Every summer, newspapers and websites list 100 or more players who journalists report are going to be transferred to Arsenal in this window. However, only Untold Arsenal indexes the list to see how accurate these predictions are. Thus, this is the reference point between the predictions and reality; a unique and invaluable guide to the accuracy or otherwise of media commentaries on football. Data is gathered by Tony Attwood C.Ed., B.A., M.Phil (Lond) F.Inst.A.M.
Tony has produced a list of report transfer tales and edited Untold Arsenal for the past 15 years, is a co- author of several Arsenal books, has been an occasional contributor to the official Arsenal programme, and is a Committee member of Arsenal Independent Supporters Association. Tony is also the publisher of the Arsenal History Society Website and beyond his enthusiasm for Arsenal he is a director of Dyscalculia Information Centre.
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We are now up to 25 players whose names are being associated with a link to Arsenal this summer, with no less than a third of these possible transfers being mentioned in the media in the past three or four days.
What we seem to be getting, particularly this summer, is every journalist and blogger looking around at what their competitors are writing, and then seeing if they can develop the story further, rather than more writers actually doing their own research within clubs for new players who might be attracted by Arsenal. Although maybe I am being a trifle unfair.
Of course, part of the problem is that Arsenal won the league, which means that they have a competent team and any newcomer will look with caution as to where he is going to break into such a well-functioning side. But more than that, it is quite clear just how high the quality actually is, and how Arsenal are looking to push even further forward this season – especially with the eternal thought that maybe, finally, this season, ManC will be punished for their 110+ transgressions in terms of their football finances.
Obviously, we don’t know, and so what we have seen are the first quarter century of players looking to move on. But we can be sure there will be more, once the journalists and bloggers have a) come out of the pub and b) digested the 25 noted so far. (And if that “come out of the pub” phrase seems a trifle harsh, do remember that last summer, and the summer before and the… well, you know, they only got around 3% of the transfers right). So here we go.
| Player | Position | From | Source | Details | |
| 1 | Josh Acheampong | Chelsea | Chelsea | Arsenal Station.. Yahooo sports | Chelsea selling as they have other defenders. |
| Update | Julian Alvarez | Centre forward | Atletico Madrid | Football Fan Cast; Sky, Sport Witness, Caught Offside says Gyokeres in part ex. Chronicle: is there a chance? (Football Muse – AFC is his dream signing). At Mad propose swap dal (Metro). They won’t sell to a Spanish club (FFC) | He wants out. £150m+ AFC preferred bidder |
| Update | Andria Bartishvili | Attacking midfield | Kolkheti Poti | Gooner News. Talks ongoing – Arsenal Station. | Not known |
| 4 | Bradley Barcola | Winger | PSG | Sky Sports, Caught Offside, Football London, Arsenal news, Sports View, Give me Sport. Deal approved, but he wants PSG (Goonernews) £69m quoted. Talks ongoing | £45m+ |
| NEW | Bradley Barcola | Attack | Funded by Monaco selling Ballogu and AFC getting sell-on cash. | ||
| 6 | Andria Bartishvili | Attacking midfield | Iberia 1999 | Daily Canon, FFC “in talks” | Not quoted |
| 7 | Phoenix Blayney. | Goal keeper | Larne | Standard | Free? |
| Update | Ayyoub Bouaddi | 18 yr old midfield | LOSC Little | Hard Tackle: he wants to go to PSG, Sports Keeda says Vieira really likes him. Standard says it’s on. Metro: Arsenal confident | £60m+ |
| 9 | Alvaro Carreras | Left Back | Real Madrid | Hard Tackle, FFC | Only just signed |
| 10 | Ivan Fresneda | Defender | Real Valladolid, | Just Arsenal, Arsenal Station | No price specified |
| 11 | Antony Gordon | Winger | Newcastle | Currently on a long term contact | Arsenal monitoring |
| 12 | Morgan Greenwood | Forward | Marseille | Totts want him. | Footballpresse |
| 13 | Morten Hjulmand | Defensive midfield | Sporting Lisbon | £35m | Gooner News |
| 14 | Manu Kone | Midfield | Roma | Sun – Agreed deal | £43.2m |
| 15 | Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | Winger | PSG | Sky Sports – PSG don’t want to sell | £100m |
| 16 | Maxence Lacroix | Defender | Crystal Palace | Just Arsenal News | |
| Update | Jeremy Monga | Winger | Leicester | FFC – talks ongoing. Singing agreed – Metro. “Most expensive 16-year-old ever” – It is AFC first singing of the summer Football Transfer. About to happen | AFC determined or actually agreed |
| 18 | Dario Osorio, | Forward | FC Midtjylland | ||
| Update | Morgan Rogers | Attacking mddfield | Aston Villa | Mirror; Sky, FFC. FoLo Villa lowered price (Standard). Rice telling him to sign. Rice trying to persuade him. Standard – its on. Price is now £100m. Villa say “no deal” (Hard Tackle) | £100m, but price now discounted, although Villa say he’s not for sale! |
| Update | Alex Scott | Midfield | Bournemouth | Swap deal involving Leonardo Trossard plus £80m fee. Man U now also interested. | |
| 21 | Crysensio Summerville | Winger | West Ham | Metro. Plays for the Netherlands | 24 year old |
| 22 | Igor Thiago | Striker | Brentford | Football Pressed, EPL Index, club considering… | A priority |
| Update | Sandro Tonali | Midfield | Newcastle | FFC. ICFootball, £100m bid. Or £80m. Goonernews; Metro – Totts offered £75m. Player prefers AFC; Arsenal hijacking deal (Arsenal Station) | Totts interested. AFC is ready to move |
| 24 | Nicolo Tresoldi | Striker | Club Brugge | Arsenal News | He’s honoured |
| Christos Tzolis | Winger | Club Brugge | Football 365 | ||
| 25 | Kenan Yildez | Forward | Juventus | Gooner News | Club don’t want to sell |
More anon….
