By Tony Attwood
Transfer rumours concerning Arsenal have been continuing apace since Arsene Wenger announced he was leaving at the end of the season, without any question being raised about who the new manager is and what he wants. If that is actually happening it is a major change of policy for the club, and one that maybe not every manager will like. Most of the big players seem to want to recruit their own men to play for them. (Apart from Allardyce who just likes chewing and shouting at people).
Of course the club might be gambling on the person they get liking the transfers – so we are bettors could be the place to go to keep an eye on this. Indeed we can all join in for just like some managerial rumours, some such transfer rumours might be valid, as with the story that Chuba Akpom could be going to STVV (Sint-Truidense Voetbalvereniging), of the Belgian First Division A (the top league) where he has been on loan. Sports Witness has this, and it seems reasonable as the chances of him coming back and making a breakthrough at Asenal seem limited.
Other stories remain just fantasies like the constant tales coming from the Turkish media that suggest that Mesut Ozil is leaving. For this there is no evidence at all. The same can be said about the tale in the Express to the effect that Arsenal are going to sign Napoli’s Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly at a cost of £53m.
Well, maybe, but shouldn’t we wait for a manager until blowing the whole of the transfer budget?
And yet these stories continue by the hour. According to the Telegraph Arsenal are “pushing ahead” (whatever that means in detail), with a move for defender Çağlar Söyüncü from Freiburg (who holds the record for the most accents in any player’s name in the Premier League) – without waiting for the manager to be appointed. (Although the general consensus this morning was that it is Arteta. Could be different by the time you read this however).
Anyway, the Telegraph’s twist is that the transfer policy exists separately from the manager and that “whoever takes charge will have to accept Arsenal’s new transfer policy.” Continuing the tale, the Telegraph says that Arsenal have interviewed some people (we don’t know who, we don’t know how many) but didn’t ask any of them their opinion of Söyüncü, even though the deal is almost done.
So what can we say about Çağlar Söyüncü? He is 21, and he will cost £35m, and apparently Sven Mislintat is the man pushing this transfer through, exactly as he did (or so we are told) with the deals for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Now this argument is being extended to say that Mr Wenger did not have a say in any of these and indeed didn’t even know who Konstantinos Mavropanos was – the old man was simply told the young man was coming to the club. If that were so then that in itself could have been a complete reason for Mr Wenger to resign.
But all those deals have looked very good indeed – especially with Aubameyang outscoring Alexis in the second half of the season to get to those oh so precious and important double figures.
Çağlar Söyüncü joined Freiburg in 2016 and has since played over 40 games, and scored one goal, and has also played nine times for Turkey. According to comments he has leadership skills, and is “good at playmaking, dribbling and timing.”
So, if this is true, and it is a big if, we now have a system in which the manager manages the squad he is given, but does not handle player transfers.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the club, according to the Independent, Boro Primorac will leave, which of course has always been on the cards. He’s 63 and has been at Arsenal since 1997, so he might well be thinking if Mr Wenger takes up another position he could get brought in for one last appointment.
Colin Lewin, we are told, is also going, along with Neil Banfield, Gerry Peyton and Tony Colbert, with Paul Johnson leaving his post as equipment manager. However the Indy also says that “Steve Bould and Jens Lehmann, recruited to the coaching staff just last summer, will remain under the new manager.”
Not sure where any of these insights come from, and everyone today seems to think Arteta is the man – but not in charge of recruitment of players apparently.
- The curious case of Arsenal’s worst defender who turns out to be second best in the league
- Why Arsenal might have to mortgage the ground to get in the players that we want.
- Who did what and what problems come up next…. Using the past to predict the future.
The latest from the Arsenal History Society
- Anniversaries: When Tottenham needed just one more point but blew it all away
- Henry Norris at the Arsenal: October 1922: Henry Norris withdraws, Arsenal in dire straits
Can only talk about North American sports where the manager never has a say in player recruitment. The General manager does all that and the field manager deals with the players he has been given.
It could be that ownership which operates in that way in the USA finds it the way to go in England.
Still amazes me how the media and the ITK’s on social media know every movement of the players, coaches, board and tea lady at Arsenal, but not one of them had a clue about Wenger leaving. Makes me think they make it all up
@Swales, it was beacause Wenger said repeatedly he wanted to stay “I always see off my contracts” and nobody believed anyone on the board had the cojones to sack him… This is why it was a surprise for all…
Look like culling of the old guards has taken place. Could be why AW leaving early.
Phase 1. Overhaul the recruitment team – Dick Law
Phase 2. Sell veteran players – Giroud, Walcott, Ox, Coq, Gibbs. Next I assume will be Santi, Kos, Ospina, and Ramsay.
Phase 3. AW backroom staff even the Physio got the boot. Could be why the kit man Vic Akers decided to retire.
Phase 4. The manager Arsene Wenger (not renewing his contract after next season).
Catalyst for change indeed.
Stats and more stats. Not bad for a clueless manager who don’t know tactics.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/interactives/arsene-wenger-league-table-remarkable-12538172
The media campaign to get Wilshere and Welbeck not going to the World Cup seems to have worked..
I’m OK with our guys not going to the World Cup. Of course, they might be sad but it means they get a good rest and get up to speed with the new manager’s system of play.
If it is true that Ivan Gazidis, the AFC CEO and Sven Mislintat, the AFC head of recruitment have collaborated to recruit Konstantinos Mavropanos, PEA and Henrikh Mkhitaryan – 3 new players behind the nose of Monsieur Arsene Wenger, the resigned AFC manager or forced the new recruits on him despite his objection to their recruitments, then it can only be right for Monsieur Wenger to leave the AFC he didn’t want to leave when Le left it. Because this action to sign the trio players for AFC behind Monsieur Wenger by Ivan and Sven has undermined Monsieur Wenger’s authority as the Arsenal manager.
Notwithstanding and surprisingly too, PEA has turned out to be a successful signing in the last winter window for AFC by the gang up duo against Monsieur Wenger. And Mavropanos is looking can be a successful signing for AFC by the gang up duo. While Mkhitaryan who was also signed last January window has shown in the last Arsenal winter campaign he could be a successful signing story for AFC next summer campaign.
Nevertheless, since a change of policy in new players recruitment is now the new order at AFC departing from the old order whereby the former Arsenal manager, Monsieur Arsene Wenger has the final say on the incomings and the outgoings player signings at AFC, I think for the time being, let us the Gooners keep watching to see if the new players recruitment policy now being enforced at AFC will work successfuly to see our beloved club, the AFC wins the PL Title next season campaign and retain it the following season and win the UCL that followed next season. Then us the Gooners w’ll shout bravo! To say the new policy order of recruiting new players at AFC had worked.
I believe there are 2 shadows in Josh Kroenke and his fatherl Mr Stan Kroenke the AFC owner behind the new policy order of new players recruitment now operating at AFC. Which the AFC CEO who is on the driving seat to drive the new policy order is driving it hard with incredible acceleration which us the Gooners would not have imagined the AFC hierarchy will ever think to evolved such a new policy order and drives it. Talk less of to drive it hard with the relentless vigour they’ve been showing in their driving it.
Mikel Arteta as the new AFC manager? Hmmm. If we take the new players recruitment policy order now seems to be reigning at Arsenal into perspective, I think the appointment of Mikel Arteta who will be a yes man to the Arsenal board when it comes to players transfer at Arsenal and the recruitment of the supporting staff to support him in his job as the Gunners boss is in line with what those who call the shot at Arsenal want. For, none of the world class coaches around who Arsenal can sign one of them as the new Gunners boss will accept his authority to be undermined as it’s now look it will when it comes to players transfer at AFC and the recruitment of his supporting staff.
Furthermore, I can’t believe Steve Bould, the Gunners assistant manger will go so low to work under Mikel Arteta, the former AFC Gunner he helped coach at Arsenal just 3 seasons back. I think Steve Bould is senior by far to Mikel Arteta as a former successful Gunner who won laurels vat AFC. And he was onetime AFC youth team coach before he became the Gunners assistant coach under Monsieur Wenger. By the way, why can’t the AFC board not give Steve Bould the substantive Gunners boss. The present crops of Gunners know him very well and should have a lot of regard and respect for him. I believe he’ll consent to do the biding of the AFC board.
A few guesses that seem reasonable to me –
-the players marked to be sought, and sold, are already documented within the club. Wenger leaving doesn’t affect that.
-the existing selll/buy plan will continue to be pursued in the absence of a manager
-the new manger’s role in recruiting/selling will be discussed and agreed in the manager hiring process.
So yes, IMO, the club is pushing ahead with recruitment without waiting to talk to the new manager. Anything else would be folly.
Haha I touched on this on comment post before, one draw back of the new increased volume of articles and them not being individual linked at home.
Increased traffic but it may detract from some posts.
Just saying.
I don’t mind if Jack doesn’t go, he will play much better next season that way. But he needs game time and protection, so it swing both ways. As WC is perfect.
Danny needs to go. Zaha also. I prefer Jonjo to Henderson especially at a WC, heok come alive on that stage.
1 Sterling
2 Rashford
3 Vardy
4 Kane
5 Ali
6 Zaha
7 Welbeck
8 Wilshere
9 Shelvey
10 Dier
11 Lallana
12 Henderson
13 Lingard
14 Delph
15 Rose
16 Trippier
17 Walker
18 Cahill
19 Stones
20 Smalling
21 Butland
22 Piclford
23 Pope
We are done.
No true Arsenal fan should want England to do well.The media campaign against our England players is as bad as the PGMOL..
Am glad that our players are not traveling to the WC , as this would enable them to have a good rest , and be ready for the start of next season .
But then again ,I ‘m sure that Arsenal may not have much of an advantage as the England team may not be hanging around too long in Russia anyway . Go Tunisia !
Or Panama , I don’t really give a shit !
People need to understand that the “World of Arsenal FC” is changing. In fact, with Wenger going, it’s now changed. We have to get used to the “new way” and that incorporates the new senior management structure PLUS Coaching staff.
As far as I’m concerned, the major change that was needed was that the Manager MUST secede control of administrative duties. We all agreed that the load on Wenger’s plate was far to large for one man to manage, and his apparent reluctance to relinquish the majority of those responsibilities has resulted in him leaving the football club
I disagree with the notion that Steve Bould would be senior to Arteta; he is far too linked with Wenger, and would find it difficult to adjust. Personally, I think he will leave, as he will get offers to manage elsewhere.
All in all, if the new Head Coach is to be Mikel Arteta, I think it will be an exciting development for the future of AFC.
True. I also hope it fires them up to want to prove subsequently that they’re indeed better than their coaches rated them. Seems to me this would be a World Cup with the fewest arsenal players in a long while. Indicates how lowly our players are rated by other coaches