The 36 players Arsenal are now tipped to sign and no sign yet of Edu.

By Sir Hardly Anyone

It seems that a few people took a look at my recent little amble through the backwaters of what is laughingly called  football journalism and thought either we were making it up, or that we took these tales seriously.  So a quick explanation: each year for the past few years we have charted as many Arsenal transfer rumours as we could find in the media and recorded them to see how many turned out to be true.  The average is 3% with Arsenal being linked with over 100 different players during the course of the summer and virtually the entire squad of players being tipped to leave.  The full list so far is in a chart at the foot of the page, but before this, the newcomers…

1  Zaha:  “Arsenal line up Wilfried Zaha transfer swoop but only want him if Palace drop their price of £80m to £40m” is the story  He counts as home grown which in the days of Brexit could be ever more important if the rules change as the FA wants.   He plays right wing and has knocked in 31 goals in 147 games for Palace.  (The Sun, Foot Lond).

2  William Saliba: The Metro says the talks are about to start between Arsenal and Saint-Etienne for the centre back.  He’s 18 but Le 10 Sport say he is going to Manchester United.  Shoot also have the story.  Sport Witness say that Arsenal are making progress.

3: Kostas Manolas could be on his way according to FootLond.  He is a centre back for Roma, previously with Olympiacos and aged 27.

4: Samuel Umtiti.  This is another FL tale concerning the French and Barcelona centre back who is thought to be the most expensive centre back there is.  He went to Barcelona for  €25 million in 2016 and has won just about everything going including the 2018 world cup.  Only FootLond could run this as a serious story that he might come to Arsenal.

5: Jerome Boateng.  Another FL centre back tale although Talk Sport have it too.   They say he is not first-choice under Niko Kovac and Bayern president Uli Hoeness suggests he may have already played his final game for the club.

6: Alexis Claude-Maurice.  Apparently Arsenal put in a £6m bid for him and that was rejected by Lorient who are probably sick to death of us taking their players.  But Foot Lond still make it one of their 40 a day transfer tales and the Sun have it too.  He is a France under 20 forward and was seen in London with Guendouzi – who was his pal at Lorient.

7: Hakim Ziyech.  He is a 22 year old attacking midfielder for Ajax and for the Morocco national team. He is known for his finishing, dribbling, speed, technique and free kick ability according to Wiki, and  Foot Lond have him down as coming to Arsenal.  You’ll have noticed by now Football London (FootLond of FL) have a lot of stories.  In fact they publish 40 a day.

8: Thomas Partey, the midfielder, will be able to leave Atletico Madrid if his £43.5m release clause is met, according to the player’s agent according to Talk Sport and the destination is Arsenal.

9:  Ismaila Sarr: Stade Rennais will demand £44million for their star man, 21 year old winger Ismaila Sarr this summer, according to the Metro. Sarr is attracting the attention of a host of clubs, but Rennes are still waiting for the first offer to be lodged although Arsenal is said to be on the ball with this one.

Here is the list of all the players we have been tipped to buy so far…

 

No Player Current club Source Notes 1 Toby Alderweireld Tottenham H TBR Football, Sun He’s 30 years old 2 Antony Sao Paulo Media Ref (they say it would be a waste of money) Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Lyon and Monaco are also interested 3 Gareth Bale Real Madrid She wore a yellow 87% of RM fans want him out 4 Ismael Bennacer Empoli HITC, Pain in the Arsenal Ex Arsenal youth player NEW Jerome Boateng Bayern Foot Lond, Talk Sport “He’s played his last game for us” 6 Marcelo Brozociv Inter Milan Transfer Tavern citing CalcioMercato £40.5m; a “tough midfielder” 7 Samuel Chukwueze Villareal Foot Lond Nigerian forward NEW Alexis Claude-Maurice Lorient Arsenal have made a £6m bid.  FootLond, Sun France under 20 forward and friend of Guendouzi 9 Djene Dakonam Getafe Daily Express Central defender / RB.  Will cost £13.5m 10 Bruno Fernandes Sporting O Jogo, Sport Witness Chelsea, Man C, Juventus want him, £100m release clause 11 James Forest Celtic Media Referee We should sell Iwobi and get him. 12 Ryan Fraser Bournemouth Express, Mirror One year left on contract 13 Jean Philippee Gbamain Mainz Read Arsenal; Soccer Souls On his way 14 Ander Herrera Man U Express PSG also interested 15 Malcolm Barcelona Sport Witness, FootLond Totts, Milan, Inter and Lille also after him 16 Kostas Manolas Roma FootLond He’s a centre back 17 Gabrielle Martinelli Ituano Metro according to reports in Brazil, also Express 17 year old winger, equivalent of Son Heung-min FootLond 18 Harry Maguire Leicester HITC 26 year old centre back 19 Paul Mitchell Leipzig Sports Mole; 90 min, Football 365, Sky; Talksport Man U and Chelsea interested 20 N’Zonzi Roma HITC £19m; he’s considered a flop at Roma where he plays midfield 21 David Neres Everton Telegraph, Foot Lond £34.5m; talks held. Liverpool want him 22 Christopher Nkunku PSG Foot Lond, Le Parisien, Star Midfield; he’s turned down a contract renewal. We tried in Jan NEW Thomas Partey Atletico Madrid Talk Sport Midfield with a £43.5m release clause 24 Nicolas Pepe Lille 101 Great Goals, Telefoot, FootLond Star striker.  Man U also interested. “He’s on the way” (FL) 25 Ayoze Perez Newcastle Mad about EPL Inter also want him; forward or attacking midfield 26 Ivan Perisic Inter Milan Spursweb, Gazzetta dello sport Tots and WHU interested 27 Dennis Praet Sampdoria Corriere dello Sport , Sport Witness Midfielder or winger 28 Benito Raman Fortna Dusseldorf Express WHU, Burnley, Everton interested NEW Ismaila Sarr Stade Rennais Metro He will cost over £40m.  A 21 year old winger NEW William Saliba Saint Etienne Le 10 sport says he’s off to Man U.  Shoot, Sport Witness and Metro say Arsenal Centre back 31 Nicolas Tagliafico Ajax Mirror – “he’s a target for Arsenal” £17.3million release clause and he gets half! NEW Samuel Umtiti Barcelona Foot Lond running just about the most unlikely story of them all. The most expensive centre back in the world! 33 Jordon Veretout Fiorentina Metro 25m euros for Ramsey II 34 Wesley Club Brugges Sun, Calciomercato, Daily Cannon, LaLazio Forward, 22 years old NEW Wilfried Zaha Crystal Palace Sun, FootLond Palace want £80m; plays right wing NEW Hakim Ziyech Ajax Foot Lond Attacking midfielder

And the players leaving…

Everyone is off: “Stars may exit if Arsenal fail to make the Champions League this summer” said the Guardian before the Europa final, but really I think that is cheating.  At least the writers ought to be putting a bit of energy into their make-believe and giving us some names.

So far it is 16 players to leave in what would be the biggest shake up of all time if it were true, which of course it is not.  It is all make-believe.

No	Player	Going to	Source	Notes
1	Aubameyang	Real Madrid	FootLond; Playing for 90	FL cite Calciomercato
2	Chambers	???	FoodLond	Off to Tottenham (HITC) no Everton (TBR)
3	Elneny	Roma	Daily Cannon
4	Jenkinson		FootLond	“He’s up for sale”
5	Kolasinac		FootLond	No explanation – just Arsenal want to get rid of him
6	Lacazette	Barcelona	Express	He has admitted he is flattered to have been linked with a switch to Barcelona this summer.”  Metro says he’s being offered a new deal.  Foot Lond says no it is not happening.
7	Mkhitaryan		Star, Mail	Star blames the Mail for the story.
8	Mustafi	Roma	Daily Cannon,	“He’s up for sale” Express
9	Eddie Nketiah		Star	He will go on loan if we buy another forward
10	Ospina		FootLond	“He’s up for sale”  HITC says player himself says he wants to go.
11	Ozil		FootLond	“He’s up for sale”
12	Smith Rowe	Leipzig	Foot Lond	“He’s staying” exclusive from FL, but others say he’s off.
13	Sokratis		Foot Lond	He wants Champs Lge football
14	Suarez	Chelsea	Read Arsenal	He’s not really an Arsenal player but he was on loan
Update	Welbeck		Daily Cannon	Now recovered from injury but out of contract, although Foot Lond had him as a possible player in the Uefa Cup Final
16	Xhaka	Inter Milan	Sund Express, BT Sport	Player says he wants to move. Inter wants him