Theo Walcott is certainly wanted – he’s got one more year on the contract and all the signs are he will sign.
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The other players that the press get excited about our Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny. I can’t see any chance of Jack moving on, and Szczesny played well in the cup final I thought. But with our number three seemingly moving on, maybe the whole department is due for a shakeup.
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Or you could argue it the other way – you can’t shake up a whole department at once, so just having the number 3 keeper replaced is enough.
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Moving on to defenders we have eight recognised defenders plus Isaac Hayden who should now join the group and also possibly Jenkinson.
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We have eight midfielders plus possibly Diaby, Zelalem, Bielik, and Jon Toral, who has signed a new contract.
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That leaves four forwards (Theo, Alexis, Giroud, Welbeck) and I would add Gnabry (now back from injury) and Akpom – who will probably do another loan.
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In that list I haven’t included Joel Campbell who I suspect will leave this summer, and Podolski who just doesn’t seem to fit in the scheme of things in which everyone except the centre forward tracks back.
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But those number above give us 20 players and the seven I have put in the “plus” department.
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However nothing will stop the rumour machine, which will continue to run until 1 September this season.
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Gonzalo Higuain keeps on popping up, and when his transfer happens I will claim I predicted it two years ago, but for 50m euros I am not sure.
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However I have seen the first sightings of the Arsenal “war chest” being mentioned in the paper. Quite what that is, I am not sure. It isn’t money in the bank, because lots of clubs in debt have war chests, but still, every club must spend spend spend otherwise what on earth would all those funny little blogs that say… (and here I quote from this morning’s headlines…
And that is just the start of the list on Goonernews this morning.
I particularly liked the writing of the word “huge” as HUGE just in case we don’t get it, and there is also a MUST in there I noticed. And one or Two Who Want To Start Each Word With A Capital Letter.
(I’ve just gone back to check I didn’t do that this morning).
And as for Porto’s Jackson Martínez (mentioned above); that story was doing the rounds weeks ago. The striker has a £25m release clause in his contract, and we know ALL about release clauses from the Suarez affair. (We also know about lying toads as well).
The Portuguese paper Jornal de Notícias has claimed that a deal has already been agreed in principle, with Martínez’s personal terms yet to be thrashed out. So there it is.
Tony,
I’m sure I watched an interview where Flamini said he had 1 more season in his contract….
As usual, the press and blogs keep showing us how inept they are.
I only believe it if it’s in the Metro.
@Clockendrider. Transfermarkt says Flamini’s contract runs till July 2016! I hope we manage to sell him.
What a boring Saturday……… Crap.
No ARSENAL football. No fun.
Is there a way to fast forward time….
Arteta, an interesting one, I suspect he is being groomed, initially for a coaching role at the club, as well as being a useful player to have around if he can stay fit. I can just envisage him as Arsenal manager one day.
But the reality, none of us know anything. And as we all know on this site, no point in speculating until either it is on the official site, or we see Wenger on the beach in his speedos.
Forget about Schneiderlin , apparently he was being closely looked at with a fine thoothed comb by both the North London clubs , but once ,Manchester United showed interest , ‘his head was turned ‘.
It apparently turned so much that he is now facing the wrong way !
‘ Arsenal on the verge of signing The Foxes superstar!’
Are we talking about Jamie Vardy ? Finally we get a real Fox-in-the -box !
Oppss … too late , the hounds have got the scent ! We will not be able to afford him if he does well enough and prove these jokers wrong !
http://www.fanatix.com/news/englands-one-cap-flops-leicesters-jamie-vardy-to-emulate-arsenal-liverpool-rejects/649244/
Can anyone explain this media love in with Benteke…..in contrast to the way they treat Giroud, who in my opinion, is the superior of the two. I may be missing something, but I just don’t get this hype on the Belgian, he is ok, but judging by the media enchantment with him, I would guess they know he is on his way to Spurs or Liverpool, or maybe he has a very good agent
ARSENAL 13 agree to that, but CL final tonight. Want to see how Barca play and devise how to beat them 🙂 hoping that Juv shows how 🙂
Fast forward?
I used to be able to dream what i wanted when i was young by thinking about it before falling asleep but it don’t work now.
Mandy, i am slowly getting to think they fear Giroud’s abilities and want to undermine his confidence. Giroud is starting to do things that i don’t expect or didn’t used to expect from a striker.
Anyway off to watch CL final, and book my place for next Year when it will be Arsenal 🙂
Mandy Dodd
Exactly. The media hype up anyone who may be going to either of them.
I mean, we all know how good the players where that they both splashed there ‘Windfalls’ on, at least right up until the moment they actually kicked a ball for them 😆
As for Giroud. The guy is class. Very strange the way he is so under rated.
Did I say strange?
Sorry, I meant to say the usual bullshit 🙂
No mention of young Miquel, the Spanish left back, of whom I had great hopes. Is he on loan somewhere? 😉
Miquel left us last year.
Brickfields, I think you’ll agree that looking at anything with a comb (toothed or otherwise) is a totally fruitless activity.
Para, ‘undermine Giroud’s confidence’? I seriously doubt anything will undermine Mons. Giroud’s confidence. Almost Bendtneresque, the big difference being Olivier is true class and can back up his confident attitude.
How many more days to football again?
@John,
Permanently? 😉
Flamini has told after the cup final (I think) that he has one more year in the club. I think he is surplus to requirements. He did a great job in 2013-14 though.
Arteta… Eh, there are only few players in Arsenal history that I like more than Arteta. He signed for Arsenal when we were going through the most difficult time during “the-tighten-belt”-era. Nasri left for big money, Fabregas betrayed his troops by crying his way to Barcelona, Wilshere picked an injury that forced him to miss whole season and Ramsey was still learning his trade. Our midfield was decimated. Arteta took a pay-cut to join Arsenal, imposed himself as a real midfield general and made people believe Alex Song is a great player by covering all holes Song would leave during the game. I’d love him to stay in the club at some capacity even if it’s visible his legs are gone. He’s been our best and most successful captain since Vieira.
Podolski… His finishing is immense but he is a square peg in a round hole. He is 30 and we should cash him in. His goal against Liverpool last season was probably the most important one he has scored for us.
Campbell is the one I’d like to keep. He actually reminds me of Coquelin at his beginning. Campbell has a lovely left foot (we don’t have too many of those in the attack), pace, work-rate and all he needs is confidence. Back in 2013 I wrote that melting Coquelin and Frimpong into one player would solve all our issues with defensive midfield. Now I think we would get a perfect forward by melting Campbell and Podolski into one player.
Miquel moved to Norwich. He doesn’t appear to have got many games there.
Ryo & Yaya ?
Josip , agree on Arteta, have a really strong feeling he will spend many years at the club in some capacity