Morning all.
The thought of Ethan Nwaneri rejecting his boyhood club is something I’m trying not to think about. But it’s there, niggling away at the back of my mind. Born and bed in North London, Nwaneri joined the Arsenal Academy at 8 years old. His Premier League debut against Brentford on 18 September 2022, becoming the youngest player to appear in the top flight of English football, at 15 years and 181 days old. I think it’s fair to suggest that along with Myles Lewis-Skelly, he’s the best player to have come through the academy since Bukayo Saka.
Chelsea have been sniffing around him according to the media and you can bet your bottom dollar that every other top club in Europe are watching how his contract talks go too. We cannot stop speculation about his current situation but boy, I just hope that when he returns from his holiday, one of the first thing the club does is announce he’s signed of a new long term contract.
Footballers at 18 years old expect to be playing first team football I’m sure but Nwaneri isn’t your average 18 years old footballer is he? He plays beyond his years, he’s a special talent and he has a left foot not too dissimilar to Bukayo Saka. A bold statement to make but in a few years time, there’s a chance he could be better than Saka.
Mikel Arteta said he thinks Nwaneri is a number 9 in the making so it’s possible that whilst expectation is that Eze or Madueke might jeopardise his Arsenal career, perhaps it’s Jesus who needs to be worrying. Very little has been said or written about our Brazilian, unlike our younger Brazilian winger. Might it actually be Jesus who ends up moving to a Saudi club to raise funds? It makes sense to me that’s for sure. I know he’s currently recovering from injury but he must be very close to being recovered by now. With roughly 7 weeks to go before the transfer window closes, there’s a chance he will be fit enough for a club to sign him.
Whilst I don’t think any player should be guaranteed first team football by a manager, I do believe in a clean slate come the beginning of a new season. Players need to be picked on merit rather than reputation and nothing will convince me that Jesus, or Trossard for that matter is a better option than Nwaneri. There were many occasions last season when I’d have much rather have seen Nwaneri on the pitch than Odegaard because the latter was far from being at his best. I know a general opinion seemed to be he was missing Saka and White, but that’s tough, he’s our captain, he should be able to adjust his game regardless of who is around him.
The biggest change we need to see this coming season is in my opinion, comes from Mikel Arteta. He can have as many players as he likes but if he doesn’t rotate from the start of the season, we are unlikely to be better off in February/March than we were last season or the seasons before. His seemingly lack of trust in all his players is something which annoys me no end. Actually, it’s one of a number of things but I’ll keep the other to myself. Powder dry and all that.
Last season, by the time we faced PSG in the Champions League semi-final, our squad was broken and those who were fit were running on empty. Could that have been avoided? Probably. There comes a time when the excuses of not rotating have to end because this squad is Arteta’s and it has been for a couple of years. If he doesn’t use it better this season then what’s the point in him staying and continually flogging our players to the point of exhaustion, cheesing off those who don’t play in the process?
Catch up in the comments….
Arsenal have confirmed that left-back Marcell Washington has signed a professional contract with the club.
Washington, who was previously at Chelsea, featured for Arsenal U21s on eight occasions last season as a trialist, while he also played twice for the U18s.
The 17-year-old relishes pushing forwards and interestingly is the son of former Chelsea and England defender Ryan Bertrand.
Morning. Yes fingers crossed Nwaneri stays. It will be one of Arsenal’s biggest downfalls if he goes!
We have to win the Prem this year. If not, I believe it will be time to change Manager and Coaching Team. Hopefully this will not be the case.
Enjoy the sunshine.
That’s almost an Arteta out couple of paragraphs if not this season but next . I have always avoided the Jesus out situation due to his injury which originally suggested that he was out until after this window closed but should we get the goalscoring forward his place in the pecking order may well go down and he might be the source of a few million . The same applies to Zinchenko for that matter although I believe that the Ukraine war situation may be reducing the options of where he could go if the countries abroad are not as supportive as our government.
I believe that when we bought them from City there was a logic because we were close to halfway in the table and needed experience but now they are surplus to requirement . If selling them generates enough to get the other deals over the line then all well and good.
Morning Laura, Potter, all.
It is, five years and waiting? I’m bored…
Agree on Jesus and Zinchenko, smart signings at the time but they’ve served their purpose imo, certainly Jesus. Zinchenko in midfield is a good option for domestic cups imo but not sure he’d settle for that, especially having been overlooked so often last season despite our injuries.
Crystal Palace have revealed their new home kit for the upcoming season, but the sought-after Eberechi Eze was not included.
Jean-Philippe Mateta, Marc Guehi, Maxence Lacroix, Eddie Nketiah, Adam Wharton, Justin Devenny and Romain Esse are pictured modelling the new red and blue design, as well as Women’s players Issy Sibley and Chloe Arthur.
Eze, who is a primary transfer target for Arsenal, did not feature in the kit launch.
Arsenal know they can speak to Eze if they meet his release clause, believed to be an initial £60m plus £8m in add-ons.
Afternoon rico, all. Maybe we can soon switch to Jackson for our striker now a £100m price tag been put on his head? 😀😀. Wow, seems we getting Madueke on the cheap😂
Had a horrible thought, maybe Saka’s agent is putting out a few warning messages and that’s why we bringing in Madueke, not as cover but as an eventual replacement? Certainly hope not but nothing would surprise me these days.
Afternoon Andrew, can’t believe Jackson has that price tag. Chavs really are desperate for money.. lol
I wouldn’t be surprised either, we need trophies delivered now. Five years gone by, it’s not too much to ask is it?
Haven’t we won T E C (The Emirates Cup) every year since its inception? That must count for something, or nothing maybe. 😉
Errr, nothing. 😜
We should offer the Saudi league clubs Jesus and Zinchenko as a £30 million bogoff.
I’d rather we milked them for as much as possible and then get Sesko.
Good afternoon Rico and all
Many hot topics on discussion here, Arteta in or out, win the EPL or not, MAdueke replaces Saka eventually. hmmmmmm. yes they are all worries. but I dont think they will come to pass
Just read this……Former Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta, now head coach at Parma, is keen on signing Gunners midfielder Fabio Vieira this summer.
Arsenal are holding out for £20million, with a sell-on clause. FC Porto are also interested but can’t reach that figure as it stands.
Afternoon Devil, good re Vieira, let’s hope an agreement can be reached.
Fabrizio Romano
@FabrizioRomano
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3m
🚨🔴⚪️ Understand Arsenal have made progress in the recent days for Ethan Nwaneri’s new deal.
The club has presented vision/project for Nwaneri in the upcoming years including discussions on game time.
Arsenal hopeful to get green light and sign new contract soon. ⏳
As far as rotation is concerned, Arteta must make much more use of his squad. Giving the bench sitters starts in cup games does little for their confidence and our recent cup runs have been all too short anyway.
Last season Odegaard and Saka were started when not fully fit. Declan Rice was asked to play every minute of games when it was clear, to all but Arteta, that he was exhausted. When the same old same old isn’t working in a game, that is the time to change things, bring on a few player who offer something different. Nwaneri for Odegaard for instance. If we are signing a winger for goodness sake bring him on when Saka needs a rest or has been kicked half a dozen times.
Perhaps push Calafiori up front to give Martinelli a breather.
Predictability has become a problem over the last few seasons, proper use of the squad can change that significantly.
My point exactly, he’s built this squad, he needs to use it and after all his chatter at the end of last season about squad depth, it’ll be bizarre if he continues to overplay players.
Villa have told Newcastle that the price for Ollie Watkins is £100 million. At twenty-nine he has no residual value at the end of a four year contract. I guess that wipes out any interest we have in signing him.
One of the Saudi clubs is showing interest in Sesko, so that’s another one off the list.
Sporting are considering disciplinary action against Gyokeres as he has failed to report for pre-season training while he waits on a move to Arsenal.
We do seem to get in a pickle when it comes to dealing with player purchases. 😕
£100m for Watkins, Villa must have accidentally added an extra zero… lol
Ekitike is still available, Frankfurt want about €100m
Morning guys
New post up.
I think Nwaneri will leave, it appears to me that he think he is better than he is and demands game time and Arteta does not like playing the younger players too much.
Sounds like Arsenal are messing aroung around over 5 million for Gyokeres, if they realy want him just pay the extra and get the deal done.