By Sir Hardly Anyone
And so, and thus, and forsooth, after a couple of months of pre-phony transfer news, we have at last made it into the phony transfer news era, which leads to the window banging open and then two months later, slamming shut again, with huge amounts of glass tinkling on the ground amidst the shattered dreams.
Yet spare a thought for the results of this frenzy that is to come, for in the Guardian newspaper today there is this sentence, “The figures show there is no correlation between spending on transfers and sporting achievement.”
OK you knew that because Untold has been saying it for years, but for one of the nationals actually to join in and say that, is something else.
So here we go with some amazing stories which will have no direct impact on where teams end up next season.
But rather than keep you waiting here is the big breaking news.
Arsenal Reportedly Working on £51m Transfer Involving Juventus & Real Madrid
This is from FunSoccer (no, me neither) and says
Arsenal are reportedly in talks with Real Madrid over a £51m potential transfer for Alvaro Morata. According to Corriere dello Sport (via Independent), the transfer triangle revolves around the buy-back clause inserted in Morata’s contract when he joined Juventus in 2014, meaning Real Madrid can buy him for £23.6m.
Which means Corriere dello Sport published it, the Indy republished it, FunSoccer republished that and now Untold has republished the republished republished republished publication.
If that’s the case, then it must be true. Or not.
Arsenal would then pay £51m to Real Madrid, netting Real Madrid a nice profit. Real are willing to make a profit on their initial payment and it is understood Arsene Wenger, a longtime admirer of the forward, is looking to bolster his attacking options while Danny Welbeck is out for nine months.
I like the underplaying of the “understood”. Understood by whom? In what way?
The subsequent piece was words like “fuelling up”, “attacks” “conjuring” “swift” and “effective” in it. And it ends
Nonetheless, it seems Juventus will do everything in their power to keep hold of Morata, who signed a contract in December and is happy to stay at the club.
So let’s move on to the top fourteen of the day (no reason for 14, it just is).
1: Arsenal line up shocking €38m bid for 74-goals Liverpool ace
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was desperate to sign Sturridge last summer but failed in his pursuits for Edinson Cavani and Karim Benzema.
I should point out that they then go on to talk about the very low level of goals we scored this season. In fact following the idea the other day in Untold of re-running the table not by points but by other things (like goal scoring) arranged in league goal scoring order shows us third, just six goals off the leading scorers.
| Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Manchester City | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 71 | 41 | +30 | 66 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 69 | 35 | +34 | 70 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 38 | 20 | 11 | 7 | 65 | 36 | +29 | 71 |
| 1 | Leicester City | 38 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 68 | 36 | +32 | 81 |
2: N’Golo Kante
Arsene Wenger has hinted that he could make a move for Leicester City in-form star N’Golo Kante, while stating his admiration for the midfielder’s performances this season.
The Metro is full of this one, and the notion that the wonderfully named N’Golo can leave if he wants. There is talk of his brilliant blend of composure and physical attributes in the centre of the pitch, with his play drawing praise both when in and out of possession.
And he has won more tackles than any other player across Europe’s top five divisions in 2015/16.
3: Everyone and anyone
‘Stan Kroenke is completely behind myself and the board investing as much money as we want,’ Mr Wenger told BBC Sport. ‘It has to be in respect of a balanced budget, we have resources but the problem is finding players. Everybody has money in England and they’re all after good players.’
4: Mesut Ozil will either go or leave.
According to the Metro… “‘See you next season’ said the playmaker in an end-of-season message which was broadcast at The Emirates after the Gunners’ 4-0 victory over Aston Villa… just hours after Alexis Sanchez dropped a big hint on Instagram suggesting he is keen to stay on.” That’s the Metro.
But
“Mesut Özil has cast fresh doubt on his Arsenal future after admitting he will delay talks over a new contract until after Euro 2016, while he has once again criticised the way the team collapsed this season in failing to win the Premier League title. ” That’s the Indy.
“I still have two years contract with Arsenal, as you know, and we will be in talks with the club and we’ll see what happens in the future,” Özil said during a visit to the Arsenal Soccer School Dubai, as quoted by The National.
This picture has nothing to do with anything but I thought I would put it in anyway.
5: Not only N’Golo Kante but also Riyad Mahrez
It is fascinating how these bid story are bigged up by putting in lots of stuff anyone with half an ear six miles above the ground will have picked up. Look at this from the Independent
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has already admitted that the club’s transfer plans for next season are already underway, and the 66-year-old Frenchman will need to strengthen his midfield given that Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini will all depart at the end of the season when their contracts expire.
It’s old, we have heard it, but hell, it uses up some space and makes it sound as if the Indy has a journalist or two out there.
7: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)
He’s 26 he will cost £45m, he’s a playmaker, and he has seemingly slipped out of favour at Real Mad. Pep Guardiola at Manchester City also wants him.
8: Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich)
He’s 23, he will cost £35m, he went from Dortmund to Bayern Munich and played eight times. Liverpool also want him, but then Liverpool need everyone. They spent about the same as Arsenal last summer, but instead of ending up in Europe, and indeed second in the league, ended up in their spiritual home of eighth.
9: Arsenal ready to seal transfer of Empoli’s Riccardo Saponara
Liverpool have also been linked with the Italy Under-21 international in recent times, who would likely cost around £11.6 million.
10 Arsenal target Gonzalo Higuain has exit strategy
It is the longest running story in transfer history, dating back to somewhere around the time of the Viking invasion of Anglo-Saxon England. (Tim’s article yesterday will fill you in on the history side of things).
The Argentine is willing to sign a new contract with the Serie A side, but only if his release clause is significantly lowered to £46m.
11: Arsenal £2m short of Granit Xhaka asking price
Arsenal are currently £2m off meeting Borussia Monchengladbach’s asking price for Granit Xhaka.
This one is set up so that if we don’t buy Xhaka then the aaa can run lots of anti-Wengerian rants about his miserliness. It was in the Metro.
12: Alvaro Morata. Yes, no, maybe
The Metro also says, Morata is 23 and has scored 11 goals with 10 assists for Juventus. Corriere dello Sport say Arsenal are dealing directly with Real Mad who have the option to buy their former player back.
However, Juve are desperate to keep hold of Morata so Wenger may have a battle on his hands if he wants to land the Spain international.
13: Non Transfer from the Daily Star
Headline: Arsene Wenger: This ‘unbelievable’ player will start next season as Arsenal’s No.1 striker
Storyline: ARSENE WENGER has claimed Olivier Giroud will start next season as Arsenal’s first-choice striker.
14: Arsenal are also monitoring Barcelona attacking duo Arda Turan and Alen Halilovic.
The Gunners French manager is looking to bolster his forward options and could make a splash with a double raid later this year. And now, Spanish website Fichajes claim Halilovic’s future with the Catalan outfit is uncertain.
Uncertain eh? Sounds like a deal. The 19-year-old Halilovic has spent the entire season on loan with Sporting Gijon, and laugh a minute AS claim Barcelona manager Luis Enrique will consider selling Turan, who’s struggled since his £26m arrival from Atletico Madrid.
The 29-year-old Turkish star revealed he was close to joining Arsenal last season before opting to stay in Spain and talkSPORT claim they are on standby once again.
Footnote:
19 May 1802. Napoleon instituted the Légion d’
(The “And elsewhere” column from which this is taken appears at the foot of the home page every day with a single item related to this day in history).
- It’s Happened Again! (And now, let’s remember we are all Arsenal fans).
- Why changing Arsenal’s shirt in 2005/6 was not such a terrible idea. Maybe.
- A step back or a great leap forwards? What exactly happened in 2015/16.
- Celebrating St. Totteringhamsday in the Clock End
New and recent series on the Arsenal History Society Site
- Arsenal in the 1930s – episode four now published
- Arsenal in the 1970s – the complete review of every game
- Arsenal in the summer – the transfers, the friendlies, year by year
- Arsenal anniversaries – nearly 5000 entries
- The full index to all the series is on Arsenal History Society Web Site
That opening sentence… LOL
I just would transfer Santi from the sick bay to the fit players area. Now that would be a real boost to our possible title hopes.
The Metro link Arsenal with nearly every player on the planet. Next they probably say Arsenal looking to sign Usain Bolt as he was spotted tweeting with Bellerin.
When is Benzema coming to Arsenal, I was told by the media at the start of the season that it was a done deal and he’s heading to Arsenal? Oh I forgot, it’s AW fault because Benzema was involved in an alleged extortion, that’s why he’s not in an Arsenal shirt.
Xhaka seems most enthusiastic about joiining us, and it doesn’t seem like agent speak. I think that a deal that’s almost completed, although I hadn’t heard of the £2 million sticking point. In the grand scale of football transfers it’s not that much. Not a Xabi Alonso situation, lets hope.
Ever wondered?
Why is it that doctors call what they do “practice”?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dish washing liquid made with real lemons?
Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
Why isn’t there mouse-flavored cat food?
If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
I wonder…seems I read Morata scored 11 goals last season.
Eleven….are we supposed to call that a world class striker ?!?!
And that for more than 50 million pounds ?!?!
BS as far as I am concerned
I do find it odd that Cavani is still mentioned in relation to us.
He’s 29 (so too old for the price PSG would want for him) and wants to play as CF which he’ll be able to do now Zlatan is leaving.
Higuaín is 29 in December and with the usual year to settle, he’d be on his way to 30 by the time he gets into his stride (So too old for the price Napoli would want for him).
I haven’t seen any Italian football this season but in most seasons it tends to be very slow with sudden attacks at speed. So coming from that game to the PL where the game is max speed most of the time, doesn’t make an easy transition.
If either of them came up cheap then maybe they’d be worth having for their experience with the younger players but only if they came up cheap.
@ Chris, I also think the Morata rumour is BS as well, £51 million for a guy who score less goals than Giroud or Alexis is ridiculous.
Interesting to note that the Liverpoo!!! European result has elevated Klopp to a level where he’s matched Hodgsons feat at Fulham. Although Fulham obviously didn’t have anywhere near such an expensive team, but they did have the drawback of having Danny ‘the idiot’ Murphy in their squad, and he was on the losing side again…
@ Andy, I believe the difference between Liverpool ex-players and Arsenal ex-players, the Liverpool bunch seem to say positive things about their ex-clubs but Arsenals bunch for some reason they take the negative view about their ex-club. I read an article where Michael Owen said after Liverpool lost to Sevilla, when a question was raised how Liverpool will attract the best players if they are not in the CL, he comment that like Real Madrid and Barcelona where the best players want to join, in the Premier League, Liverpool FC is the main destination where the best players want to join. This comment was done after they lost the Europa League final to Sevilla, if it was Arsenal in the same situation I say the ex-Arsenal players will be more negative.
Polo, I have noticed that, but put it down to the usual problem of most former football players being rather mentally “challenged” and them moving into the media is generally confirmation of that.
Bye ! Bye !
BUY ! BUY !
Brickfields – ;-))
As for Michael Owen he really is one of the least intelligent currently plying his trade behind a microphone – and that is saying something. I still remember him declaring with absolute certainty that Gibbs/Ox should have been sent off at Chelsea, in that disaster of a match, for the handball – even though the pictures clearly showed, reinforced by the commentators statement thereof, that the shot was actually off target! And red card subsequently reversed anyway (notwithstanding the mistaken identity).
That is pretty basic ignorance of the rules in my opinion.
And just how many red cards have we wrongly received at Stamford Bridge…?
It’s never made sense to me to push the spending doesn’t matter line too hard.
If it doesn’t matter, why were we upset about City and Chelsea spending so much, how did they rise so much,etc?
It’s true the studies seem to suggest it is wages that are most closely correlated to success, but the two-wages and transfer spending- are surely quite closely related themselves.
In rare cases, the wages might not reflect the ability of a squad that well, particularly if a team has an unexpectedly successful season, but that should change within a year.
Normally, however, to have a very good squad means paying very high wages and, unless you have done remarkably well in developing your own players from within, that normally means that during the last few years you have spent serious money to bring many of those good players who demand high wages into your club.
The premier league seems to me to be a unique experiment at the moment. The normal rule, apparently, is that it is not how much you spend per se that counts, but how much you spend relative to your rivals. Common sense.
The premier league is unique in that it has three cash giants, another three who can spend a lot but not as much, and now…everyone else who can also spend huge amounts but not as much as the 2nd group, not safely and in the long run (though there is ample room to go nuts in any year).
So…it’s pretty much unchartered territory. I still believe the old principles apply, and that if you relentlessly (i.e year after year after year) spend more than anyone else you’d win a lot, rarely not be in the thick of the title hunt, or if you really outspent everyone else by a huge margin year after year would establish total dominance in your league.
But the nature of the premier league makes this nearly impossible- to outspend all your domestic rivals in the fashion PSG outspend their’s you’d be talking 300-500 million every year, maybe more, and that’s not feasible, (politically for the most part, in City’s case)
Personally, I think it should settle down a little, but maybe not yet. It should be harder this year to find Payet or Kante bargain purchases for premier league clubs, and it feels likely to me that this summer could be the loopiest the football world has yet seen, thanks entirely to the riches of the premier league.
I’d say we have two different and very serious threats : everyone in the league being capable of spending at least 50 million should make it a more competitive league than ever (though one littered with expensive mistakes) and make it much harder for us to find what we consider good-value-for-money, high quality players; then ,from the other end, the players who offer the closest thing to a guarantee of excellence in football, established elite players, or those on the cusp of that, will cost exorbitant fees.
The De bruyne and Martial transfers both bothered me, because the truth of the matter is that those fees make great sense for Utd and City but not for us. That seemed especially true in Martial’s case. There’s no way we could go that high, not even if we felt it was very very likely he would become a superb player. Utd, though, knowing that for the time being they can keep producing their 100-150 million for transfers every year, could comfortably afford the risk.
The lesson for me is that while it is very easy at the moment for huge transfers (call it the 15-30 bracket) to go wrong ( maybe half of them, maybe more!) the very biggest transfers (50 mill+) remain as close as you can get to a sure thing in football. The world transfer record of the last 30 years offers a reasonable guide- a few big flops, mostly big successes (70 or 80 per cent?)
I know I’ll piss some of the regulars off going on like this, but I’m just working through my anxiety here. For me it seems essential we spend pretty big and, of course, well this Summer.
I think this year will see some crazy spending throughout the league, and that’s why I really hope it’s true that we are trying to act right now.
I think I’m appropriately dismissive of our sporting press, but I’d be surprised if they’re not right for once, though presumably only indirectly, that Ozil and Sanchez are waiting to see how we act before signing new deals.
Remember, if you feel as i do about these referees we don’t just need the best team in the league, i.e one that could win if all was well with the (ref) world; we need, sadly, to be extra good, overwhelmingly good. That is a staggering big ask, but does not seem impossible to me. In fact I think we could be quite close, but I don’t think we’re there yet with our current options.
I should add, though I reckon a few of you will be ahead of me, that it’s a mugs game to be following the transfer news the way I currently am.
Even if you share my hopes we can add a couple of excellent players to the team, bloody hell it is foolish to follow the rumour machine.
Sterling hasn’t been a success – at least not yet.
Another fine article by Sir Hardly!
A pity we are limited to only 25 senior players!
True, Pete
Wasn’t suggesting 100% success rate in the highest price bracket (Lentini, Denilson, Kaka were once world record transfers!)
Just meant to say that the success rate is high up there. It’s the level below that, where Spurs and Liverpool have done a lot in recent times, where things are probably trickiest for those operating with a real budget.
Rich, Just look at how long it too the chavs and $iteh from getting money to spend to actual success. For the chavs Hoddle, vialli and gullit all spend some big money although it did take the Russian buying them before the mega buck appeared, whereas the Thai money which Ericsson and Hughes (didn’t keegan have a lot as well?) spent achieved very little either. Eventually they actually got some players that could play as a team and they succeeded.
If we’d managed to hold onto players then maybe out talent pool would have given us some success 2005-2013 but we weren’t able to find out.
I would say that I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t get any outfield players last summer but not because it would necessarily have effected this season (maybe – maybe not), but because it would have effected next season after those players had settled in.
Whereas we now have to look for players knowing some of them won’t make much (if any) difference to the coming season.
I suspect AW was caught in a situation where he didn’t want to be seen buying future potential when the media and idiots wanted ‘world class now’ for the 15/16 season, and he couldn’t get the few he wanted.
Given Turan’s recent statement about Arsenal and Barcelona, that one is a serious BS as well.
As previous commentators have already stated, Morata’s price-tag and goal-scoring record make his possible transfer to Arsenal a BS. Whilst Morata had scored big goals for Juventus in CL (in both Round of 16 legs against Borussia Dortmund, in both semifinal legs against Real Madrid, in the final against Barcelona, at Etihad against City) we need quantity of goals.
Josif, We can’t rely on one single goal scorer as we’ve seen in other articles. Giroud does usually (Not always!) contribute quite a lot to the team in the lead up to a goal (by him or whoever) and shouldn’t (always) get the slating he does when so many of the other goal scorers haven’t shown well. We’re set up as a team where the MF should be scoring much more than they have done this season (missing Santi and Jack amongst others).
I haven’t seen enough of him (certainly not this season anyway) but I remember Morata as being a team player as much as a scorer..
So as a summary, I don’t know if it’s BS or not 😀
Maybe our next big signing for themen’s team will be a woman? Here is a great TV program from Spain (unfortunately only in Spanish) but you’ll all get the idea: http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/11/female-player-brenda-perez-disguses-herself-as-a-man-and-destroys-myth-that-womens-footballers-arent-good-5494813/
Granit Xhaka has been linked to Arsenal for so long, it’s one of those stories like Benzema two summers ago and Luis Gustavo three summers ago where the players had supposedly agreed personal terms and then… nothing.
Arsenal won’t sign more than three players. They never do and this season won’t be any different.
Arsene Wenger has suggested he’
s in the market for a striker with Welbeck out injured. The rumors about the Polish kid from Ajax make sense. Lacazette from Francemight be someone for Arsenal, and it would not be a shock to see Le Prof return to look at Julian Draxler.
Alvaro Morata… never happen. Arsenal are not going to pay £51 million for a kid who scored 11 goals last season and couldn’t win the top job a Juventus. Forget also Zlatan Ibrahimovic (too old, wants a three year deal, and he’s a dressing room nightmare. Le P{ro likes dressing room harmony), Gonzalo Higuain (too old, too expensive, and Napoli won’t sell), Edinson Cavani (see Higuain and add in; Why leave now after finally getting a shot at the striker role at the French champs), and Karim “The Extortionist” Benzema (Arsenal do not sign problem children, Benzema sneered att he idea of leaving Real Madrid for Arsenal last summer, and nothing rankles A.W. more than players and managers mocking his club Benzema will never be a Gunner).
Arsenal are going to give some of those midfield shots to Jon Toral and perhaps Gedion Zelalem. Alex Iwobi will feature, and if N’Golo Kante and or Granit Xhaka sign, that would be it for midfielders. Willock will get a look, Gnabry is waiting for a chance, and both Coquelin and Elneny have shown they can do a job.
If Arsenal sign a center back, look for Chambers to go out on loan or be sold. He’s too good to sit and rot but not good enough to beat out Bellerin at right back or Gabriel in the middle. Some possibles? Kalidou Coulibaly, José Gimenez, John Stones, and Chancel Mbemba. Coulibaly is a big man with pace, power, and aerial ability. Giminez is a mainstay in a very stingy Atletico defense, Stones is a born Arsenal CB, good on the ball, a little too cocky for his own good, and English, while Chancel Mbemba knows the PL, was very good for Newcastle, might not want to stay on in the Championship, and is just 21.
On the negative side; Koulibaly plays for Napoli and they’re trying to build a title-winning side. Losing their big CB would be a huge blow. Gimenez is an Atleti and those players love their coach and club. He’d also cost big money and Arsene does not like to spend big on defenders. Stones would cost £40 million, is under contract for a while yet, and the new owner might insist on a year to turn things around before conducting a fire sale. No downside to Mbembe. Can’t imagine why he’d stay with Newcastle; he’s not a local lad, hasn’t been with the club long, and can’t be excited at playing second tier football. He is a little small for a Premier League CB if there needs to be a negative to signing him.
but Arsenal also have Akpom coming up and Chris Willock who has been impressive.
How Xhaka would line-up in the squad.
http://m.goal.com/s/en/news/1862/premier-league/2016/05/20/23737082/how-arsenal-could-line-up-with-granit-xhaka?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.au%2F
Is he signing or isn’t he signing? Media clowns.
http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/671972/Arsenal-Transfer-News-Granit-Xhaka-Fly-London-Deal-Close-Friend-Artan-Muhaxhiri-Facebook
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/516922/35m-Arsenal-deal-jeopardy-Arsene-Wenger-refuses-demands