Number of players tipped to be signing for Arsenal this summer reaches 101

by Sir Hardly Anyone

Journalists who announce transfer rumours as the truth, researched by themselves through utlilising their deep rooted set of contacts are, in my view, not to be trusted as far as I could throw them, and I am a poor thrower of people, lacking both distance and control.

These fellas have cold, clammy, accusing eyes which give out a disapproving gaze intended to make you feel you’ve just thrown up in front of a minor royal if you ever dare contradict them face to face. They are an unnecessary product of the type of entity that the cat is likely to bring in through the cat flap just after you have washed the kitchen floor.

They are the caterpillars in the salad, and they have thus far this summer come up with 101 players who will sign for Arsenal. Here is a chart of their wild ramblings…

We have five new names on the list today (cunningly marked “New” and seven updates, marked, well I’ll let you guess.

No.	Player	From	Source	Information
1	Yacine Adli	PSG	Sport Review. Talk Sport says the deal is certainly on for a mere £250,000. Mirror says it is for sure.	Barcelona Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Juventus want him. He’s a wonderkid. All set to sign NOW (DZ)
2	Toby Alderweireld	Tottenham	Football London	Man U interested. FL urges urgent action
3	Marco Asensio	Real Madrid	Guardian	Liverpool will pay up to £131m, Chelsea also keen.
4	Álvaro Odriozola Arzallus	Real Sociedad	Football London	Mainly right back can also play on the wing
5	Leon Bailey	Bayer Leverkusen	Talk Sprout; Football London	Cost £100m, he’s a winger or a midfielder who gives assists. Chelsea more likely
6	Mario Balotelli	Nice	Football London (who else?), Mirror, La Gazetta dello Sport	“He’s rebuilt his reputation in France”
7	Ever Banega	Sevilla	Daily Star, 101 Great Goals, Estadio Deportivo and Sports Keeda, agent spotted. €20 million release clause	Argentine player, central midfield
8	Mehdi Benatia	Juventus	Sport Review. He’s a 31 year old centre back. The manager wants him.	Dortmund are the rivals
9	Jack Butland	Stoke	The Sun, 101 Great Goals	Liverpool also after this keeper
10	Karim Benzema	Real Mad	EPR Scouts, Football Transfer Tavern, Diario Gol,	Deal agreed £35m. No €60 million,
11	Emre Can	Liverpool	Fourth Official	Liverpool won’t give him an extension
NEW	Matteo Cardinali	Roma	Tuttomercatoweb, Mirror, Express	A 17 year old keeper.
13	Jasper Cillessen	Barcelona	Mundo Deportivo, Daily Cannon	A keeper.
14	Doucoured	Watford	Football London	Play next to Ramsey to bring “much needed brawn and steel to a weak midfield.”
15	Ousmane Dembele	Barcelona (joined from Dortmund for £96m)	Express, Don Balon, Arsenal News, Gunnersphere, Telefoot	Swap deal with Bellerin even though we don’t need any more forwards and he is injury prone, but is a friend of Aub’s. Says he’s not moving
16	Kerem Demirbay	Hoffenheim	TalkSport. Liga Financial, Star, AFC Fever	Midfielder, AFC price agreed, Liverpool want him. Price agreed
17	Leander Dendoncker	Anderlecht	Fourth Official	Defensive midfield, creative midfield…
18	Abdoulaye Doucoure	Watford	Hertfordshire Mercury	Goalkeeper. Watford want to keep him. Tots want him
19	Johnny Evans	WBA	Daily Mirror, Football London	He’s the key man we need. £3m from WBA if they go down. FL just reignited the story in early June.
20	Nabil Fekir	Olympique Lyonnais	Mail. Football London	Arsenal’s number 1 target; attacking midfield. FL says maybe Liverpool
Update	Fellaini	Man U	Sport Witness, HLN, Read Arsenal.	He’s a midfielder and he’s 30. No we “were never close!”
NEW	Junior Firpo	Real Betis	Sports Review.	A young replacement for Monreal for £22m
NEW	Marcelo Flores	Ipswich	Mirror, Express	The new wonderkid
24	Emil Forsberg	RB Leipzig	Sportwitness and Calcio Mercato. £47m.	A replacement for Alexis Sanchez. He’s going to be the first signing
25	Fred	Shakhtar	Gibfootballshow	Arsenal to get him for £30m
26	Willem Geubbels	Lyon	Football London	16 years old forward, Barce, Leipzig and Chelsea also want him
27	Alex Grimaldo	Benfica	Read Arsenal	Left back. Man U, PSG & Monaco fancy him
28	Jose Gimenez	Atletico Madrid	Marca, TalkSport, SportsReview	£53m but no sooner is it announced than we are set to miss out on him. That hardly seems fair
29	Alexander Golovin	CKSA Moscow	Football London. Arsenal AFC blog. Emery has urged AFC hierarchy to get him. “Emery sanctions €25m move for World Cup star”. But Arsenal Mania say the price has just doubled	Midfielder. One of the players we must buy before the WC
30	Goncalo Guedes	PSG	Liga Financial	PSG must sell because of FFP, Arsenal have announced interest
31	Kai Havertz	Bayer Leverkusen	Metro, Mail, Tribal Football	AFC and Liverpool want him. Midfielder; B,L’s youngest ever player
32	Dean Henderson	Man U; Shrewsbury	Mirror, Football London
NEW	Hector Herrera	Porto	Mirror	Midfielder, £15m
34	Ahmed Hegazi	West Brom	Transfer Tavern	Defender
35	Lorenzo Insigne.	Napoli	CalcioMercato.it. Football fancast	An attacker, aged 26, Italian international
36	Jakub Jankto	Udinese	Teamtalk	It’s either Arsenal or AC Milan
37	Jorginho	Napoli	Hot Stepanovs	Faster and smaller than Xhaka
38	Lukas Kolstermann	Leipzig	Bild says yes but Football Fancast says no	Full back; can play left and right
39	Kalidou Koulibaly	Napoli	Daily Mirror, Gunnersphere, Guardian, Corriere Dello Sport, Tribal Football	Centre back; top priority, Chelsea, Man C and Liverpool want him
40	Layvin Kurzawa	PSG	Sportsmole, the Week,	To replace Bellerin
41	Alban Lafont	Toulouse	Arsenal Mania, Daily Canon	Goalkeeper, Boyhood supporter of Arsenal. “Set to leave”. But he’s only 19.
42	Thomas Lemar	Monaco	ArsenalNewsHQ; Mirror; TalkSport. Star, Different League	Deal confirmed; has rejected a new contract. All go!!! Or he has “become available”
43	Stephan Lichtsteiner	Juventus	Just about everywhere	SIGNED. Right back, available free, he’s 34 and he will be the first signing. “It’s done” (Football London)
44	Matthias De Ligt	Ajax	Football London, Mirror	Centre back; Tots and Man C also want him. Has handed in a transfer request
45	Bernd Leno	Bayer Leverkusen	Football London, Daily Express (they are certain), Bild	A keeper available for just £22m. The story has popped up again after a month of silence.He will be first signing.
46	Diogo Leite	Porto	A Bola (which is a Portuguese “outlet” not a virulent disease; Guardian	Centre back
47	Stanislav Lobotka	Celta de Vigo	Arsenal Fever	He’s 23, a defensive midfielder
48	Joel Lopez	Barcelona	Sports Lens: Arsenal have agreed the deal	21 year old left midfield
49	Lozano	PSV	Sport 360, Arsenal mania	Winger who can cut inside
50	James Maddison	Norwich	Mirror, Sport Review, Birmingham Mail says it is about to happen	Midfield playmaker; Tottenham, Everton, Brighton Southampton & Man C also want him
51	Harry Maguire	Leicester	Sky Sports	Centre half. Man U also want him.
52	Malcolm	Bordeaux	FootballBible, Sport Review, Gunnerspheree, Football London	Winger; everyone is interested; he says he goes in the summer. But might go to China. No will play in a 3 man line behind the number 9.
53	Gelson Martins	Sporting Lisbon	“Arsenal fail with £26m bid to sign Sporting Lisbon star” Metro, Read Arsenal, Foot London. Later reports say cost is £52m!	HITC says Everton wants him. He’s a winger. WHU & Lazio want him too
54	Joao Mario	Inter on loan at WHU	Fourth Official	Midfield, and said to love London
55	Lautaro Martinez	Racing Club de Avellaneda	Gunnersphere	Striker. Inter have offered €20million
56	Anthony Martial	Man U	Sun, 4th Official	Signed by United from AC Monaco in 2015, the £75.7m
57	Alex McCarthy	Southampton	Football London	Goalkeeper.
Update	Max Meyer	Schalke 04.	Football London, Daily Canon, Guardian, Talk Sport, Express. Contract ends this season. FL still talking it up. No, wages demands to high.	Attacking midfield or playmaker. Liverpool battling with Arsenal New Santi Cazorla
59	Radja Nainggolan	Roma	The Sun, Gunnersphere	He’s a powerhouse midfielder and will cost £45m
60	Keylor Navas	Real Madrid	Don Ballon, HITC,	A goalkeeper looking for work. He’s 31
61	Robert Navarro	Barcelona	Daily Mail, Canon	He’s 15 and plans to leave on his 16th birthday. Arsenal have made an offer
62	Wilfred Ndidi	Leicester	Mad About PL, Goonertalk, African Football, Sun	Midfielder, Man U want him too
63	Saul Niguez	At Madrid	Mirror, Arsenal Station	£130m will get him. Midfielder
64	Stephen N’Zonzi	Sevilla	Football London	Def midfield. In March FL had him “jetting to London) now they are not so sure. Maybe he got lost.
65	Abulkadir Omur	Trabzonspor	Turkish football says Ozil recommends him	Central midfield
66	Oguzhan Ozyakup	Besiktas	Mail. Football London says Wenger obsessed the transfer	Arsenal to bring back their ex-player at the end of his contract
67	Cristan Pavon	Boca Juniors.	Mirror says WHU want him, Sports Mole says we are close	We’ve already held talks. He’s 22, a forward
68	Danilo Pereira	Porto	O Jogo	Defensive midfield, currently injured
69	Lucas Perez	AFC loaned to Deportivo	Sports Keeds and FootLond report that he will return to Arsenal and be given a chance	He played 35 times on loan for Deportivo La Coruña
70	Dennis Praet	Sampdoria	Football London says one we we must have him, next week no. AFC have had talks. Release clause £22m	Attacking midfielder, 24 years old
71	Pablo Moreno	Barcelona	Mundo Deportivo	He’s 15 and his contract runs out at the end of the season
72	Jan Oblak	Atletico Mad	FootballBible; Gibfootballshow, Star	Goalkeeper also wanted by Chelsea and Liverpool. 100m euros. At Mad “expect him to leave”
73	Panagiotis Retsos	Bayer Leverkusen	Goal, 4th official	Greek South African defender
74	Ivan Rakitic	Barcelona	Star	Attacking midfield
75	Rodrigo	Valencia	Fotomac, Football Fancast	Selling Lacazette to buy him. He’s a 27 year old winger
76	Sergio Rico	Sevilla	Football London	Goalkeeper; won the Europa twice
Update	Sokratis Papastathopoulos	Borussia Dortmund	Birmingham Live, Gazzetta dello Sport, Football London, Evening Standard, Read Arsenal. Hatchet job from Pain in the Ars. L’Équipe says it is done. Lots of sites now saying it is all done. Metro says Kos is leaving to make way. Goal and Arsenal Fever report no deal is done	Man U, Juventus, Chelsea interested in 29 year old defender. Arsenal now favourites. He’s going to be 1st signing. Final details being arranged. “This week”. It’s agreed!
78	Adrien Rabiot	PSG	Football Lond spotted him at London Colney	Defensive midfield; 1 year left on contract
79	Richarlison	Watford	EPL Scouts, 4th Official	Forward, Chels & Tots also; Arsenal miss out & Arsenal to hijack deal, both on same site!!!
80	Daniele Rugani	Juventus	Whoscored	Defender. Agent confirms
81	Morgan Sanson	Bordeaux	Express says we are fighting Tottenham for this player	23 years old, midfielder
NEW	Son Heung-min	Tottenham	Sport 365, Foot London	Man U also chasing
83	Jean-Michael Seri	Nice	Mentioned on Arsenal.com. From the Mirror and Metro, Star, Mail, Standard, Hard Tackle	Midfielder but Arsenal have been too slow and Chelsea have got him, just as they lost out last window.
84	Bassem Srarfi	Nice	Foot Lond – but they changed their mind.	Winger or midfielder. He’s 20. Going to Leicester?
85	Andre Silva	Milan	Mad about EPL	Attacking midfield “sensation” but failed to show his attributes this year. Wolverhampton also interested.
86	Chris Smalling	Man U	Daily Canon, Sport 360, Daily Star, Guardian	£25m will get him
87	Caglar Söyüncü	Freiburg	Football Whispers, Arsenal Station, Sky Sports, Telegraph, Talksport, The Sun, ESPN, 100 Great Goal Price about £35m. Football Talk & Daily Express confirms he wants to join AFC	Central midfield. Liverpool, Man C, Dortmund “in race”. He wants a guarantee of 1st team footie. He’s going to be the first signing
88	Anderson Talisca	Benfica on loan to Besiktas	O Jogo	Brazilian attacking midfield
89	Kieran Tierney	Celtic	Football London	Left Back
90	Corentin Tolisso	Bayern	Foot Lond	Bayern bought him last year for €40 million. Now Arsenal are buying him for €60 million. No!
Update	Lucas Torreira	Sampdoria	TuttoMercatoWeb, Sport Review, the Metro, Calciomercato Sampdoria, the Express, Daily Star – deal about to happen	A defensive midfielder and he’s going to be first. Next week (that was 2 weeks ago). No it is off! Calcio Insider
92	Cengiz Ünder	Roma	Tuttomercato; he’s a goalscoring winger	£26m offered £40m demanded
93	Josha Vagnoman	Hamburg	ESPN (2nd youngster player in the German league ever)	Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton all want him
Update	Lucas Vazquez	Real Madrid	Metro says he is after more games, only got 16 last year. Sports Lens says AFC willing to meet salary demand	Right winger, earns £7m a year. 26 years old. Soccer Souls says we must not sign him!
95	Timo Werner	Leipzig	Arsenal mania, Sun	21 year old who has scored a multitude of goals
96	Ben Wilmot	Stevenage	Sportsmole, Gunnersphere. The 72	18 year old played a dozen or so games. Totts also interested. Price is £2m
97	Jack Wilshere	Arsenal	Evening Standard saying he will not sign new contract until his playing position is defined by manager. Confirmed as going	Obviously he’s was ours but some sites treated him as a poss signing
98	Wilfried Zaha	Crystal Palace	Liga Financial	Arsenal making a bid of £25m
99	Cristian Zapata	Milan	Giants Football News	Defender
100	Piotr Zielinski	Napoli	The Mirror	Midfielder: “An essential signing”
101	Andrija Zivkovic	Benfica	Football Facts, The Record, EatSleepSports ArsenalStation, Telegraph, Giants, Tribal Football, Sport Witness	21 year old striker. Man U also want him Price is £52m

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