Morning all.
Ezra Konsa is set to sign for Arsenal then after the Premier League champions and Aston Villa finally agreed on a transfer fee yesterday. What he’s done at Villa or with England is kind of irrelevant I think because what is more important is how he fits into an Arsenal back four and how he performs. He’s a good player, there’s no doubting that but at 28 years old, now is his time to show he can be a great player.
This signing, like Bruno Guimaraes, is a sign of Arsenal thinking of now rather than the long term. Both players still have a good few years at the top left in them of course so it’s not like we’ve signed players who are already in decline, these two are in their peak years.
The long term thoughts have not been abandoned though as the club has been signing younger players too during this transfer window. Elijah Upson joined us from the nasty neighbours, Mylo Bernard and Vincent Joseph from Crystal Palace and Liverpool respectively and a deal has been agreed to bring in Axel Donczew from Cardiff City. (The Athletic) Arsenal are also trying to complete the signings of Manchester United academy players James Scanlon and Habeeb Ogunneye. Blackburn striker Igor Tyjon is very close to making his move to the club too. This time next year, Edwin and Holger Quintero will make their move to the club. So yes, the future is being looked after as far as potential goes.
Back to Ezri Konsa though, he’s a buy one get one free kind of player because like Cristhian Mosquera, he’s a centre back who is more than capable of playing at right back which is perfect really. Jurrien Timber remains on the sidelines, Ben White has already played a lot in pre-season which is great but slightly concerning with his recent injury problems and William Saliba, well who knows when he’ll return.
Arsenal and injuries are never far apart are they? Riccardo Calafiori is another player who can regularly miss a few games through injury which in my opinion is another good reason to keep Myles Lewis-Skelly. He’s excelling in midfield but I can foresee him being required to drop in at left back at some stage of the season. An injury to Gabriel and that time might come sooner rather than later.
I’ve no idea what Arsenal plan to do between now and September 1st when the transfer window closes but the media expect an attacking player to come in. Rogers was on that list apparently as was/is Bradley Barcola and Julian Alvarez, not to mention our links to Vinicius Jr. But if a forward player does arrive at the club, it’s likely to spell the end of Gabriel Martinelli’s career at Arsenal although I’d rather our backup right winger left before Martinelli, especially as the latter is more than capable of playing on the right and he offers a lot more defensively than Madueke. A lot more but I guess out of the two, Martinelli is more saleable, especially after his World Cup goal for Brazil which was a peach.
Talking of sales, Arsenal really need to start selling because Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson are filling up squad places when it’s pretty obvious they are not going to get playing time this coming season.
Catch up later.
Thanks Kev, I think we’re a lot stronger and like you, if the TW shut today, I’d be happy. Keeping players fit will be a huge bonus if we can manage it.
Morning Andrew, Kev, all.
I’m glad we’ve got Konsa in a way, he does what it says on the tin. A younger player might have been better but for the here and now which is what we need, Konsa should be fine.
Nice post Rico and yes that was an encouraging list of young signings, for too long our academy relied on the players they could source in the London and SE England area and that hasn’t in general been beneficial despite some sparkling successes among some pretty average squads. There’s a reason Arsenal have struggled to generate any funds from our academy lads and that probably because they’re not very good, we’ve earned more from sell-on clauses.
Arsenal definitely needed a defender, that’s obvious as we don’t really know when Saliba will be back and we also don’t know how resilient Timber will be when he eventually comes back so we needed someone ready made and at 28 Konsa is ready made and for the here and now!
I’ve never really been a massive Ezri Konsa fan, he’s always struck me as error strewn, but he had an impressive World Cup and would have certainly developed under the coaching of Unai Emery, so he’s currently at his peak.
£51m or £58m (probably after add-ons) seems £10 to £15m more than I think he’s worth, but the club have acted decisively – whatever anybody thinks – and have not penny-pinched so kudos to the ownership.
Now is that enough, is that a good window, are we stronger than 12 months ago?
Well, I’d be content if that was the end spending wise, I’d be very happy to see Martinelli stay and Myles of course. I don’t really want to see Zubimendi or Gyokeres leave and if Jesus, as seems the case, is set on playing out his last year, then fine, if we can fit him in?
Nelson will leave, Vieira will eventually leave, Arsenal will come to an arrangement with West Ham and Hamburg, I would also like to see Kepa sold.
So for me it’s been a good window and yes I think we’re stronger than we were 12 months ago. Of course a last minute Hincapie type deal for say Hinshelwood wouldn’t be a bad thing as long as we can fit him in…
Morning rico, all. Think Konsa is a sound signing, if not the glamourous left winger we might be hoping for. Many say promote Marli, or use Mosquira, but away at Villa, home to Chelsea, think Konsa be good. And I worry how bad Saliba is? If we had an injury to Gabriel without re-inforcing till January, we would sureky suffer.
PS – still not had my Friendlies refund, have you rico? Wondering if I did order through App rather than website, but its not in list of available refunds