Morning all.
Six people have died and at least 40 more are injured, many seriously after fans got crushed in an incident outside the stadium hosting the Africa Cup of Nations game between Cameroon and Comoros. Too many fans trying to get into the stadium is reported to be the cause. I don’t understand why if someone hasn’t got a ticket, especially when Covid restrictions are in force, they would go to any sporting event. Things like this seldom end well and this didn’t.
Back to Arsenal and time is ticking by rather quickly in this transfer window with just seven days left to get a couple of deals over the line. According to Sky Italy, Juventus are now in talks with Fiorentina to sign Dusan Vlahovic which comes as no great surprise to me really. He already plays in Italy, Juve are seen to be one of the big clubs in their League and in Europe and I strongly suspect he wants Champions League football. Arsenal can’t guarantee him the latter, mind you, neither can Juventus right now as they’re fifth in the League.
Of course it’s a shame that it seems Arsenal won’t get a player of his calibre and their main target this month, (so say the media) but not every young player wants to make the move to another country, or to Arsenal. If he doesn’t want Arsenal, then Arsenal shouldn’t want him in my opinion.
According to The Sun, Arsenal are considering a loan move for Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic instead. Interestingly, both players represent Serbia at international level and both have scored seven goals for their country. Jovic though, has had more than his fair share of injuries.
Hang on though, Alexander Isak is yet again heading to Arsenal. An offer of €70 million would seal the deal apparently as that’s his release clause. Either that or £70 million, I’m not sure. I can’t keep up really but I read that he wanted to play in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, the Arthur Melo stories rumble on…
A winter transfer window is never the best time to add new players because the selling club has to find a replacement but I’m sure that long before the 1st January, most clubs know what their plans are including who they’ll sell if the right offers come in. Just as they’ll know who their targets are and how much they’ll cost. I’d like to think that Arsenal had done their homework on Dusan Vlahovic a long time ago and knew that he didn’t want to move to England.
Just because sports reporters write something, it doesn’t mean it’s true and invariably it isn’t. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if we signed a player or two who’s names are yet to feature in a glorified headline which is usually followed by very little evidence to support or justify it. The only thing we know for sure is that there’s seven days left for Arsenal to sign whoever it is they hope to sign.
See you in the comments.
https://dailycannon.com/2022/01/arteta-kroenke-denver/
Nick his chequebook Mikel…
Hello 👋 Rico and everyone;
Firstly, I’d like to appreciate Rico & team for the brand new-look site, which at first I thought was due to my browser’s periodic updates.. Actually, there’s a feel of freshness about this site!
Happy New Year, God bless.
Well said Kyalo.
Morning all.
Happy New Year to you Kyalo and Morning Grumblers and Rico.
Nothing is going to happen for us in the transfer window for a few more days I reckon as Edu needs to reframe after the Vlahovic farce. Arteta is probably in the US making his case for more funds and maybe taking over his contract even if I reckon that KSE leave all that to Tim Lewis and Co.
The Arthur Melo saga will probably rumble on until January 31st as the mid-season break lessens the urgency to get that deal done, maybe with Partey, Xhaka and Elneny available again we can put that move on hold until the summer and Juve can keep paying Melo his wages?
I’d love to know where Juventus got the dough for Vlahovic both in terms of transfer fee, player salary and agent fees. Let’s hope that Ramsey stays in Turin and they need to keep finding his salary and they finish outside of the top four in Serie A…
Hi Kyalo, Happy New Year to you too and thanks re HH.
Morning Kev.
I wonder what Arteta and Kroenke have to discuss…
Morning Rico and All
There is a story going around that we are looking at a 27 year old goal keeper some were in America worth 5 million pounds as Leno wants out, Maybe that’s why Arteta is America.
Morning Geoff. I saw that too. Can’t recall his name though.
Doubt Arteta would need to go to the US to secure that deal though, my hunch is they’re talking about a new contract.
or trying to talk Arteta into playing all our preseason matches in America
@Kev it’s a mystery where Juve conjure up their money from. They are as broke as Barcelona. They’re being investigated for dubious accounting practices. No sh!t Sherlock.
The Italian league will go kaput in the next few years when the Chinese pull out and the Yank asset strippers move in to settle their debts.
The goalkeeper is called Matt Turner.
He is indeed 27, but 1.91 which is not bad, as high as Ramsdale, but still 10 cm shorter than Okonkwo.
He has 13 US caps, recently won the 2021 CONCACAF tournament with his team. He conceded a single goal in 6 games (meaning 5 cleans sheets), and was awarded the ‘goalkeeper of the tournament’ prize.
While got into MLS only 4 years ago, broke several records and won multiple awards:
https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/new-england-revolution-announce-2020-team-awards
He will not likely to take take the PL by storm, but in a setup where the backup-goalkeeper has only a handful games to play in a season, he might be a more suited guy to tolerate the lack of competitive minutes than Bernd.
Hi Rico.. Yes just what exactly have Stan and Mikel got to discuss? Couldn’t possibly be hair products haha..
DCL’s name has cropped up again – told you panic buy time was approaching!
That’s him Pbarany.
Hi Sue, maybe they’re talking about ‘firm hold gel’.
Juventus have got Dusan Vlahovic then..
AC Milan want to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal during the January window, reports Football Italia.
The Gabon striker has moved onto the Serie A side’s radar because of ongoing injury issues with Olivier Giroud and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the outlet states.
The only thing missing was Raul de Tomaz!
He spent 6 months at Benfica and never played.
Jimenez and others were ahead of him.
It was obvious that Vlahovic was going to Juventus and from Ferrari
Is he any good Jm?
Its Half time and goalless at Wigan
Not much to choose between the teams
Patino is not having the best of games
rico: Jovic and Raul de Tomaz were at Benfica and they weren’t even called up for the games. Raul de Tomaz shines at Espanyol in Barcelona; Jovic is invisible at Real Madrid. Adaptation issues? Only? I don’t think so.
Papa John’s gone up in smoke . 1 nil loss.
Firm hold gel 🤣 Good one, Rico! Well I’m on episode 5 of Ozark – pretty darn juicy hey?! Best season yet I think…
I’ve watched them all Sue, now have to wait for the second part later in the year.. ☹️
New post up now