Morning all.
A scribble from Kev this morning..
So, what does everyone think about our brand new transfer task force after their first proper transfer window?
Raul stated a few months back that Arsenal would have to be smarter in the market, which in fairness wasn’t a very high bar to set given the shambolic performance of the previous regime, but have they been smarter?
There’s no doubt to me that there’s a new found urgency in dealing with players whose contracts are running out. Last summer the club made sure Nelson extended his contract before heading off on loan and despite neither Elneny or Xhaka being fans favourites, both if/when sold will do so for a fee after the club extended their contracts too. Iwobi was another.
The ‘leaving for free’ days seem to be coming to an end and rightly so. No club can afford to let players walk away for nothing, certainly not Arsenal. The club are also in the process of extending the existing contracts of senior players like Aubameyang, Lacazette and Guendouzi if the rumours are to be believed.
Meanwhile, this summer has seen a few departures too, with the minimum of fuss. Minimum press coverage too which is remarkable in itself. The Ramsey story is long gone, very little was written about Danny Welbeck or Petr Cech but of course, Laurent Koscielny made sure he got some coverage but in doing so, looked like a fool.
The much talented Amaechi, gone, Jenko has left with pride and genuine well wishes from fans, Welbeck too as both gave the best they could during their career with us. Playing for The Arsenal had been ‘A dream come’ true for Jenko.
Players whose contracts expire in 2020 like Asano, sold for £3m, Jenkinson, sold for £2m, Bielik, sold for £10m and Koscielny, sold for £4.6m. That’s not a massive amount and only constitutes approximately one year of Wengers old salary in total, but under the old regime they probably would have been allowed to leave for zero…
We must be smarter in the market the man said….
Action has also been taken on some of our young players who have dithered on signing new contracts, Daley-Campbell gone, Yunus Musah gone, Amaechi sold with a sell on clause included. It’s similar to the way Chelsea operate. Using young players as a means of earning income as well as developing them for Prem standard 1st team football.
Meanwhile, Tyreece John-Jules has been tied down to a long term contract. Trae Coyle has extended his contract, while Ben Cottrell, James Hillson and Joel Lopez have all been given their first professional deal with the club.
It’s been a busy time for loans manager Ben Knapper whose job is to arrange loans to clubs that are going to play our youngsters. No more Gnabry to West Brom scenarios as with the previous sloppy regime. So Sheaf, Ballard and Osei Tutu have been loaned out and are playing, with Ballard scoring in his last appearance, his first at senior level.
Loans are like a shop window where players get noticed. Their value will increase either financially or on the pitch for Arsenal in the long term. It’s a win win situation and as said, similar to the way Chelsea do things. A club who always appear to have a vast amount of players out on loan. Players either return with the potential to play in the Arsenal 1st team or we can move them on for a decent fee.
It’s called being smarter in the market….
Talking of Chelsea, every newspaper and Sky Sports are linking us to David Luiz for just £8 million. Certainly didn’t see that one coming if it does of course. Also, Arsenal and Celtic have finally agreed a fee for Kiernan Tierney and the player is expected to undergo a medical this morning. Assuming everything goes to plan, he’ll be an Arsenal player by 5pm today. Alex Iwobi might not be though if Everton up their reported £30 million offer for him. He’s young, homegrown and Everton are rich. Hold out for double that amount Arsenal.
Eddie Nketiah is expected to join Leeds on loan and finally, Sky Sports reporter Geraint Hughes, who is at The Emirates today has said:
‘Shkodran Mustafi could leave Arsenal today too, I don’t know if it’ll be a loan or a permanent, maybe going out to a Ligue 1 club.’
Enjoy deadline day. Don’t forget to don your sunglasses if your planning on watching the final few hours with the excitable Jim White. That yellow tie of his is bright…
By AllezKev, with bits added by me.
Signing David Luiz isn’t brilliant news but think about it. He’s quick, feisty, experienced, crafty, horrid, tall, cheap and did I say nasty?
We’ve Holding, Chambers, Medley, Saliba for the next 6-8 years if they work out.
Maybe signing Luiz as a short term solution isn’t as bad as it sounds. And he can play in both defence and midfield.
Good morning folks, thanks Kev for the post. If we do sign a centre back today there will be plenty of time to move Mustafi on to a European club. If we don’t I guess we’ll probably hang on to him as a backup in case of the dreaded red card / injury syndrome that seems to permeate throughout our defenders.
The long and the short of it is that a midfielder pairing of Torreira and Luiz looks quit tasty. Long and short! Geddit? 😉
Nice one Kev, laced with Rico’s “additions”.
Morning All.
Wasn’t sure I liked this comment I read somewhere (The Beano?) –
QUOTE: ‘Kieran Tierney’s injury doubts are not that little. This is an area of concern. Obviously, Arsenal would have checked him out but he has played nine games in 2019. He’s had double hernia operations. He’s had pelvic problems. He’s got all the talent to succeed but you just hope he’s got all the fitness to get him there as well’
Hopefully this won’t turn out to be a similar scenario to Abu Diaby. Time will tell.
Always liked David Luiz’s style of play, feisty, no-nonsense, loves to get stuck in and, a worker with a well-tried skill set. I like the fact that he wanted to play for Arsenal despite just having signed a new contract with Chelsea. Is there something we should read into that?
Just saw this on the BBC transfer news >>>>>>>a wonderful piece of humour:
Adam: £8 million for David Luiz might seem cheap for Arsenal in today’s market, but imagine how much more they’ll have to spend on unblocking the shower drains with these two…
There was also a photo of Matteo Guendouzi and David Luiz walking off the pitch together…
Andorrabyte, so good they named him twice 😉
Apparently Luiz has had a couple of bust ups with Lampard and has dropped down the Chelsea pecking order. Their loss could be our gain.
Hair today, gone tomorrow! In my case my tomorrow arrive some time ago. 😕
Thanks Kev.
I think Emery and the new team has done a brilliant job this summer. After last season we needed a left back, a centre half, and a replacement for Ramsey and it looks like we will get all of them with Pepe as a bonus. I of course would have preferred a 24 year old Italian to Luiz, but who would you want in your defence – Mustafi or Luiz? Besides, if we can get shot of Ozil to the US we can afford a long term centre back in the January window.
As Kev said, any sort of decent transfer window would be a huge improvement on the torture Wenger used to put us through, and you can never tell how a new player will turn out, but we are on the right track.
Brian
Goodmorning Rico and everyone, I’m actually excited about the David Luis news, he will definitely be a great addition, let’s not forget his set piece abilities …
It’s going to be a great season for us.
Thanks Kev, Morning Rico and all,
Increasingly it looks to me like Ozil and Xhaka won’t be automatic choices. We are likely stuck with Ozil, even if we did manage to shift him, we would probably have to pay part of his wages.
David Luiz, maybe not as bad as we first thought. We’ve been down the road of overpaid Chelsea cast offs before though.
I’d personally prefer if we sell Iwobi for as much as we can get, and go for a younger centre back.
Interesting times though.
That guy with the yellow tie on Sky is a pratt.
Luis can play in the back four until Holding returns , then could move forward to give the height and bite that Torriera needs alongside him. It’s quite a sensible addition and tides us over for the time it will take for others to develop.
I am more concerned that the injury suite is getting a name change from The Diaby suite to the Tierney one . Monreal and Kolasinac will cover there until he is ready but I fear the October return will stretch into November and then he will have to bed into the team.
Anyway we now have a squad for the season , it will be interesting to see who gets on the pitch and who gets left out and just who might agitate to go in January.
I am thinking of Iwobi here for money and maybe a few more young ones on loan if our cup ambitions don’t work out.
Seven hours, ten minutes and counting!
Should be Luiz though
The most pleasing thing for me about this transfer window, is that I feel that Arsenal fans are now ALL behind the team and the management. Something we haven’t actually had for YEARS now. I can’t wait to go to the Burnley game & see if the atmosphere at the club has improved . Raul has an been amazing addition for us, the kind of negotiator we have need for the past 10 years . He has got someone for all the positions we were needing players, he is not letting players go on a free any more, and he is getting good prices when he sells or players
Dominic Thompson has been sold to Brentford.
Thanks for making it readable Rico, sometime my brain just sprints away from my fingers, but you certainly improved it… 🙂
Rico, given our circumstances and the hole our ex captain left us in, I think that David Luiz is a sharp piece of business, he might actually bring some vocalism to our blame free defence, so if somebody fcuks up, he might actually get a bollocking and I’m all for that…
Cicero, I think that Mustafi will soon be on his way, either sold or on loan, at least he’ll earn us some dough that way.
The fitness of Tierney is a worry Andorra, but Celtic overplayed him, at Arsenal, with some proper rest and care I’m hopeful that he’ll get back to his best.
Yeah, it’s a gamble, but with full backs moving for £40m/£50m we’ve taken or will take, the risk in the hope of getting a top top full back for £25m
Bripriuk, that’s a great point about January, we may go back in for Upamecano or even Rugani during the Jan Window? Are you Italian btw?
All being well and assuming all our business is concluded today, then I would have to agree with you Bripriuk, it has been a brilliant summer…
Limey, thanks, we seem to be gradually moving away from the Ozil types and as you say, the competition and quality we’re bringing in, notwithstanding the upturn in mentality, can only see us becoming less reliant on the types bequeathed us by Wenger.
It was never going to be a job done in one or two windows but I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
Imagine if the interest from DC United is firmed up and we can move Ozil on in January.
Ozil was the big star for us in the US, they love a big star and if DC make us a decent offer, then happy days…
Morning all.
We’ve strengthened all over the park.
Our negotiating team have done a fantastic job.
Time to get excited for the season ahead!!!
Sohara, Raul seems to have a bit of the David Dein’s about him, he’s a negotiator and a facilitator, he gets things done, we seem to be in good hands now…
Great post kev and rico.
It seems a good day to be a Gooner.
Cant disagree with most of whats been said on here. David Luiz for £12mil is a no brainer for me. He has leadership, guile and menace about him. Just what we need at this moment in time. He will chaperone our youngsters Holding, Chambers and Saliba.
He has a free kick in him, and can pick a pass. Just look at the one he done against Newcastle to Pedro. Superb.
He also appears to have a pair of coronas, which we are lacking.
I just hope we can move Xhaka on. He is definitely our weakest link now. If he goes we can have movement and athleticism in midfield with
Torriera/Ceballos/Guendozi/Willock/Martinelli/Nelson.
COYG
spell check. Cohonas.
Cojones ?????
Two hours, 44 minutes and counting!
Tourist was travelling through Spain and stopped at a restaurant for a meal. On the next table he saw a dish served it looked good and smelled wonderful . He asked the waiter what it was and he said Cojones de Toro it’s a speciality and we only get two a day from the bull fight. The tourist said I want to try them and made a resevation for the next day .
He returned the next day to have the dish . When it was served he looked at the plate and said these cojones don’t look as big as yesterdays .
The waiter replied unfortuately Senor this morning the Bull won.
Raul Sanllehi
Pepe……………signed
Ceballos……….signed
Saliba…………..signed
Martinelli……….signed
Tierney………….signed
Luiz………………signed
Lacazette new deal
Aubameyang new deal
I’m sending this guy a Christmas card.
COYG
Clearer picture now VCC, thanks.
Potter is right, It IS “Cojones”, lol.
Maybe we should send a joint email Xmas card, it’s certainly a more positive picture finally.
Double byte…thanks Cicero….didn’t pick it up until now…
Nketiah has gone on loan to Leeds United.
Where did that list some from VCC?
COME not some, stupid spellchecker!!!
JUST read about Rugani who might(?) slip in at the last moment – apparently they are thrashing out a deal?
Ten minutes to go.
KERRBLAM! The transfer window is SHUT!
Tierney confirmed will wear No 3
I remembered that joke too Potter when the Cojones came up. Good one!
Afternoon Kev, all. Great post Kev. 😜
Is Luiz still a possibility? Haven’t caught up yet.
Iwobi to Everton for “up to” £40 million.
Nothing on the Arsenal website about Luiz yet.
Hopefully the paperwork is in and it’s going through the system.
Luiz done and dusted..
Just seen Bt. Good news I reckon.
The old ones are the best Andorra
Evening rico, all. Wow, just arrived in Ibiza for a week’s holiday and seen we pulled them both off, belatedly as always! Best window for ages, and yet we were ‘informed’ no funds this time. Happy days, fun to be a Goooner again, let’s hope Luiz’s best days aren’t behind him. Koscielny who? How different to how we all felt in last couple of Wenger years. Not positive it’s all going to work, but we have a fighting chance for once. Not handicapped before season even starts.
Definately one of the most entertaining windows ever, but the thought of Side Show Bob and Crusty the Clown in defence !……..jeez !
A very good transfer window, all we need now is to shift Mustafi out and get a deal on Ozil to leave for D.C. United in January. Its even better when you recall that in Saliba we already have in place the successor to either Sokratis or Luiz.
With Iwobi departing I hope to see Saka given some time on the left wing.
Evening Andrew, excellent transfer window I reckon too. Still, I suspect the fact that we’ve only spent around £80 million once the sales are added up, won’t please everyone. Who cares though, I think the club has done really well, certainly on paper. Add in the likes of Nelson, Saka, Willock and I think we look pretty strong.
I reckon weve done the january and possibly next summers purchases in one hit .
It will be sell to buy from now on . Still the squad looks stronger and more balanced and the loan players will come back.
I saw these interesting figures on Online Gooner…
£6m for Martinelli
£4.1m for Ceballos, loan fee.
£3.7m for Saliba, followed by staggered payments.
£18m for Pepe, followed by 3 instalments of £18m.
Total spent this window = £31.8m from a reported £45m.
So how much did we pay for Tierney and Luiz today?
Could be that our outlay this window wasn’t far short of £45m
Kev,
We’ve done bloody well with the limited budget, and though plenty now laugh at the reported 45 million that was thrown about based on how many of players we’ve bought and what they’ll end up costing, seems it was pretty accurate.
It matters not one bit though, as we’ve strengthened the squad brilliantly and that’s what it’s all about.
According to the Scottish papers Celtic held out for a payment up front which if as reported was £25 million and on a reported estimated £ 6 to 8 million for Luiz which it’s unlikely to have been staggered , the sale of Iwobi more than covers those two.
Then there is Kos, Jenks , Thompson ,Beilik , Asano ,& Ospina to weigh in I would think that the coffers have ended pretty even
New post up now