Morning all.
Not long ago, Arsenal announced Granit Xhaka had signed a new contract and my first thought was that someone at the club needed medical help. A stupid decision I thought yet now, looking back, Arsenal were just being smart. I wasn’t as I made my protests here. Did I foresee a season like last from him, absolutely not and whilst he’s not perfect, he’s probably just had his best season in an Arsenal shirt. Mikel Arteta is with our Swiss midfielder nearly every day of his life so no one knows him better outside his own family. The Spaniard clearly knew there was more to come from Xhaka. If he stays, his presence within the club is unlikely to cause harm, if he goes, Arsenal will receive a transfer fee. Something the club wouldn’t have got had he walked for free and let’s not forget, Xhaka himself agreed to that.
Mo Elneny is in a similar situation. A contract extension signed but there’s no guarantee he’ll be at Arsenal next season so if he goes, Arsenal will again get some kind of transfer fee for him. It might not be much but it’ll be something to add to the transfer financial pot.
For years, the club has been pretty average, no, poor at managing contracts but now it seems things have changed. Flo Balogun, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale are tied to long term contracts and Reiss Nelson is rumoured to have agreed a new deal too.
Arsenal are not only protecting their financial assets but the senior players too who if leave, will do so for a few quid instead of nothing.
I know a few younger players have slipped through the net but that’s because they’re perhaps impatient, or even think they’re better than they are. We perhaps sometimes think they’re better than they are but as yet, not one of them has really exploded onto the scene elsewhere. Joe Willock seems to be enjoying life at Newcastle but how good was he against us? Guendouzi? No thank you, as unless he moves to Aston Villa as rumoured, and takes the League by storm, few will have much to say about him.
Both William Saliba and Martin Odegaard are being linked with a move to PSG this summer. Other than perhaps money, why on earth would they want to move?
Being French, Saliba was always going to be linked with PSG but it doesn’t mean to say he’s interested in playing for them. As for Odegaard, he’s already experienced the so called “big club” environment and left it so I very much doubt he’ll be in a rush to go back, especially after playing in front of 60,000 fans who actually appreciate him.
What is a “big club” anyway? One which just throws money around like it’s going out of fashion just so it has the best chance of winning a piece of silverware? One which wins a League title nearly every season in Spain, Italy, France, Germany or another country where the competition is not really that strong? The expectation is huge of course but I bet there’s nothing overseas like going to Newcastle, Liverpool, Everton etc on a cold winters night. Or facing a team which is physically strong from the first minute of a match to the last.
In England, every fixture is difficult and challenging and I mean, every fixture, home or away, in the Premier League as well as the domestic cups. The only thing which would tear me away from playing in the best league in the game, which I think the Premier League is, is if I had the opportunity to play for the club I’d supported all my life. Obviously, Arsenal will have to pay Saliba more than the £40,000 a week he’s reported to be currently earning if he’s to stay but that’s the game these days. Players can pretty much demand what they like, especially when a teammate of a similar age has just been rewarded with a big pay rise, but if any player deserves a pay rise, it’s Saliba.
For what it’s worth, I think he’ll stay, Odegaard too because at Arsenal it’s about building something good and even though I’m biased, what young player wouldn’t want to be part of it?
Catch up in the comments.
Spoken like aTrue supporter I often wonder if the player employs the agent or vice versa. If players want to go there is no point in trying to keep them but when it’s agents demands there is little a club can do but accede to their demands because in the cases above players if you dont pay someone else will
Good morning Rico.
I agree with you about Xhaka, he surely had his best ever season at Arsenal, the reason being Arteta allowed him to play more as a number ten than as a defensive midfielder, consequently he was not forced into situations which all too often, in previous seasons, lead to rash challenges and red and yellow cards.
I know the expectation is that he will leave for a return to Germany this summer but I would not be averse to him staying on for another season. He is one of very few “older heads” in the squad and has proven to be the voice of experience on the pitch.
As for the Saliba situation, if he’s not prepared to immediately accept a reasonable wage increase then he should be put on the market with a sixty million plus price tag. He must not be allowed to drag the situation on as Arteta needs to know exactly which positions he needs to fill. Sign up or ship out!
Morning Potter, Cicero.
I’d like to think decent human beings wouldn’t make unreasonable demands when it comes to wages. Asking, expecting even, more than £40k a week is reasonable imo. No idea what’s he’s been offered though..
Saliba was offered 120 k a week I believe. But his agent will be looking at What Saka got and try ti get similair for Saliba
Anyone know what Saka is now earning?
200k a week, reportedly.
Another report put it at 300k, but who really knows?
Thanks. Apparently, Saliba said he’s very happy at Arsenal so fingers crossed..
He’s also carrying a back Injury, we don’t no how serious that is but if it turns out to be a chronic condition it will seriously impact his career and earnings expectations.
Good point.
Morning Rico and all.
I heard the same as Stian and Cicero in regards to weekly pay, however some claim Saka has add on’s that at the end of the season could take him around the 250K per week.
As for Saliba I guess it will come down to, how much the club compare / value him to Saka as I said before I hope Saka,s pay rise doesn’t corse issues with the other players over his wages
inevitably it will though , agents now see Saka as a yardstick and will push the limits . I have no doubt that Saka was approached by City and they were prepared to pay enough to pressure Arsenal into matching them . If we had said no and Saka went , there would have been riots and all of the new found support would have soon dissipated .
If we dont match other players expectations and treat Saka as a special case then it could create disharmony in the dressing room and lead to City getting him eventually .
Who is to blame ?
Answers on a post card , as they used to say.
Hi Geoff.
I think qualifying for CL football makes a difference to salaries.
Expected salary I meant to add.
The prize money for taking second place in the Premiership circa £48.1 million. A nice little earner, as Arthur Daley would say.
Plus, extra for each round we get through in the CL. First knockout round it is then…. 😂
It’s confirmed that Messi is leaving PSG on a free transfer. Could we get him with an offer of £100,000 a week? He would at least boost our shirt sales income. 😉
I can just see him lining up against Burnley on Boxing Day..
😀
Totts going for Ange Postecoglou it seems.
Or away against Millwall in the League Cup Cicero… lol
Just the latest name, on a very long list, to be linked to the most unpopular job in World football. What’s the betting that they’ll end up Glen Hoddle …..again? 😉
In the last two hours Postecoglu has “distanced” himself from the rumours linking him to Spurs
Sam Allardyce is not being offered a new contract at Leeds after failing to keep them in the Premiership.
Wakey wakey Daniel Levy, get your bid in early you might be in with a chance of getting him to join your tottering organisation. 😉
I hope Ange Postecoglou doesn’t go to Tottenham, as he will definitely improve them.
That’s not difficult Geoff.
Season ticket renewals are out , clutch gone on car due to leaking concentric slave cylinder got to find 2 grand in 10 days .,
Happy days .
Guess you’ll be walking a bit more then. 🤣
With our nearest shop 4 miles away and no buses I am going to need new shoes.
Not to mention hips and knees
Potter it sounds like you need to borrow a Neighbour’s electric wheelchair and a spare battery just in case the wheelchair one does not last that long.😊
Good morning all, what a weekend of sport in prospect. Cricket, England to wrap up a three day win over Ireland in the Lord’s test match. Horse racing, can Frankie Detorri win his last ever Epsom Derby on third favourite Arrest? Football, The FA Cup Final between the two Manchester clubs, may they kick lumps out of each other at Wembley.
Got to get the chores done early, to bag the prime position in front of the telly. 😉
Enjoy!!
Walked down to the Bridge to see the three rivers race ,not sure what was more entertaining watching the chaos as the boats were dropping their sails and masts to get under the bridge or the pedestrians and onlookers dodging the traffic as they watched standing on the bridge and rushing from side to side like dozens of Poohbears playing Poohsticks as the traffic ploughed through the middle of them.
We watched in safety from the garden of Norada with a Gin and lemonade and a pint of wherry.
Much more civilised.
What could be better than sitting in the sun with a pint, and the missus, beside the River Thurne. 😉
Sitting by the Med at sunset with an ice cold Estrella…. 😅
Wot wiv all they furriners around yew? 😉
Indeed… 😂
New post up now
Keep us going for a day or two… maybe a week… 😆