Morning all.
It’s hard not to be pleased with how things are going in this transfer market for Arsenal. Other than Mari and Cedric becoming permanent players, we’ve only added two players in Gabriel and Willian. Of course it seems like three with Saliba finally joining up with the squad but even so, I think we look light in midfield. Both defensively and creatively. A player to do what Ozil can do when he’s in the mood and not in a mood. It’s been said and written many times about how his wages are crippling Arsenal but at least now there’s light at the end of the tunnel as this will be his final season. This time next year, he’ll be out of the club and Arsenal will be £350k a week better off. £350k a week which would fund the salary of three, even four new players. Ideally, Mesut would follow in Mkhitaryan’s footsteps and buy out/cancel his Arsenal contract, or whatever it was he did to ensure he’d be at Roma this coming season, but that’s looking unlikely.
So what does Mikel Arteta do with him should he still be here come the end of the transfer window? The door is always open for players to return to the squad, we know that as it came from the manager himself so do ‘we’ expect to see Ozil more involved this season? Is Ozil for the challenge Mikel Arteta has set? The hard work ethic both in training and on a match day, the hard work off the ball which we get from other attacking players such as Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette and Eddie to name just a few? If the answer is no then I simply can’t see him being involved much at all. Arteta is demanding, Ozil isn’t always prepared to give. I find it so frustrating that a footballer with so so much talent is going to waste.
However. Maybe there is a way back, maybe Edu and Arteta are in the process of building a team which will allow him back. The defence is looking the strongest it’s been in years, certainly on paper but as already suggested, the squad looks a little light defensively in midfield. A Gilberto kind of player would slot in nicely, someone who can read the game and anticipate trouble before trouble arrives. Someone who can be trusted, someone who together with the rest, would allow Ozil to flourish. I’m not suggesting the club build a team around Ozil, just one which would prevent £350k a week of talent going to waste. It’s not like we don’t need that kind of player anyway and have done for years, but if Edu and Arteta can get that type of player through the door, then Ozil might not quite be finished at Arsenal yet. Of course, I remain optimistic, or rather hopeful, that the offer of sunshine and a decent salary elsewhere might lure him away yet.
Another conundrum Edu and Arteta face involves Hector Bellerin. Rumours have been circulating about PSG and their reported £30m offer made for his services so now a decision has to be made. Firstly by Bellerin of course as his happiness is paramount, but also, do the club want to sell him. Would selling him mean Arsenal need to sign a replacement? Or can Cedric and AMN fill what would be a big hole should Arsenal take the money?
Jordi Osei-Tutu, right back come wing back/winger has just secured another loan for the coming season, this one with Cardiff which I think will do him the world of good. Harry Clarke however, a central defender/right back remains at the club. At least for now and we know Mikel Arteta has had him training with the first team since the restart. Our free signing from the Toots, Jonathan Dinzeyi, is a right sided defender so maybe he’s being lined up for the right back position in the future. Whilst I’m not suggesting that any of them are the answer right now, mind you, who knows until they play, one might be our future right back. So with that in mind, I wouldn’t be overly surprised to see Arsenal ‘make do’ with Cedric and AMN should Bellerin leave. I hope he doesn’t though.
A similar situation will present itself at left back should Kolasinac get his move away. The difference being Tierney is way ahead of him in the pecking order. AMN name pops up again because he too has been Arteta’s choice over the Serb but if he’s playing at right back, who replaces Tierney as and when needed? 21 year old Tolaji Bola? Like Harry Clarke, he’s been training with the first team since Mikel Arteta arrived so it could be his Arsenal career is set to step up a level.
The new season might kick off next weekend with a trip to Fulham but the transfer window runs for another four weeks yet. Hopefully we’ll see another player or two signed but we’ll also see a few leave. Some on loan, some for good although funny enough, there are only a handful, if that, would I be sad to see leave. Hector is one of them, when I’ve remembered who the others are, I’ll let you know… LOL
See you in the comments guys.
Morning all, Rico.
Yeah Wavy, I’m not sure that the demand for tickets is going to be as great as the club expects or hopes, could be that a lot of fans have got used to watching the games on TV, I know I have.
Going to football becomes a habit and a weekly ritual and you plan your week around it,but if you break that habit you suddenly find other things to do with all that time, especially as for many of us going to football pretty much takes up the whole day.
The more complicated they make it for you to go the more likely you’re going to think ‘bugger that’ I’ll go down the pub and watch it with my mates.
Hi Rico and all read two interesting stories about Mesut Ozil 1 claims a club in Saudi Arabia what him but not until the end of this season, I cannot see that happening the other 1 claims Arteta wants to welcome Ozil back in to the fold I can see this happening only if we cannot sell him, who knows with some new young players we may see the old Ozil again
Geoff, despite the middle eastern rumours Ozil will not leave this season. He has repeatedly said that he intends to see out his contract and there is nothing the club can do other than pay him his £350,000 a week salary, grin and bare it.
If we do sign a couple of decent midfielders there would be no room for Ozil other than in the cups or Europa League games and then probably only in the home legs as he always seems to be injured when an away match is on the horizon.
Yes, make Ozil captain, captain of the League Cup squad, as for the Europa, I can’t see him getting away with crying off sick with Arteta in charge so yeah, play him in the early group stages, see how he performs, I mean in a way he can’t sulk can he because this season is like an audition for his next big move.
A sobering thought or an excuse to phone The Samaritans……………………….It would take me 28 years to earn what Mesut Ozil earns in a week!…………………how I`m still and an extroverted happy go lucky guy after that is one of lifes mysteries! hahaha
Morning all and thanks Rico.
It’s all about squad numbers , the maximum number of overseas or non homegrown will dictate how many of the current crop will stay. We have to name a squad of 25 of which there can be no more than 17 non home grown . Who qualifies as homegrown however is somewhat complicated . Bellerin for example is homegrown as is Martinez both having been with us 3 years before turning 21 . and then we can add an unlimited number of academy players and those under 21 Saliba in this case ,
Tierney is 23 and despite being British counts as overseas as Scotland counts as a foreign land having it’s own senior league . Welsh players count as home grown because of Cardiff and Swansea.
As I read it presently we have an excess of non homegrown players , so it is likely that Arteta will have to choose which players kick their heels and do nothing if we can’t find a way to get them out of the door..We have 18 of these so if we buy 1 0f Partey or Oaurs then 2 have to go to make room .
Rumours abound about Kolasinac and Torreira but until their future is resolved there can be no further purchasing .
I THINK.
As for the ticketing scheme , how many of us meet our mates in the pubs and then head to the ground 20 minutes before kick off ? With possible temperature tests and personal Identity checks at the gate I can see many turning their backs and settling for pub watching as the traditional way of attending changes.
Elneny, Sokratis, Mustafi could all be leaving too. That would open up some squad spots for incommers Potter.
With maybe only 30,000 socially distanced fans in the ground the atmosphere will be funereal to say the least.
The best and cheapest way to watch would be in a pub near the ground. A few beers and a lot of fans together sounds good to me
Potter because we signed Saliba at aged 18 it’ll mean he’ll have been an Arsenal players for 3 years before he reaches 21 and is therefore deemed Home Grown.
Was Martinelli 18 or 19 when we signed him, I’m not sure?
As we stand, the 25 is thus:
Foreign:
Leno
Soares
Tierney
Xhaka
Mustafi.
Willian
Gabriel
Aubameyang
Lacazette
Pepe
Mari
Luiz
Ozil
Kolasinac
Elneny
Sokratis,
Torrieia.
Home:
Bellerin
Holding
Martinez
Macey
Chambers
Maitland Nile
Under 21:
Saliba
Guendouzi
Martinelli
Nketiah
Willock
Smith Rowe
Nelson
Saka
John Jules
I’m pretty sure that that’s right, so we need to sell two more foreign players if we want to sign Partey and Aouar, but in truth we’ll probably need to move on about 4 or 5 to finance those moves…
Hi Geoff, Kev all.
Is there any chance Arsenal might buy off Ozil contract I wonder. Otherwise, let him play in all the Europa fixtures away from home..
Five of the foreign players you list could be gone soon Kev
Kolasinac, Sokratis, Torreira and perhaps Elneny and Mustafi too.
Actually, Lacazette too if Atletico want him as part of any Partey deal. Ozil leaving would be the icing on the cake.
Plus, Aubameyang could yet depart too.
We are giving Aubameyang far too much time to sign the contract
I’d imagine his mind is made up one way or another by now.
Geoff the more time we give Aubameyang to make up his mind the less time other clubs have to sign him. Swings and roundabouts.
Next cab off of the rank?
https://arseblog.news/2020/09/report-torreira-to-join-fiorentina-on-loan-with-mandatory-purchase-agreement/
I was hoping we’d sell him Kev, unless we don’t need to raise finances. At least it’s another wage gone.
Good to see England follow Brazil, Australia and a few other countries in awarding equal pay to men and women England footballers.
I thought the women should get more as they can multi-task!
Nice one, Rico…
Sokratis fairly close to joining Napoli. Probably in the coming week.
Kolasinac has several suitors, as mentioned a few days ago. He will most likely leave for around £10mil.
Torreira currently considering 3 offers from Italy. He won’t be an Arsenal player much longer. #AFC
Ooh there are some training photos.. and guess who’s back?! 🙂
There’s talk of Ceballos being announced tomorrow!!
Thanks Sue, another £200k off the wage bill then. Excellent
Can’t believe it’s only 9 days away, Rico!! Excited to say the least!!
Btw, I hope you ripped it out of – is it your nephew and his gf that are Liverpool fans?! – I had fun at work with all the scousers, they didn’t 😂
I thought we had signed the defensive midfielder we had so long needed when we got Torreira, but he was not up to the job, in fact he came up a bit short. 😉
An £8 million loan fee and a £10 compulsory purchase agreement at the end of next season is not a bad deal and it’s £110,000 a week of the wage bill.
We bought him for £26 million.
Good luck to him.
Cicero it may be harder for another team to buy Auba but it is also less time for us to find a replacement if he does leave
As I said Geoff, swings and roundabouts.
First out of the starting gate, Sokratis could be on his way to Napoli.
If Sokratis goes that’s £108,000 a week off the wage bill.
we need to start sell / loaning a few players and then start the season of with a few quick wins as I have this gut feeling their is not going to be many points difference between the top 8 sides.
New post up now