Morning all.
It seems Saudi Arabia is the new retirement destination for footballers. Why not, it pays well both in terms of transfer fees and wages so footballers are bound to be tempted by a last big money move to a more “gentle’ in sunny climates. It’s a bummer that Chelsea’s financial problems are being partly resolved by Football Saudi Arabia but I don’t suppose Arsenal fans would complain too much if one or two of our own players were whisked away for a big transfer fee.
I didn’t watch the England game but by all accounts, Bukayo Saka was outstanding. He even walked away with the match ball having bagged himself a hat-trick. I know, it was only against North Macedonia but I doubt Saka cares one bit.
Great photo which I’ve pinched from Declan Rice’s Instagram account. When he hit that publish button on his comment, he knew what he was doing I’m sure. Throw the man the biggest wooden spoon in the room I say because he’s certainly stirred the “Rice to Arsenal” rumour pot.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Arsenal have made an opening bid of £30m for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. The report suggests the Dutch club are in the market for a fee of closer to £50m, the outlet adds, with “optimism a deal can be completed” from both sides. Utd are interested in him too. Here’s a clip of him in action for Ajax.
I think the transfer window will heat up a bit now that the international fixtures are over. Pre-season training usually begins during the first week of July so all our senior international players can enjoy a couple of weeks of rest and relaxation. Unlike the under 21 players who if selected to represent the respective countries, have a couple of fixtures to play over the next few days. Emile Smith Rowe being one of them. Over the last few days, he’s confirmed he’s going nowhere during this transfer window, or any other unless a day comes when he’s told he’s not needed.
Aaron Ramsdale, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have already committed to the club long term, William Saliba and Reiss Nelson are reported to be following suit as soon as they return from their holiday so things are looking very positive. Whilst I know no player has been signed yet, from the offers Arsenal have made already, it’s clear a midfielder, defender and forward signing are in the pipeline. At least, and if Partey really is up for sale as suggested on NN, the links to Romeo Lavia make even more sense than they did already.
Anyway, I’m sure the next few weeks will be interesting as Mikel Arteta adds players to his squad with both exciting and disappointing news reaching the back pages. We can be confident that both Manchester clubs will be spending big very soon as will Chelsea no doubt but as I’ve suggested before, if a player only wants to sign for Arsenal, then it’s likely he will.
Rain, cloud, a bit of a breeze – perfect conditions for the fielding side on day five of the first test between England and Australia.
Catch up in the comments..
Timber looks the DBS .Get that boy through the door Sharpish.Ten Haag will be spitting nails.😂
I remember a similar compilation of Partey’s party pieces, look how that turned out.😕
Good morning Rico and all.
Yeah, I get that Cicero, re: Partey, but Arsenal aren’t (yet) Under FFP investigation like the Chavs and we’re only linked with selling one player, so far, interesting that most, if not all of those connected to Saudi, are followers of the Saudi faith, which could be a coincidence or alternatively a deliberate policy on the hosts?
Nice picture Rico of our two ‘Arsenal’ players…
Cloud cover, humid, dampness in the air, perfect conditions for the most successful pace bowler in history to maybe recapture his best form on the final day?
Morning Cicero,Pete, Kev, all.
Timber does look a bit good doesn’t he…
I hope so Kev, give it a few days eh…. 😂
Arsenal are expected to make a formal bid worth £90m for West Ham United captain Declan Rice.
The Gunners had their opening £80m offer plus add-ons – which would have been paid in slow instalments with a lot of tough contingencies attached to it – rejected by West Ham, who are holding out for £120m.
It is understood that the Hammers would accept £100m plus a player, though.
Manchester City and Manchester United are also interested in the 24-year-old.
Sky Sports.
West Ham have rejected Arsenal’s £90 million offer for Rice.
Can’t we throw in Lokonga and Holding….
Arsenal make fresh £60m offer for Havertz’
Arsenal have made a fresh verbal offer for Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, according to the Daily Mail.
The bid for the Germany international is reportedly worth £60m after having their initial proposal turned down last week.
Arsenal have offered to pay Chelsea £55m up front with £5m in add-ons.
A hard fought contest, Bazball vs Aussie stubbornness. A couple of dropped catches, a sore spinning finger, a missed stumping chance and an inexplicable decision to delay taking the new ball while Joe Root continued bowling and got swatted into the stands a couple of times.
On such small margins the contest was decided.
Oh, and Anderson should have shared the new ball with Broad. Robinson is too inexperienced to make the most of the situation.
Stokes showed some inexperience for the first time this test with none of his star batsmen able to get him out of the mire in the 2nd innings…
Australia played a pragmatic, almost boring style of cricket, the Mourinho of test cricket perhaps and let England make all the mistakes, dropped catches, missed stumpings, if we’d got them then the declaration wouldn’t have mattered, we need Foulkes back behind the stumps and Wood into the attack but I reckon we’ll be unchanged next time around.
Rico 90 mill plus Holding sounds a good deal, this way we may be able to sell Lokonga to Burnley for 10 mill to rejoin up with his old manager.
I thought it was a cracking test and bearing in mind Australia are number 1 (I think) England did well. The turning point imo was when Australia bowled in the darker conditions in the second innings.
Anderson was struggling apparently which is why he didn’t bowl yesterday. I can understand Root getting the extra over, after all, he’d just got a wicket.
Hopefully the next test will be just as good and the wicket will do a bit more.
£20m for Lokonga Geoff.. At least imo.
Rumour is that Eddie could leave. Does Moyes need a striker?..
Amadou Onana is available. He is better priced than Rice or Caicedo. He also gives you more in the attacking game.
If Westham turn down our 3rd offer then Arteta and Edu should drop interest in Rice and look for another player, and not waist anymore time.
I’m surprised we haven’t walked away already. Imo, West Ham are taking the mickey.
I don’t think that they’ve turned down the amount we’ve offered, just how we want to pay it, West Ham want more up front and larger instalments over a shorter period, Arsenal want to spread it over the length of his contract, fortunately he wants Arsenal or else I’d be worried about being gazzumped at the 11th hour.
We need to sell a player or two to ease the financial outlay.
I haven’t read anything about any real concrete offers for any of our players. There is a lot of roomers that Xhaka will leave but not until we have signed his replacement.
If West Ham only want cash and Arteta really wants Rice, then just pay them so we can move on with next deals
Sky are saying it’s the amount Kev. £100 million + a player or £120 million. Either way it’s bonkers money.
Seems a deal for Havertz has been done. Medical next..
Well Rico, I’m not always sure about SKY reports, they have a tendency to slip towards click-baiting these days and in general they love to generate an aura of chaos around whatever Arsenal do, it’s company policy, just compare the way they report on Man Utd, Tottenham and Chelsea with how they report us.
I honestly think that if it was £120m that we’d have walked away by now as we did with Caicedo.
At the end of the day it’s in the hands of Rice himself, if he tells West Ham that if the Arsenal deal doesn’t materialise that he’d stay at West Ham I wonder how that would affect things?
True Kev, one rule for one eh.. I bet they would hate us to get Rice.
A bit like Mudryk its all too public . Used to be a time when negotiations were private .
Reminds me of Jesus last summer….
Potter, unfortunately today’s players personal managers will say and do anything to make money for them and the player.
As Kev said it’s up to Rice to put his foot down, However I wonder what would happen if we pulled out of the deal and no other club does show real interest in Rice, how much would his value drop.
Gundogan has joined Barcelona on a free transfer. Phew! Dodged a bullet there.
If we drop out of the Rice deal both Manchester clubs will take up the chase. City have cash to burn and United have players to swap as part of the price. Maguire and McTominay for a start, although the wages demanded by the former may be a stumbling.
Stumbling block that is
Morning all
New post up