Morning all.
Just like Christmas, we know it’s coming, although unlike Santa, a transfer window comes around twice a year instead of just the once. There’s an argument to be made for scrapping the January transfer window I’d have thought because in the main, the already extortionate transfer fees can increase. Clubs can be ripped off even more than they are in the summer and the less rich clubs can often be outpriced of getting their preferred deals done. Selling clubs must love January, buying clubs must hate it. Clubs who really don’t want to sell their prize assets can’t be too fond of it either. Arsene Wenger hated it and was one of a few managers who wanted it gone.
I guess the idea of the winter window was to help clubs who have suffered injury to player/s which on paper makes sense but with the depth of squad permitted, one could suggest that if they’ve gone into a new season with a depleted squad, then that’s their fault really as we of all clubs know. Mind you, the January transfer window seldom came to our rescue either. Plenty of promises made, hopes risen but come the 31st of the month, nothing, zilch, nada.
Another reason the January transfer window isn’t always welcome is because for players who are into their final year of their contract can quite easily lose focus whilst planning for their future elsewhere. We’re seeing that now with Ramsey just as we did with Sanchez. But what goes around comes around I guess as we too have waited for a player to join us for free having agreed a deal in principle just a few months before. Any club which loses a player for free only really have themselves to blame really. In most cases I’d have thought anyway.
During the fifteen years of its existence, all of course under Arsene Wenger, we signed the below list of players in January. Not including any back breaking loan deals.
Guillaume Warmuz (2003)
Håvard Nordtveit (2007)
Luke Freeman (2008)
Cedric Evina (2009)
Nacer Barazite (2007)
Thomas Eisfeld (2012)
Krystian Bielik (2015)
Mart Poom (2006)
Carlos Vela (2006)
Emmanuel Eboué (2005)
Sol Campbell (2010)
Abou Diaby (2006)
Gabriel (2015)
Andrei Arshavin (2009)
Nacho Monreal (2013)
Emmanuel Adebayor (2006)
José Antonio Reyes (2004)
Theo Walcott (2006)
Mohammed Elneny (2016)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2018)
Mkhitaryan (2018 Swap deal)
Twenty one players which kind of surprised me really as I didn’t think it’d be that many. Mind you, a good number of those came and left without making their mark. Interestingly, Havard Nordtveit is at Hoffenheim these days together with Reiss Nelson and he’s still only 28 years old. The keeper, Guillaume Warmuz didn’t play a single game but then he was brought in simply as cover for the injured Rami Shabaam.
The best winter signing we’ve ever made has to be Sol Campbell in my opinion. Behind him I’d opt for Arshavin because his arrival seemed to lift the team and push us into a Champions League place. Monreal has done really well for the club, as did Adebayor for a while. I loved Reyes but sadly for him and us, the French stare together with the Neville sisters proved too much for him. The big money one was Aubameyang who still has a few years left in him at Arsenal. Eboué. Who didn’t love Eboué? Vela too, another lovely player who just didn’t quite do it under Wenger.
Having read what both Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham said during their interview just a month or so ago, I got the impression that our January transfer window would be a silent one with Unai Emery having to continue on with the squad he has, drawing on the academy if and when needed but it seems if that was the plan, it may have changed because of the injury to Danny Welbeck.
Goodness if we’ll sign someone or if we do, who but I think we can be quietly confident that he’s not going to be a big money signing and as I’ve said on more than one occasion, that doesn’t bother me. Sven Mislintat has the task of unearthing another gem no doubt, Unai Emery to get him fitting in and making a difference to the team.
The big question is though, in which area of the squad do you guys think we need to strengthen and who would you go for?
Have a good day guys, it’s a chilly one….
Morning everyone. I see we are being linked to Pepe from Lille. Although I have only seen him in a couple of matches, he looks like the real deal.. Still a bit raw.. But a lot of tricks up his sleeve and quite an amount of pace to burn too.. So far he has 8 goals and 7 assists in 13 league games. Not bad at all imo. But personally I don’t believe we’ll get him, as he would probably cost more than M30£.
Morning Rico. Seems to me that identifying potential targets is rather more subtle than it might appear. Taking into consideration not only the quality of the player but also his character etc.
Arsenal are aiming to put themselves back at the top end of the PL and European football. Game-changers can cost a lot of money. I doubt the club will be put off by the prices as the men now in charge must know the market inside out and they have a separate department devoted to tracking the entire World transfer scene.
We certainly need defenders.
Morning Adam, Adk, all.
Defender, winger and midfielder I’d say, especially once Ramsey has gone and it looks Elneny could be off too. Although Smith-Rowe will probably fill one spot…
Not a bad eleven, is it?
With one more keeper they played for the champions or something more.
Diaby was an excellent player.
Ruined by back tackles Jm
I wonder how different we’d have been during the time Diaby had been at Arsenal had he not been injured. Rosicky too..
AMN Is versatile but although he has played at the back he really is a midfielder.There’s no point in training kids if you don’t use them. With Smith -Rowe we could have a double barreled midfield.
Add Nelson to the mix and we might just save a fortune and as a crowd loves a home grown player they would get full support.
Very true Potter, I’d like a winger in January, one who scores goals for our left side..
Good day to you all, Any signings we make in January are likely to be from left field. Sven has probably got a couple up his sleeve, a bit like the early Wenger years when he managed to find some little known gems.
In Welbeck’s absence I’d like to see Nketiah given a chance before we sign a striker. Also Smith-Rowe is a ready made upgrade on Ramsey. A left winger would be a bonus but we must be aware of the talent available next summer when Reiss Nelson is due back from Hoffenheim.
Grey, heavy overcast and cold here. Dog has been walked and the woodburner is glowing.
Eddie might get some playing time in the next few Cup matches Cicero, at least like you, I hope he does. If not, I wonder if a loan for the rest of the season is on the cards..
Allezkev might be able to say more but Bakayo Saka is ripping up trees for the under 18s . maybe he could go to Hoffenheim to replace Nelson next season. The trip to Germany doesn’t seem to be doing him any harm and maybe we need to look to bringing the manager ( Nagelsmann ) into the fold following Emery should he go at the end of his contract.
Good idea Potter. On both accounts.
https://www.goal.com/en/news/meet-bukayo-saka-the-latest-arsenal-academy-star-making-a/1s5io5p2o0qk41kfp30ivme0rh
Saka is a really promising player, but he might be a bit too young to go on loan next season as he’ll only be just 18, but for sure, I’d definitely send him to Hoffenheim on loan when he’s a bit older, and it would certainly make sense to build a relationship with that club by loaning them our best young players, maybe Smith Rowe next?
There’s an absolute load of old tosh on NewsNow about who Arsenal are ‘in for’ and for how much, but we already have a lot of 30 somethings with no sell on value as it is, they’ll all need to be replaced over the next couple of years, so we need to be going in for players in their early 20’s imo, so for me, the likes of Mata is a nice thought, but not financially viable.
You should be asleep Kev. 😅
I’m off to kip now, you too… 😉
Night Rico
New post up now.