Morning all.
Type David Luiz into Google and all sorts of articles will return. I would say skip past his success stories but you don’t need to as they are the last to appear. It’s the here and now which is creating fuss and a lot of it. A £24 million waste of money deal is the one causing a stir, although just where that figure comes from I don’t know. Actually, that’s not strictly true. I read it in the Metro who cite The Athletic’s Amy Lawrence for the breakdown of his deal.
It cost up to £24 million to sign him for one season. This breaks down as an £8 million transfer fee to Chelsea, as much as £6 million to intermediaries to fix everything up, and the rest on the Brazilian defender’s £10 million-a-year salary.
This kind of deal is not what I thought Raul Sanllehi meant when he said Arsenal needed to be smarter in the transfer window. An Arsenal spokesman is reported to have since said:
We don’t recognise these numbers. We rarely discuss figures but the payments to intermediaries was less then £1 million.
The question which springs to my mind is, ‘where does Amy Lawrence get her information from?’ That’s not me trying to be overly critical of the Athletic writer who is well respected amongst football fans, but as far as I could see, there is nothing in her piece which proves her breakdown of the David Luiz contract is 100% correct. The reality probably is that outside of the club, the player and his agent, no one really knows the truth so as with most things written in the back pages, wherever or how many times it’s regurgitated, read it with the salt pot close by. Sea salt of course.
In all seriousness, has David Luiz been a good signing and if as other reports suggest, he’s prepared to take a pay cut in order to stay at Arsenal for another year or two? I know, that salt has reappeared.
Arsene Wenger used to get lambasted for signing defenders who were old, useless or both so why should Raul escape criticism for signing Luiz whose better days were probably behind him? Even those better days were error strewn.
With his contract due to expire this summer, would it be a smart move to keep the jolly Brazilian for another season or do you think the club are better off investing the money it’ll cost to keep him, on someone else?
Tough one eh…
Morning rico, all. Keep him and make captain for me. There are few other captain options at the moment. But we need a CB beside him that doesn’t make clumsy mistakes and that can feed off his enthusiasm.
Good morning Rico. As far as Luiz and Arsenal are concerned it’s more a short story than a saga.
The initial £8 million fee seemed to be a bargain for an experienced Premiership defender, at the time his salary of £120,000 per week (£6.24 million per annum) was not unreasonable. Other payments of less than a million? That all adds up to about 14/15 million. Again not unreasonable, except, if it’s only for one year as seems to be the current situation.
I read that an offer of a lower salary with higher performance / incentive payments for a one year extension was on the table, this would make sense as we need a bit of stability while Chambers and Holding regain match fitness and Saliba settles in.
As of today, the Luiz does not look that much of a bargain.
Luiz deal. I missed out the “deal”
Morning Andrew, Cicero and all.
I’m with you Andrew, one more year and captain until someone else is ready to take the reigns. Right now we don’t have many contenders imo.
Morning all
Gee, money aside, I thought he’s in a long list of players who stepped up two levels when Arteta took over.
I’d keep him if the cost is reasonable as he offers plenty.
A fit and healthy Holding along side him will work well.
Then there is Saliba, a serious talent indeed.
My O/45’s had our first training session tonight, and the scheduled start date is July 4th, I believe.
It hurts to type this comment hahaha
I think so re Luiz stepping up but I guess when there’s a plan and it’s understood, football becomes easier. I think his experience is much needed for the younger players, especially if Mustafi and Papa are going.
Rico, we cant lose them all, that’s fire sure but then, I’d definitely keep Mustafi as he was nothing like the same player we saw a few months back.
Incredible transformation.
Saw the headline and immediately thought Luiz was trying to muscle in on my turf as I`m the SAGA pin up boy!
Dont care either way really, minimum wage for a year and OK!.
Meanwhile in Cornwall……………………..Applied for a job I just seen ………..Archery Instructor in Bude!………..they asked for experience, qualifications etc`
I have written………..killed rich people, never wounded anyone as I`m that good, no actual certificates just wanted posters, apprenticeship in Sherwood Forest………..good with the fair maidens……feared by the bad, loved by the good, current status ……….furloughed Hero!
Yours Sincerely.
Mr R Hood
I could not resist as recently whilst being furloughed I have applied for various jobs and honestly what they want to know is ridiculous, I m mean one was for Iceland delivery Driver only for contacted 15 hours, I spent ages doing their on line application form and got rejected!…………………week later the same job comes up!…………………………apply again and this time I use different technigue, for example it put hobbies, so I put…………….”I can hold a plank position longer than it takes to complete this application form!”…………………….then……………….” I could probably dead lift the Iceland store premises asm I`m that strong so bags of frozen Butternut sqaushes will be no problem!” …………..then…………….I will probably gain you more customers with my modest good looks and fine abs if you let me deliver topless!”…………………….they ask for qualifications and I write……………”16 years of delivering, if you are looking for a neuro surgeon then I`m not your man!”……………fair to say they rejected me again!
Then we had a delivery from them and the driver who turned up used to work at my place!……………he got sacked as he was upsetting the clients and was for a better wording , fcuking hopeless!, he said next time dont fill in the application form on line, just go into the store and enquire.
I`m effing hopeless at applications on line! hahaha………………………..yet, in the past I have got every job I have had a personel interview for………………its the abs! hahaha
Scott. Agreed. I’d keep Mustafi too. For what we’d sell him for, we might as well lose him for free next summer, unless he renews his contract.
Hi Rico and All I would like to keep Luiz for one more year with the option of a second depending on his fitness as a matter of fact I would prefer Luiz be captain over Auba .
If what people are writing are true, that we have a small budget then who would we buy if we let Luiz go.
my gut feeling says the one that will stand up next season will be Granit Xhaka
Hi Rico, I wouldn’t object to another year of the hair and those sweat bands! I like him and would be more than happy to see him wearing the captain’s armband!
I do wonder what the plans are for our CBs.. keep, sell, loan… as we have a fair few right now!
Maybe we could give a job to Mr R Hood 😂
Not sure I’d trust you with a bow and arrow, Le Coq 😂
Surely it isn’t too far off making next year’s saga calendar?! Haha!! Take your bow and arrow as an accessory!
So our game against City kicks off at 8pm!!
Hi Geoff, Sue.
There could be a few bargains flying around this summer if the market is as it’s expected to be. A few freebies might be up for grabs.
Talking of which, I hope Cedric soon plays and proves what’s been written about him is untrue.,.
Why on earth are we kicking off at 8pm, bizarre.
Just seen that our City fixture was originally scheduled for an 8pm start so that’s probably why.
Another very interesting Post, Rico, merci beaucoup. 😁
The view I take on all these transfer rumours is — whoever we buy or whichever contracts are extended, regardless of the money – especially as we are rumoured to have a small budgie (probably looks a lot like Le Fightin’ Coq) if all it does is keep us battling to get into the Europa again — they can stick it! 🧐
We were rumoured to have spent some £100m in transfers last summer (source: Henry Winter – maybe) and that would have included Pepe’s eye watering £74m fee, which must have been secretly a disappointment for all concerned, especially Mr Kroenke — and his motto, I once heard, from Sue, was ‘once bitten make ’em cry’ – [no, I pinnae understand these elliptic one liners either] – so, instead, mebbe sell Pepe for a more realistic £40m, sell Auba (he wants to go anyway), don’t extend Luiz’s £10m contract, and offer all the players a share in that saving as an incentive for getting us into the Champions League.
Poppycock and fiddle sticks? Probably – but we are never going to grace the Champions League any other way.
Le Coq, you monster, @ 1:10 pm — 😜🙄😀
Hi ya, Sue,
Long time no sea?? 🤪 (You’ll never be a mermaid if you don’t practice.) 🤔
Oh, how I’ve missed that wit of yours, Mr Wichita 😜 How are you doing? Still working hard?! Or just working… 😂
Thanks RA, has AA shut down or something… 😂
Weird that AA seems to have shut down with no info!..especially as there used to be quite a few Admin/moderators on there, all getting on a bit, but surely they all didn`t catch covid-19 and pass away!……weird!
Well at least I know Redders is still about ! 😀
Yes Sue, I shall be going on a social distancing photo shoot to do SAGA Calendars for the next foreseeable few years as I`m the only 64 year old around with a body of someone half that age!……as all the other oldies look, well how can I put this……..old! ……………..it`s probably criminal and against the law to look this fit, it`s also probably why my daughters dont remain in any relationships as when they bring their boyfriends home you can see the look of jealousy in the boys eyes, they look gutted to see the dad looking fitter than them! 😆
Only one positive result from the latest batch of testing – a spud…
Le Coq.. Love Island Australia is coming….
Lc, I know you love all the gym stuff, your abs etc etc but without sounding like a miserable old git, it’s all become a bit repetitious now so no more on here please. Thanks.
No doubt I’ll see that calendar at work before long, Le Coq 😂
Everyone is repetitious, Rico, probably yourself over the years with posts and comments, but you obviously have a problem with my jovial personallity and yes sounding a bit miserable is definately coming across.
I know and you know if someone like Adam put up comments like mine you would be all smiley emojis .
Your site and your rules, but to sound me out for trying to have a laugh and keep telling me whats not acceptable is a bit low, honestly moaning at me for having a sense of humour says more about you than it does me………………is it just you or are others complaining ?
To save you the bother of telling me off or binning or editing my comments as per usual I will please you and not comment as as I said I somehow seem to annoy you, you really need to be more light hearted, it`s good for health and what ever happened to freedom of speech?
Black Lives Matter
Laughing Matters
PS
Thanks Sue, if only most had your sense of humour, take care X
Lc, I can’t help it if you feel this is personal, trust me, it’s not. I just don’t want to read someone, anyone, going on about their physique each day.
Morning All, I’ve been busy in the garden for a couple of days so I’m late to the party, thanks for the post Rico…
Yes Cocker, I tend to agree, a personal interview is much better than some online application that doesn’t really tell anyone about an applicants personality.
It’s the internet age I guess, people just lack people skills as they spend too much time in front of a screen. Actually going out and walking to the shops to do your shopping is a real positive for me because you actually interact with people, maybe it’s a generational thing?
As for Luiz, didn’t the president of Benfica say that they might be interested in Luiz if he can retain his fitness when he’s 35..?!
As Luiz has just passed 33 that means if I understand him in two years time!
So are Arsenal going to offer Luiz a two year deal?
If so, then that would I’d imagine be on the recommendation of Arteta…
Morning all.
All quiet on the Western front still.
Rico, according to Transfermarket Cedric Soares has returned to Southampton?
Arsenal.com still have Soares on the page that shows the 1st team squad, but when I looked at a short video of Arsenal training a couple of days ago I didn’t see Cedric among our players.
He could of course be injured again I suppose?
Or maybe Arteta didn’t think that he was what he really wanted?
Or of course it could have been that Soares and his agent wanted too much to sign?
Then again, the form of Osei Tutu whose been on loan and is doing well in Bochum could have influenced the decision, Osei Tutu being a much cheaper back up option to Bellerin than Soares?
It was all quiet until Scott turned up…. 🙂
The K’Archer jet washer is a wonderful piece of kit, once you start you can’t stop.
Jet wash this and you jet wash that until everything is clean and sparkling.
As soon as I get it out the cat disappears for the rest of the day.
Often is Scott…
Interesting re Soares Kev, I hadn’t read that anywhere. I think we can forget about him then. Osei Tutu can’t stop scoring goals it seems..
Trouble with them Kev is they take the cement out of the patio. The same cement Laid the year before.. doh..
Cedric tweeted from Arsenal a couple of days ago. For info..
Ok Rico, I’m not enjoying all the rumours linking Bellerin with a move away, but maybe a deal for Soares is dependent on what happens with Hector?
I’ve only jet washed my decking Rico and that went brilliantly, I’ll let you know how it goes with my drive. 🤔
Not seen the Bellerin rumours either Kev. I guess any of our players could go for the right price. But I can’t see Bellerin being one of them.
Good luck with the drive, be sure no one is passing by in case you hit them. 😂
I can’t find anything online about Arsenal and Cedric Soares since April 29th Rico.
His deal with Arsenal expired on May 31st.
One thing my jet wash is useful for is keeping unwanted cats doing their business out of my laurel bushes.
Kev, his Instagram account has him still in our shirt 19 hours ago….seems legitimate.
It was a tweet apparently Kev.
Afternoon, Rico,
In the spirit of HH, ‘where it is OK to disagree’, I have to say I find Le Coq very amusing and he has frequently made me smile, and has done so for years.
There have also been persistent rumours that he really does have ‘abs’ to be proud of, but I suspect that the rumour monger is ……… Le Coq himself. The scallywag.
I hope matters can be resolved between you both, as he is an avid Gooner, and altho his humour may appeal more to males of the species, there are plenty of them about on blogs, and in addition, as he is currently looking for a suitable job, in these difficult times, keeping his spirits up in the meantime does not do anyone any harm.
Talking about rumours (transfers that is) I was taken aback to hear that Tierney is slated to join his old boss at Leicester.
I know he has not played much for us, with his injury problem causing a lot of concern, but I saw him play at Celtic and I was hoping he would be good for us at LB where we have been a little short in recent times.
Yhe mysteries of football … and Arsenal in particular!! 👀
And then ….. It seems that Ozil is being abandoned by Addidas and his whopping big sponsorship deal will finish shortly — it seems that he has been a bit of a disappointment to Addidas as well as to some of us too, which is really disappointing given his wonderful skills. 🙄
Sorry, Sue, I missed your comment enquiring if I have been working too hard …. because of Covid-19 I am having difficulty like many others in completing some projects – so, no, I have not been working too hard, but I have been asked to give maths revision to some school kids waiting anxiously to do their A Levels – not hard work, but I have really enjoyed being involved — and it makes me feel I am doing something to help — and as it is in my spare time, I have not charged anything, which for an accountant is quite saintly — don’t you think? 🤪
Afternoon all.
There are 10 rounds left to finish the League and the Cup matches and it is just rumors about the Arsenal team.
It only weakens and makes it less united.
Afternoon RA. I don’t have a problem with LC at all but he thinks I do. He’s taken it personally but as you’ll see from my comment to him, I just asked him to leave all the stuff about his physique etc off of the site. I’d do exactly the same if it were a woman on here talking about herself. Or anyone for that matter.
There’s being funny which I love and despite Lc’s view, I do have a healthy sense of humour, but I started HH up so in the main, we could talk about football and other sports too. With the odd fun stuff which comes along each day too of course.
Tierney to Leicester? If Rogers wasn’t at Leicester, I wonder if that rumour would have been started.
I’ve worked out the basic cost to Arsenal of Tierney’s one year sojourn, mostly in the sick bay, £27.5 million. That’s transfer fee £24.3 million and salary £3.2 Million.
With Covid-19 and injury record effectively reducing his market value to around £12/13 million selling him to Leicester will cost us around £15.5 million.
Just the kind of deal supposedly dead under our shiny new executive team.
Five subs and pre restart friendly fixtures have been agreed by FA.
I wonder if the extent of his injuries/weaknesses were known to begin with or we, and he has just been unlucky.
Hi Cicero/Rico,
The faces of the ‘committee’ must be shiny red agreeing to the Tierney transfer, even tho he was injured way before we negotiated with Celtic.
[It is always wise to bear in mind that rumours is rumours is balderdash — but you never know??]
The other rumour is Auba off to Barca for a massive £18m?? Yeah, right!!
Barca must have been reading the HH blog yesterday, and noticed my tongue in cheek idea of selling (Pepe) or not extending contracts (whoever) to make a little more funds available to ‘bribe’ the rest of the squad to get us into the Champions League and then share the saved cash between them. —- But a measly £18m for Auba — is not going to do it — they can get stuffed!!
But Ra, I bet it’s the same people reporting that we won’t sell Aubameyang for less than £30m, or was it £20m? I forget.
I’d give Pepe another season personally, I think he’s going to be a top player for us. Fingers 🤞 🤞
Evening everyone – and Scott.
I reckon that all the stuff surrounding Tierney is rubbish, the £18m bid supposedly from Barcelona is a wind up as is the rumour surrounding Bellerin. There’s nothing to write about so it’s all made up, the click bait sites including the so called press (biggest click baiters of the lot) have fcuk all to write about, it’s all bollocks.
Don’t have nightmares, night all…
It’s utter madness to even consider selling Tierney atm.
There is no positive to it at all.
So, Werner is off to Chelsea….having already secured Ziyech’s services, these 2 will improve them no end….meanwhile over in NL…we’ll dither… then dither some more, a lot more…miss out on anyone decent, as we can’t afford them… end up with one freebie, if we’re lucky, lose our best player – Auba – and slide lower down the table!! Oh the joys 😂
Come back, Le Coq, pleaseeeeee!!! I miss that humour already or is it the abs?! 😂😂
My days always have a belly laugh in them – thanks to your posts 😄 – so I hope things are sorted, as it won’t be the same!!
Looking likely we’ll have a friendly against the Irons….
Happy Birthday Tierney, 23 today!
Morning Rico and all. I’m with Scott on this. It’s pointless to sell Tierney. We bought him for his high potential and we need to give him a chance to show it. Even Rangers supporters I know rave about him.
Morning Adam and all.
I’m with Scott too, selling Tierney makes no sense. He’s fit and ready to go.
New post up now.