta wants to go home” theories. I suspect he does want a return to Spain one as I suspect Guardiola does too but for now, our manager is on a journey with Arsenal. I’d imagine a new contract offer for him is already on the table.
Next month sees the summer transfer window officially open on the 14th and on the same day, Germany host Scotland as the Euros 2024 kicks off. 28 countries are involved in the competition which will be whittled down to 2 by the time the final is played on the 14th July.
Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, David Raya, Jorginho, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba will be away with their respective countries.
Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli will also be on international duty this summer as Brazil take part in the Copa America Cup in the USA. Only 16 countries take part in this one so the schedule is not quite as hectic as the Euros. The final is on the 14th July.
Just a month later, the weekend of 17th August, Premier League football returns for a new season. Goodness knows what physical condition our players will be in should any of them reach the final of either competition.
Arsenal’s first pre-season fixture is on the 13th July against Boreham Wood.
24th July, the Olympic Games football begins. I’ve no idea how many, if any of Arsenal’s players will be involved but it’ll be mainly under 23’s if they are.
Later in July, Arsenal will be in the USA where on the 27th, they’ll play Man Utd and on the 31st, play Liverpool.
Then it’s back home to prepare for the opening game of the new campaign. We’ll know who that fixture is against on June 18th.
In two days time though, England’s summer of cricket will hopefully get going with a T20 fixture against Pakistan as they warm up for the T20 World Cup. Yesterday’s fixture was a washout…
All in all, this should be a great summer for sport, especially with Wimbledon just around the corner…
Catch up later…
An expanded European Championship and an expanded Champions League…
Exactly what the players need as they drop like flies…
Of course the PFA could get involved, but they strangely remain fairly silent on this issue.
I wonder why?
G’day all. A relaxed post today Rico I can see you’re winding down towards Dorset. 😎
Would you believe that last night Spurs and Newcastle played an exhibition match in some far distant place, literally the other side of the world, called Melbourne. What lunatic thought that one up?
No disrespect intended Geoff. 😉
Indeed I am Cicero, although it’s not until July.
Ridiculous decision to play a post season friendly although saying that, the Arsenal women are about to do the same..
Good afternoon Rico and all
So yesterday Bayer Leverkusen went from Bayer Neverlusen to Bayer Haslusen after being cooked by Lookman with a hat-trick. I watched the game and tbh I feel that Xabi Alonso disrespected the final. Why play Frimpong in central midfield when he is basically a fullback/wingback?? Ederson had him in his pocket and did whatever he wanted because singlehandedly he dominated Bayer’s midfield. Atalanta’s goalkeeper Juan Musso was practically undisturbed throughout the whole game.
Off to count how many new players have been mentioned as certainties to sign for Arsenal.
Afternoon Devil.
That defeat might silence the Alonso euphoria. Going unbeaten in the Bundesliga is I’d imagine, slightly less tricky than the PL. Especially when Bayern had a poor season.
But still its a feat Rico. You can only play what you have in front of you. Bayer Leverkusen only played twice against Bayern. Bayern were poor but still managed to come second in what might seem a one horse race league. The Bundesliga is not the EPL where you can lose against the bottom team and a top team like Bayern, Bayer, Dortmund, Leipzig can afford to try out newcomers and young players when playing against the lower teams of the Bundesliga. In the EPL you cant afford to do that. However, yesterday was a final and it was the first time they lost this year. As I said before, Alonso was a bit arrogant in his selection when he thought he could experiment with Frimpong in advanced CM when the latter plays at the back. It was a final and he should have respected it as such.
Lookman cooked him with egg on his face….three times.
We will soon have Lookman to Arsenal stories. Or Arsenal on the verge of buying Ederson.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/lokonga-arsenal-fc-transfer-news-b1159765.html
Lokonga’s a GONNER
For sure Devil, he’s done something special. Let’s see next season…
Arsenal loanee Mika Biereth played a key role in Sturm Graz’s successful campaign, winning a domestic double as they secured the Austrian Bundesliga title on Sunday.
The striker scored 15 goals and recorded nine assists across his two loan spells this season, averaging a goal contribution every 111 minutes.
He returns to North London ahead of next season with two winners medals. Mikel Arteta is expected to take a close look at him in pre-season before deciding on his future.
I guess that was always likely. Shame as when he first arrived he looked a real talent but Partey returned to fitness and the rest as they say, is history.
Vieira next with a bit of luck.
Partey was injured a lot this season. Yet, Lokonga was loaned out and not even in the transfer window was he bought back as cover. So surely that means that he has not satisfied Arteta and Edu’s requisites. I hope we get at least the outlay we paid for him…..EUR18million.
Exactly, just why I thought he’s a likely exit although we did have Jorginho.
Afternoon Rico and all.
Cicero, none taken, I am guessing it’s a thank you to Ange while keeping the fans in oz happy, and not a bad crowed just over 78 thousand fans attended, not to mention a quick scouting trip while here also Tottenham along with one of the big oz soccer clubs gave a junior clinic at one of the biggest Aussie rules club who like to play practice matches overseas. every year at least 2 premier league clubs come out to OZ.
sounds like Raya going to stay, Lokonga is interesting that we have not sold him yet I am wondering if he is trying to run his contract out so he can atract more offers as a free agent
Afternoon Geoff. Lokonga has only just been advised to leave if reports are correct so I suspect he’ll be sold this summer. He has a year, an option of another year, left on his contract so o doubt he’s considering hanging around.
Lakonga looked quite good and played when fit for Luton,maybe they will sign him ?
Being relegated doesn’t always seem to affect players/managers,look at Vincent Kompany,I didn’t see that coming.
He looked good for us once. I guess that little incident caught on film cheesed Arteta off.
Exclusive according to arsenalfanaticsnews
Early discussions have taken place that would see Emile Smith-Rowe and Marcus Rashford swap Club’s.
Many factors of the deal make sense .
Homegrown players come at a premium and for the new Sustainability Rules spending no money and getting a homegrown player is ideal . Arsenal would add to the wide man and forward options and Man Utd would gain creativity and goals with work rate . Both players need a move and if these talks are successful then both Club’s and both players could be happy .
That would be an awful deal. Nearly as bad as the Alexis swap.
not at the expense of ESR imo. ESR is worth much much more. I wouldnt pay more than EUR25million for Rashford but I value ESR at EUR35-40 bracket.
ESR is on £100k per week, Rashford is on something like £300k per week.
I don’t see it myself.
Rashford can rot at Utd as far as I’m concerned.
both ESR and Rashford need to move on for there own sake, however I like ESR but I get the feeling that Arteta doesn’t rates him highly, for Rashford to come to us he would have to take a 50% pay cut, but his attitude worries me as it’s took us a few years to fix the issues with certain player and I don’t want us to go backwards.
Rico, I maybe wrong but My understand was that an offer for Lokonga was made at the start of last season but Lokonga refused to go.
Lokonga would probably do a good job at C.Palace in the No.8 role. He scored 1 goal and got 3 assists in 17 EPL games and made 2 FAC apps. He’s a bit injury prone though?
Tavares is another who can’t stay fit, injury issues at Marseilles a year ago and similar issues at Forest. We might have a job getting our money back on him.
Talking about left-backs I see that Kolasinac started for Atalanta vs Leverkusen!
Who would have imagined him in a back-three?
Reports, spurious I imagine, that Newcastle want £200m for Isak…
Might be Newcastle telling Arsenal to ‘do one’ regarding a bid?
Why would the richest club in the world sell either of its best players and certainly not to another English club. I never thought that either Isak or Bruno were realistic targets. Smoke and mirrors perhaps?
Looks as if Man City will have to re-think reinforcing their midfield with long-time target Pacqueta with a long ban for bet fixing in the pipeline!
As mentioned earlier Mika Biereth will have a great chance to impress Arteta and maybe give his Arsenal career a boost in pre-season, with so many players missing following internationals. As for the rest out on loan I’m doubtful that any of them have done enough to postpone their probable permanent departures from the Home of Football…
Nwaneri, Heaven, Lewis Skelly and Martin Obi all doing their prospects of jogging Arteta’s memory and reminding him of how good they are in their respective international tournaments, a power of good for them next season?
Sometimes you just need a break, a spin of the coin to drop for you like a couple of favourable, lucky home League Cup draws and an opportunity…
It’s about time we had some decent cup draws.
The only player who I think might have a chance for a place in the first team squad is Mika Biereth. The others are in my opinion, either too young or not good enough yet. If Arteta has little faith in Nketiah, Nelson and perhaps ESR, it’s very unlikely he’s going to believe in a player younger or much less experienced.
Nwaneri is still 17 isn’t he?
Geoff, not convinced by that rumour about Lokonga.
Morning all.
Good morning all.
And the managerial roundabout whirls yet again, just days after being announced, by the BBC, as a pundit for the Euros Wayne Rooney is tipped to be the next manager of Plymouth Argyle. They sacked their manager after finishing one place above the relegation spots in the Championship. Rooney was sacked from his last job after just 83 days at relegation threatened Birmingham City.
All I can say is God help Plymouth Argyle. At least it means we will, hopefully, be spared his less than gripping pontificating on the summer tournament.
Amazing isn’t it, it seems as if some ex-players can fail and fail again and again in management and still keep on getting jobs and opportunities whilst others never get a look in.
Some clubs are just very dumb or very desperate…
Morning Rico, the reason I think that Biereth might stand a chance is his profile and style as cover for Havertz.
Long shot all the same.
Morning Kev.
Ex players turned managers make me laugh because a lot of them go into a job without actually working alongside someone else first. Then they wonder why it all goes wrong. Still, I wouldn’t mind being Chelsea manager for a couple of months before being sacked. 😂
Kev, Biereth could be a better/different option to Nketiah but then I thought the same re Balogun. How wrong I was it seems..
Mika is the only one I think might have a chance as he came in under Arteta rather than before..
New post up by the way.