- There is no safe and sure way of making money by owning a football club
- Have Arsenal only got one world class player as Carragher suggests or is he talking nonsense as usual?
By Tony Attwood
The transfer window closes at 11pm at 1st September so there is still plenty of time for those who have very little idea of who is going where and at what cost and why, to make up some more stories – and maybe even find one or two of them (to their great surprise) turn out to be true.
Spanish journalist and ceaselessly vigorous Barcelona supporter Josep Pedrerol has claimed Mikel Arteta has been been trying to call Julian Alvarez but that the Atletico Madrid player won’t pick up the phone. Maybe Mikel needs one of those phones that doesn’t show who’s calling, or maybe he needs to put on a silly voice, or maybe get someone else to call….. Does any of this seem likely to you?
If not, 442 tell us that Arsenal have begun breakthrough Julian Alvarez talks, but how do you know talks are at a breakthrough level, before they have even started?
But then again Football 365 have now said that a deal has been agreed with Arsenal to smash transfer record in terms of a sale in which case with the sale of Martinelli.
And away from transfers we have the news that Arsenal and ManC have be barred from playing each other until the fourth round of the League Cup for reasons that seem a big odd in the light of cup draws supposedly being exciting. That’s a new rule on me, but with the league cup you really never know – they seem to go to any length to build up interest.
Anyway if the story about Gabriel Martinelli above isn’t true then it could well be because he is now closing in on leaving the club as Al Hilal speak to him. According to these media people who know everything (note the irony) Martinelli rejected an approach from Galatasaray apparently and said he wants to stay at Arsenal. I must admit that if it were me I’d prefer to stay in London rather than Istanbul, but Arsenal seem to disagree.
Meanwhile we are told James Scanlon has completed his medical ahead of moving to Arsenal from ManU – and that is according to Arsenal News He’s 19, and has been at ManU for five years which is quite a long time really. Standard Sport say Scanlon will join Arsenal on a free from ManUd, but with a 40% sell-on clause included in the deal. We can’t verify that, but that is what is said.
So now with just a few days to go to the end of transfer times,“Arsenal look to hijack shock Sunderland agreement for Igor Paixao as Marseille make decision.” As for what that decision is, we are told that, “Marseille are confident of keeping Brazilian star Igor Paixao despite interest from Arsenal and Sunderland, with the winger having emerged as a target for both Premier League clubs.” So he’s not coming after all.
Meanwhile we are also told that Arsenal can’t play Inter Milan because there is a new rule that stops clubs playing each other too often. It says, “The UEFA Club Competitions Committee has determined an additional condition that may be applicable to the UEFA Champions League draw for the 2026/27 season, deciding that any individual fixture between the same two teams may not be repeated in the same competition with the same home team for three consecutive seasons.”
Offf the pitch Raheem Sterling is due to appear in court on September 15th after being charged with dangerous driving, drug possession, and failing to provide a specimen. Of course he is not guilty until the court say so, but on the basis of the above he it might just be that he has been a naughty chap. He played for Arsenal 17 times in the 2024/5 season while on loan.
Elsehwhere Arsenal look to hijack shock Sunderland agreement for Igor Paixao as Marseille make a decision. That is according to Teamtalk. It might be true, it might not.Now I am always rather dubious about any transfer tittle tattle that has the word “hijack” in it, as it suggests that clubs are sitting around doing not very much, then read in the blogs that Club A is after Player B and so then think “ah well, if A think he’s ok, we’ll go in and offer an extra 10 grand and we can get the deal done.”If that is the case what are all these scouts doing all season long. Just sitting there waiting for others to make an offer so they can outbid it?
I doubt it..In reality clubs go seeking the players they want, and don’t wait for others to set up a dael and then come along at the last minute outbidding the original bidder.But then, of course you can choose to believe anything you want, but really I think that “hijack” story which now pops up every day simply isn’t on.
