Morning all.
If you really want to keep that player, you need to renew him before getting to the last year of the contract because you are putting yourself in a very weak position. We cannot get to the last year of the contract. If we cannot get a renewal before that, then we may have to sell. – May 2019. Raul Snallehi.
I guess the key word which Raul used is ‘may’ – well he and the club are in that ‘may’ situation right now.
Arsenal player contracts.
Expiring 2020:
Laurent Koscielny, Carl Jenkinson and Tukamo Asano.
Expiring 2021:
Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil, Sokratis, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Krystian Bielik.
That’s a lot of players and a vast amount of money lost if by the time 2021 arrives, they’ve all left for nothing. Out of the nine listed, just three would still be at the club when the transfer window slammed shut if I had my way. But of course, it’s not as easy as that. Sanllehi can say what he likes about contracts, selling players etc etc but he’s not the one in control here. The players are because if they don’t want to leave, they don’t have to because their contract says as much.
If money matters more than playing the game, we could be stuck with the likes of Ozil, Mkhitaryan and Mustafi until 2021. In my opinion, if Aubameyang was up for sale, there’d be plenty of clubs battling for his signature this summer, same with Bielik I think but I can’t see clubs fighting over Mustafi or Mkhitaryan, nor Ozil either. Saying that, I think if Ozil made it clear he was prepared to take a huge pay cut, selling him would be a breeze. Again, just my opinion. I still think he’s a great player but he needs nine work horses around him in order to excel and probably a manager who’ll put his arm around his shoulder and tell him how wonderful he is. I think Arsène Wenger was that kind of manager, not the kind who built a team around him, but I think he was a arm around the shoulder kind of guy, if a player was in his good books. Funny enough, it was under the Frenchman we saw the best of Ozil but whether that was simply down to his contract needing renewing, we’ll never know. But call me a cynic if you like….
I think Unai Emery demands more from his players though than Arsène Wenger did and that was the reason for the divide between him and Ozil for much of the season but I’m not sure any manager will get more from him. Physically I mean. Ozil is Ozil, he’s too old in the tooth to change imo. What to do with him is a conundrum and I’m glad I’m not responsible for solving it. Same goes for the others who we will perhaps see remain at the club until their contracts expire.
Maybe Snallehi and Emery’s jobs will become easier after 2021, if they’re both still at the club of course. Kroenke might have sold up by then, Vieira might be our manager and we might have just won the league. Either that or we’ll be talking about the next bunch of players who we can’t sell……
Have a good weekend guys, see you in the comments…
This made me laugh…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cannabis-cake-hospital-weed-grandfather-warrington-cheshire-police-a8990856.html
Nice one Rico, a report later said Warrington police officers were seen grinning like Cheshire cats after “destroying” the cake. 😉
Thanks Cicero, I bet they were.. 😆
At least one problem could be solved relatively quickly, Bordeaux have expressed an interest in signing Koscielny. that would free up a place for either Chambers or Bielik.
Win win for both clubs and two players, Bordeaux get a good centre back, Koscielny gets to move to a delightful area of his native France, Arsenal get to receive a transfer fee and get a wage of the books and either Chambers or Bielik get their immediate future sorted.
I commend the idea to The House.
Good Morning
‘A cynicRico and Cicero,You are quite correct about the fact the power over contract renewals is no longer in the hands of the clubs, but now rests in the hands of the players and their greedy agents, and you are also probably right that the cannabis met a timely end. [Never been interested in all the funny baccy, etc – so never tried it – true statement]. 😇
Not sure about either of those in defence Cicero, midfield perhaps but who knows what Emery is thinking.
Good luck to Kos if he goes. Hope he takes Mustafi with him…
Morning Ra. Sadly I think we’re stuck with most of them.. Not long to go until we find out for sure. Three weeks or close to I reckon..
Morning Rico and everyone on HH.
Great post again and thought provoking.
The game has gone full circle from the times when clubs paid players a higher wage in the winter season and a lesser wage in the summer. The clubs used to call all the shots before Jimmy Hill and the PFA changed things and Johnny Haynes became the first £100 a week player.
Now the players agents call the shots. We are now stuck with a player on allegedly £350k a week, who would probably be happy keeping the bench warm rather than moving to another club for less wages.
Cicero,
Kozzer is a bit of a dilemma for Arsenal and their new get tough policy – ‘sign in the penultimate year of your contract – or go’- ( altho how ‘new’ it is is debatable as we heard all that years ago, and did not do it — anyway the dilemma is that at 32 and carrying a chronic injury, Kozzer is still better than anyone else we have available — so because of the injury worries, Arsenal will not extend his contract – but they won’t want to let him go early — because he is the best etc etc.
Nothing is simple in life, and there are a lot of simple people running Arsenal. 🤠
Hope you enjoyed your holiday.
Morning Marinello and thank you. I think when a player puts money ahead of playing the game, it says a lot about the person. Thankfully though, those kind are few and far between. Yes they want the massive salary, but at least many many of them put the effort in.
City are the finest example perhaps.
Different regime these days Ra, they might actually mean what they say. They’re hamstrung right now because of the wages the previous lot dished out but perhaps those kind of salaries are long gone so selling players might be easier.
Rico, I always knew you had a nasty streak.
Fancy hoping poor old Kozzer has a sniff of getting away from Mustafi, only for you to be Conspiring behind the scenes to reunite them.
Very harsh lol
Morning all.
In all seriousness, Kozzer has been a terrific servant of the club and deserves to be treated with respect, imo.
He also must be replaced with better, if we are to let him go/sell him.
Ha ha Scott. Just as far as the airport then…. lol
That’ll be more than enough, Rico 🙂 🙂
Mustafi can head anywhere else.
Damn he’s been a disappointment.
Kisser came with hi real fanfare where as Mustafi arrived with a damn good reputation.
It is another example of the Premier League taking its toll on a player.
Any deal for Koscielny will highlight our future . When he is fit and that is a big when , he commands a place in the team but :- if we keep him the club are looking to stay in our current position and hoping to improve . If he goes and we do not buy a ready made replacement then we are looking to the future and accepting that we may tread water for a year or two whilst our youth bed in and learn the hard lessons of the Premier League.
If we go down the second route , quite where that leaves Emery is moot.
Sometimes you do have to step backwards to go forward and I think we do .
We need supplements but also we need to bring through youth and exuberance to challenge the tired old team of failures that we are tied to thanks to the dealings of the previous regime.
We have to learn to live with it and not demand instant success . Young players make mistakes . :- remember Donkey Adams , Ray Parlour’s own goal , very few youngsters hit the ground like Fabregas did but then he had it simple ” get the ball and look for Bergkamp , Pires and Henry ” it took sometime before he was bossing them around. We hjave to give them their chance and be patient.
I don’t rate Koscielny as high as you Scott but yes, Mustafi has been a disappointment.
Potter, I reckon we’ll be treading water in any case. Team it with younger players and the season might at least be interesting and enjoyable.
A very good post Rico and one could add to that list with a number of first teamers.Kroenke sell out by 2021 only if we get elegated but we would get a parachute payment 😉
To many players well into their thirties and Kos has slowed up considerably and will get a limited amount of games.
I know many don’t believe me but Torreira and Elneny wat to leave because of Emery.I don’t think he can handle this massive job
Hello RA hope you feel better than me.
Rico, I’ve always taken into account the lack of a DM, and the partners Kozzer has had when I rate him.
I think he’s superb, as his entire career with us has been spent under more and constant pressure than most CB’s put up with.
Thanks Kelsey. I concentrated on the players who are out of contract based on what Raul said and the fact that he can say what he wants but selling isn’t as easy as it perhaps could have been.
Like you, I could add a few names to the list of those who I wouldn’t miss…
Scott, you could apply the same rule to Mustafi 😜
I’ve just realised we have a game later today. 😂
Rico, no, he’s just been woeful for us.
How many games could we say he’s been terrific?
Count them on 2 fingers I reckon lol
I was being ironic Scott..
I know, but comparing the two is bloody awful hahahaha
I cringe at the thought, even when done in jest.
I really hoped he, and a few others, would improve in defence this season.
Bring back BFG lol
Not one to harp on about the old days but….
My sisters father in law Roy Brown, was professional at Stoke City and Watford in the late 30’s and early 50’s. He kept all his contracts and I could see that all of them were for a year only. So you were always playing for a new contract each season. Certainly kept the players on their toes.
U23 + U18 v Boreham Wood KO @ 15:00 on Premier Sports 1.
COYG
Hello!
In my opinion, Kos gave a lot to Arsenal but is on the (very) downhill curve two years ago. He’s badly injured. If he can get off to Bordeaux, fine. For all.
Frankly Koscielny’s injury situation will make him a liability next season. Can we afford to take a chance on him lasting ninety minutes? Must we keep a centre back permanently on the bench just in case? Great servant and all that but there’s no place for sentiment in Premiership football these days. If we can get a fee for him, let him go.
I’m trying to find a months free trial Vcc… 😆
Agree Jm.
In a word Cicero, no. Big risk I think.
No problems with selling Kozzer, but I think there is room for sentiment in today’s game and good servants ought to be treated accordingly.
I wasn’t suggesting anyone was advocating turfing Kozzer in a poor manner, by the way, just that we need to do Right by those who’ve done right by the club and I’m sure we will.
Let me know if you find that free trial Rico, the fees for Sky and BT Sport are enough without adding in Premier.
Afternoon Gooners
Afternoon Rico.
We as a club, have to learn to sell well and Koscielny is a classic example…
Yes, he’s been a very good player for us, one who does have a high profile mistake in his locker, but in general he’s been a mainstay of our defence for many years.
He’s also been very well paid and looked after, so he owes Arsenal nothing and Arsenal owe him nothing – except respect between both parties.
Laurent obviously would like to finish his career in his homeland and see his family grow up in their native land, all understandable.
Arsenal could exercise their right to retain him until the end of his contract, but he would probably be 3rd or 4th choice and that wouldn’t be good for him and we’d be paying mega wages for a reserve, so allowing him to join Bordeaux or Marseilles or whoever makes sense on so many levels.
Wenger would probably give him a free, but Wenger has gone and Arsenal are not a charity.
Just as Chelsea demanded £10m for veteran Petr Cech from us, we should demand a transfer fee for the last year of his contract. £10m, £15m even, seems to be fair for a player who’ll probably deliver another 3 years service in Ligue 1
The Arsenal team roster for this afternoon v B/Wood.
Arsenal XI: Hein; Swanson, McGuiness, Medley, Thompson; Smith, Burton; Olayinka, Coyle, Tormey; Balogun
Substitutes: Hillson, Dennis, Azeez, Olowu, Clarke, Amaechi, Cottrell, John-Jules, Greenwood, Aleblosu, Ogungbo, Matthews
Still looking Cicero but no joy…
Afternoon Kev, agree wholeheartedly. As you say though, Wenger has gone and so has Gazidis who together cocked up our player sales/contracts. I simply can’t see this current regime dealing with things in the same way.
We’ll know more about the present management team Rico, when the futures of Aubameyang and Lacazette are resolved, as it stands we still look weak to me.
Amaechi on the bench, hmm, methinks that has a lot to do with his contract shenanigans, Tormey is a winger whose had some awful injury issues, if he can stay fit then he still has a chance of making it and it sends a message perhaps to Amaechi?
Greenwood has been tearing it up in the U18’s, McGuinness is first one the rank to replace on loan Ballard, Clarke is quite useful in that position as well.
Thompson back at left back after a spell in midfield, left back has to be his position.
Smith, Burton, Olayinka are the midfield that got us to the FAYouth Cup Final in 2018, so a lot of quality there.
Balogun is a baller, he’s going to one heck of a centre forward in the very near future.
1 down
2
As you say though Kev, we won’t know for sure until a few contracts are sorted or sales go through. The Ramsey situation suggests they won5 be taken for a ride though…
Is Freddie managing them Bt?
on you tube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLUgQvX9WVQ
Thanks Lc.
I see Bouldie on the bench, not sure about Freddie,foreign stream…
Ah yes, I forgot the swap..
Get in
also on here 1-3 down. was that Medley giving the ball away to casual and the with the deflection for the 3rd goal ?………………Come back Mustafi all is forgiven ! hahaha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RbmSwcJI84
3-3 finishes, much better 2nd half.
I’ve watched the second half at the tv.
Why we id not shot? We always do something more dispensable … Do they all study the same book?
That’s the general idea JM, all age groups are taught to play in the same way. So when theyove up a grade they all sing from the same hymn sheet.
I thought we lacked pace in attack, too much emphasis on playing out from the back thus allowing time for their defence to get organised.
Same systems, same problems.
We don’t seem to have moved on from Wengerball.
More people at Borehamwood today than at Nice for the pointless third place match and VAR is going to cause many problems and huge delays in the PL next season.
“Stop press…Stop press” Alex Iwobi scores a goal in an important match!!
Watched the game today. I know its only one game and not fair to judge but the only player that impressed was John-Jules.
I was a big fan of Medley before today. I can now see why he hasn’t progressed further.
Are we EVER going to find a proper Big, Strong, Athletic CB again?????
VCC, Ballard is the one 🙂
Here is a very obvious question with a not so obvious answer.
If we sell Özil, what then?
No Ramsey, no Özil-where does our creativity come from?
Make Iwobi a midfielder as he improved last year a lot but freezes when he needs to shoot.Why not have him as a provider and he’s Emery’s love child.
Creativity has been a problem for a long time ,Neither Ozil or Mhkitarian have been up to the job and Ramsey was more a finisher in the Lampard mould rather than a Brady , Cesc , Bergkamp , Pirlo type player . Possibly we have the answer in a few years with Smith- Rowe but in the meantime as it seems that what we have cannot step up we have to buy .
But who ???
Hi Potter,
We must sell Özil to buy a replacement but I don’t know who’s out there, for sale and relatively cheap.
Not Zaha that’s for sure , looks like we are after Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth.
Although that may just be speculation.
It might just work to have Fraser , Nelson alternating out wide Iwobi adding pace through the middle and Lacazette and Auba alternating up front or together ,.
It’s achange of playing style but breaking away from Wengerball may not be a bad idea.
Not being funny Scott but Ozil hardly created much last season, or the one before if memory serves me right.
I’m with Potter, something different is much needed, something more exciting that’s for sure.
Rico; he hardly played.
Bit hard to create from the bench lol
Who did create, though?
35 appearances apparently Scott, that’s not hardly playing… lol
Morning Kev, I didn’t watch it. Wimbledon is top of my viewing list right now.
I don’t think a pre season friendly tells us anything really, positive or negative. Lol
Morning Gooners
Morning Rico
I think that Adam has gone on a hiking holiday to Patagonia.
I’ve seen brief highlights of our Arsenal XI yesterday and it’s shambolic defensive performance at Borehamwood, the full game is on Freesports, tomorrow at 10pm, Virgin channel 553, where I can watch our young defenders losing the players they’re marking and being outfought in the air in its entirety…
Uncle Bouldy has his work cut out if he wants to improve some of our young dozy defenders.
John Jules and Amaechi seemed to come out of the game with some credit, we’re good in an attacking sense, average in midfield and rubbish at the back, or, a mirror of the 1st team…
Matt Smith is the one shining light from our midfield, he’s very industrious, neat and tidy in possession, hardly ever wastes a pass, reminds me a bit of Alex Hleb with one major difference, he has a shot and scores goals – and he’s English, hooray!
He is the kind of player who comes up through the academy without the bells and whistles of other luminaries in his age group, but studiously works at his game, avoids the sports car and Love Island girlfriend and makes it. Jay Emmanuel Thomas he is not!
Rico,
He’s also been asked to defend so should we judge him on his creativity yet criticise his defending???????????
What about having a crack at Leno for failing to score lol
We don’t want much 🙂
Scott, you’re moving the goalposts to suit you’re argument in my opinion. Top footballers do both.
Why was Eddie Howe twice at our club in the last 10 days ? Fraser or the coach’s job ?
That’s interesting Kelsey, I wonder who is behind the story..
Both maybe ?
If that’s a quiz question Kelsey, I give up. Why was Eddie Howe at Arsenal twice in the last ten days?
Scott, the answer was Bruno Fernandes but now is very expensive. Last year was the solution maybe arroud 20 millions euros. Nowadays, 3 to 4 times more (or even more).
The same happened with Bernardo Silva 3 years ago.
I reckon it’s in Football.London…
Quite likely Kev.
Excellent news re Mustafi. Or wishful thinking….
Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi may finally be on his way out of the Emirates Stadium after the Germany international removed all mention of the club from his Instagram profile.
The club are open to selling Mustafi this summer, and the 27-year-old has dropped the biggest hint yet that he is on his way out by removing all mention of the club from his Instagram account.
Not only has Mustafi changed the profile picture of him in an Arsenal kit, but he has also removed “Arsenal player” from his bio, triggering speculation that a summer exit will be announced imminently.
I am not on instagram but apparently he is now listed as an Everton player
Just checked Instagram, don’t think that Everton/rumour is true…
Twitter shows him an Arsenal player. ☹️
Well it was in the Independent
Mustafi played for Everton as a youngster…
They won’t get fooled again !!!!
It’s not a quiz question I assure you. I would imagine it was about the player but I assure you Emery is not well liked by a number of players and that comes directly from a current first team player.That also doesn’t mean his job is on the line but it doen’t create harmony.
I take it you mean Torreira Kelsey?
Reasons why ?? Always when a new manager takes over in any business some of the people that are used to their own way of doing things get their noses out of joint .
Could be that he is more demanding and those that don’t like it are getting uppity. In the long run the board will decide to go with the manager or the players , but knowing our board they will have to wake up first.
I’m not surprised that some of our players are unhappy with Emery, he has probably told them they are not good enough, not fit enough or just don’t figure in his plans. I doubt that Ozil is far from top of the list of those upset by the boss’s new regime.
I frankly can’t think why Torreira should have any problems with Emery, one of the first names on the team sheet and allowed to play in his favourite position.
He may have problems with language, or just living and playing in a northern European country and climate, but he’s a professional athlete and needs to get his head down, work his problems out and get on with playing football. It is, after all, what he’s well paid to do.
Our board have a simple choice, get rid of Emery and pay the compensation or get rid of a few malcontents and make some money in doing so.
Does anyone doubt which option our skinflint owner will go for?
Just had a look on News/Lies Now and didn’t click on anything, none of them know fcuk all, if anyone is nicking a living it’s those fake click bait sites…
As for players who don’t like Emery, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to imagine that Ozil doesn’t like him and as he’s Ozil’s best mate I’d imagine that Kolasinac doesn’t like him either.
I’d imagine that Lacazette isn’t all that keen on him and Elneny likewise.
Mind you a lot of the players didn’t like George Graham when they played under him and it didn’t hurt us, players are fickle, listening to them is like listening to a teenager going through puberty, what they say isn’t going to change our lives.
As I’ve written before, I don’t give a fig about most of this squad, if they get the hump and leave then so be it, see ya later.
Emiliano Martinez will be staying at Arsenal for the 2019-20 season to challenge Bernd Leno for the club’s No.1 spot.
The Argentine keeper spent the second half of last season with Reading in the Championship, playing a huge role in the Berkshire club avoiding relegation with a series of impressive performances.
Those displays caught the eye of several clubs, with Martinez having attracted significant interest from abroad and elsewhere in England in recent months.
That interest followed comments from the 26-year-old, during an exclusive interview with Goal, when he admitted he could look to move on this summer after nearly a decade in north London.
He said: “My dream is to play for Arsenal. But it’s time for me to make it there or go somewhere else.
“When I signed my last contract for six years it was because I believed I had everything to be No.1. Why would I sign for six years if I wasn’t going to have any games?
“If they don’t trust me, then I will have to move away and the Arsenal fans will understand. But I believe I should have the chance to show how good I am at Arsenal.
“I want to stay in England. My wife and my kid were born here and I want to stay at Arsenal – that’s the truth, so I hope they give me the chance.”
Martinez returned to Argentina for a holiday once his loan spell at Reading had come to an end and was informed during that time that Arsenal wanted him to be No.2 to Bernd Leno next season following Petr Cech’s retirement.
(Charles Watts)
The keeper and his representatives then spent some time discussing his future and it has now been decided he will remain at the Emirates for another season.
Martinez should get plenty of game time, with the Argentine set to feature in the Europa League, as well as the domestic cup competitions under Unai Emery.
And he is determined to challenge Leno for the No.1 spot, rather than just provide cover for the German, who had an impressive first season in north London following his move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
“Being No.2 is not enough for me,” Martinez said in April. “I will never accept being No.2.
“If Arsenal give me the No.2 spot, it has to be to have a chance of getting the No.1 spot otherwise I’m not going to do it.
If they don’t offer me any games, I can’t stay at Arsenal. I need to play.”
Arsenal’s senior squad are due to start reporting back to London Colney over the next fortnight for the start of the club’s pre-season preparations.
Martinez, however, returned a week early to work on his fitness and ensure he is in the best shape possible ahead of the summer tour to the United States.
Charles Watts
@charles_watts
·
6h
This is the sort of fee that shows if Arsenal do decide to sell Chambers this summer, they should be able to command a pretty hefty amount.
Quote Tweet
Ian Abrahams (Moose)
@BroadcastMoose
· 6h
More transfer news and I understand @AVFCOfficial have agreed a fee of around £26.5m with @afcbournemouth for Tyrone Mings.
(Exactly, we undervalue our players all the time, the fans in particular and the media pick up on it and it builds up a life of its own where all our players are shit and worthless, but we have to pay top dollar to buy any new ones, it’s all bollocks….)
Morning all,
Rico, guilty as charged.
I did move the goalposts, but it doesn’t make my point any less relevant 🙂 🙂
As with Alexis at the time leading up to his departure, Ozil is now in the same boat.
A toxic environment and he needs to go.
It doesn’t matter how good or bad any of us think he is, it’s best for all parties that he leaves.
10.44 Kev. Spot on…
I’m glad Martinez is going to be our number and if he really pushes Leno for top spot then the team will only benefit.
Talking of keepers and under selling our players, Szczesny went way to cheaply..
Morning guys.
I think so too Scott but easy said than done I’d imagine..
Yep, Rico, we’d just about have to give Ozil away, so as to lower the impact his wage will have on potential buyers, but there’s no point keeping him, not playing him or playing him in a way he’s ineffective.
Take our medicine and let him go.
Have tape there’s some truth in this loan story, if they’re to pay his wages Scott. Little po8n5 8n loaning him and paying his wage.
Didn’t Szczesny fall out with Wenger?
Szczesny was always going to be a top class keeper, imo, but let’s be honest, he’s another that plenty liked to criticise and in fairness, his own off field behaviour wasn’t ideal but he was young and silly.
Shame we didn’t persevere with him, though.
Rico, yes, it was Wenger who removed
Szczesny.
There’s no way I’d loan Ozil out, rather let him go for free or a minimal transfer fee.
Why Scott? He might shine elsewhere and then we can sell him for a big fee. 😆
New post up now Scott. 😂