Morning all.
Yes, I am one of the 24.9 million people who follow Fabrizio Romano on Twitter. Just him, David Ornstein and The Athletic. Why? Because in my opinion, there is usually truth in what they write rather than idol speculation or a regurgitation of old news. So, on this occasion, I’m 99% sure Arsenal have secured the signing of Martin Zubimendi.
If the blog world is anything to go by and yes, I’ve read a few over the last day or two, the feelings of this signing are mixed. When aren’t they though after Arsenal sign a new player? Not everyone is happy about something all of the time.
Having seen him play for Spain, admittedly in a team oozing with talent, Zubimendi more often than not, plays really well. I’m not going to bother going into the kind of player we’re getting as I’m sure you all know what Zubimendi is about and all what really matters now is what he brings to this Arsenal team.
Arsenal have been linked with a number of players over the last few days.
Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard could attract the interest of Arsenal this transfer window, reports the Daily Mirror.
Chelsea forward Noni Madueke is on the radar of a host of clubs this summer, including Arsenal, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph.
Marc Guehi is another player linked to Arsenal although we’re not the only club reported to be interested in the Palace defender.
Viktor Gyokeres has apparently told his family and friends that he expects to sign for Arsenal this summer. I know, that’s very unlikely but if true, one of his family or friends can’t keep a secret. 🤐
Then of course there’s the links to Lucien Agoume, Jorrel Hato and Bilal El Khannouss.
I cannot keep up.
Catch up in the comments.
I’ll freely admit that I haven’t seen much of Zubimendi. Heck, I’ve not even bothered to watch the YouTube compilations of him. I think I’m waiting to see him holding up the shirt, media duties done and all that. Also, given the demands of the Premier League, I’m always going to be biased towards having a stereotypical 6’3″ bruiser as my DM. Alas, they only ever made one Patrick Vieira.
I know this deal was sealed last season, but it certainly feels so Arsenal that, while the team is screaming out for a new striker, our first signing of 2025/26 is going to be yet another midfielder. And he’ll be followed by another goalie in Kepa. The optics ain’t all that great. Plus, the firehose of speculation and rumour out there is making us look like a bunch of incompetent ditherers when it comes to signing the striker the team needs. Gyökeres, Šeško, and the other day, we were “back in” for Watkins? Old Trafford on opening weekend looms large, tick-tock, lads.
Anyhoo, welcome to the Arsenal, Señor Zubimendi! (I just realised that he’ll be our second Martin, leaving us only one short of equalling our 3 Gabriels. Perhaps there’s a Martin someone out there who plays CF…)
I’ve only watched him for Spain and I can recall thinking we’d sign him as well or instead of Merino although i always liked the latter too. Now it seems we’ll have both.
Now for a striker, winger and a couple of surprises 😜
Good morning Rico and all
A good transfer report and round up Rico
What’s hilarious about the summer/January transfer windows is the amount of players we are supposed to sign. So much that we would fill up each and every EPL team ensuring we win it year after year lol.
Zubi and Kepa. Two other Spanish guys. Soon we will have a Spanish majority in the club. The best thing is that they’re European thus less travelling time. while I like the physicality and speed of African players we can see that over 90% of players signed by Arteta are Europeans.
@ MrBure
“…the firehose of speculation and rumour out there is making us look like a bunch of incompetent ditherers….”
That’s exactly what it’s designed to do. 98% of speculation is complete bull and the media agenda has been anti-Arsenal for years. It doesn’t matter who we sign or how we play, the media will always find a way of putting a negative spin on it.
Although that photo appears to have been taken at the Arsenal training ground, there is still nothing on AFC.com.
I do hope we are not going to be disappointed.
We All know that Arsenal gets a tough time from the media during the season. Hell! Last season we even got a tough time from the referees to add insult to injury.
We accept it. It’s our annual penance; it’s met with a form of siege mentality that makes us Gooners. It’s anticipated at the start of every season and suffered throughout the season. Whether it’s the fact that we are said to be ‘those southern Nancy boys’, who hail from London and are perennial thorns in the side of north-western dominance, or whether it’s simply a form of inverted snobbery on the part of all those who hail from north of Watford I leave to individual interpretation. But the bias and belittling, silly little japes and snide remarks are always there. They are a fact of life as an Arsenal supporter, and so we shrug our shoulders and try to ignore it every year.
So why do we not realise that this aggression and bias doesn’t go away during the transfer window?
Why do we attack our own management for not immediately signing every Tom, Dick, and Viktor that we are maliciously rumoured to be chasing?
Why do we not realise that those same trolls and anti-Arsenal pundits are still out there during the transfer window; sowing seeds of discontent, decrying our transfer strategy, making up malicious rumours, and generally setting media traps for the Arsenal faithful to fall into?
Why don’t we all just calm down. The window has only recently opened, and we’ll get done what needs to be done. Year-on-year, Arteta has strengthened from the back to midfield and now to the front.
Let’s give him time to do that. Let’s not listen to every Arsenal hater who adds false expectations to a casual enquiry or makes up a rumour on the flimsiest of pretexts and then criticises us for not achieving those same malicious rumours and falsehoods.
You know how it works. A nobody somewhere in the depths of Europe spreads a false rumour about a supposed Arsenal target and this is immediately picked up on by every spotty little nobody north of Watford, with the rider that Arsenal are dragging their feet, or haven’t got a chance in hell of signing him, or have just bid twenty million too little or too much, or have been sold a pup . . . They make it up, and we fall for it.
Arsenal’s parsimoniousness is another pack of lies, predicated on the same bias that we have to suffer every playing season.
If there is a silly season in football, this is it.
Let’s not fall for it again!
(good to see you’re still soldiering on, Rico)
Morning rico, house. I hate photos like that, becoming more and more popular as deep fakes easy to make. Surprised of Romano, like you rico, I think he and Ornstein are the most reliable. Along with Charlie Watts who actually broke the MLS agreement, before the big two copied and quoted him!
Could easily be superimposed or photo shopped as they say now but we can only hope that this is the first of a few .
However it seems that we have two ports of call in Chelsea and Real Sociedad I wonder who plays up front in the Basque country other than Niko Williams ?
There’s an Artificial Intelligence feeling to that picture, but maybe he’s just popped in the sign the contract after a medical and the deal will be announced on July 1st?
Arsenal are playing Sporting and Leipzig off against each other to try and get the best deal possibly? I don’t mind either one tbh…
The Chelsea winger Madueke is an interesting link as he’s looked quite good when I’ve seen him and isn’t carrying an inflated fee, some Arteta coaching could make all the difference. I’d imagine that Chelsea might be reluctant to sell anymore good players to us, Sterling obviously didn’t fall into that category.
Could be a busy next few weeks although I’d like to see Bakayo and Big Bill sign new deals…
Three days to go…. 😬
The doorbell went…. lol
Morning guys.
Romano has a big reputation to keep, I can’t see him doing a bit of photoshopping but never say never I guess.
Morning Andrew, Devil.
I’m trying Mike. lol
Must admit, I wish the club would be more proactive but it’s not something Arsenal have ever really been so their slowness is of little surprise to me.
Three sleeps Kev.. 😝
I agree with Kev, the deal could be done but will not be annouced until july 1st
Afternoon Rico and all
Hi House. Kev at 12:16, Chukwunonso “Noni” Madueke is a really good player, not only is he 23, he’s also English. Last year playing on a unpredictable Chelsea, where he was used wrongly, he scored 7 goals. Imho, he has better qualities than Kudus and its cheaper. As you have said, he would be put in better positions at Arsenal than Chelsea.
Afternoon Geoff.
If the deal is signed, I’m sure we’ll hear about it before the 1st July..
Lunch today, a nice ripe Camanbert some Rosemarie crackers and a bottle of cold Peroni, very continental but in the shade of an apple tree in an English Garden. Bliss!
Only cloud on the horizon, having bowled India out, England’s reply halted by rain in.Leeds. 😎
Obi, Madueke can play on either wing so you’d have a player who could give Saka a rest and also perform on the left-wing regardless of what business is done in that position? I’d also imagine that given his physique that he could play through the middle…
I guess it depends on the fee Chelsea will demand?
Storms expected in the North, so England need to bat properly so as to ensure that India bet again.
Bat again, but feel free to have a bet as well…
Dennis Bergkamp signed!
I was reading HH 30 years ago…