By Tony Attwood
In my weekend comments concerning transfers this summer, I made the point that for any transfer to get completed around 10 different issues have to be solved at once.
Once of those issues was the rather obvious fact that the club with the player has to be willing to sell him. Of course that’s not a be-all and end-all of the situation, as we saw with Robin VP and Cesc F. Both made up their own minds to break their contracts, but generally speaking it is still the club that decides.
Also, although it is a rule often broken, especially by Barcelona, clubs are supposed to negotiate with clubs, not with the player or his agent – at least until after the clubs have agreed.
I thus expressed a certain reservation about the immediate transfer of Gonzalo Higuaín simply because Real Mad, for whom he plays at the moment, have no manager. Now the very fact that Arsenal have held talks with Gonzalo and his agent and have agreed a deal, means that someone within Real Mad has actually given the nod to him going. But even so, a managerless club doesn’t normally buy or sell players – although this is Real Mad we are talking about here, so anything is possible.
Anyway, matters took another step forwards with the news that Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester C is having difficulty persuading Málaga’s Isco to live in Cheshire by the Mersey rather than in the suburbs of Madrid. Indeed the word is that he is going to sign for Madrid.
Such a move is neither here nor there as far as Arsenal is concerned, save for the fact that it does show that Real Mad are continuing with the usual mad buying and selling stampede that is summer in Madrid. I presumed that Z Zidane is at the heart of the matter, although I don’t have any contacts near enough the club to confirm or deny this.
But reports say that terms have been agreed between Málaga and Madrid for Isco which means that the old club is indeed doing the business – and that in turn means that the conclusion of the Arsenal deal is not far behind. It would also mean that the exquisitely named Txiki Begiristain who is director of football at Manchester C will be getting a kick up the bottom any time soon.
AS, that wonderful Spanish newspaper that really does take Real Mad press releases and prints them as investigative journalism, has said that Real Mad would shell out €30m for the player following talks between Florentino Pérez (the Real Mad president) José Angel Sánchez (the Real Mad executive director) and Málaga (the really mad club).
So good news for Arsenal then – the wheels are still turning. Not so good for Manchester C since the complaint last season from Mancini, rather famously, was that the club failed last summer to procure any of his five main transfer targets. Getting knocked out of the Champions League at the beginners’ stage didn’t help much either.
What’s interesting about that is that the AAA has long complained that this is a uniquely Arsenal problem, suggesting that every other club in the galaxy can pick up whomsoever they want at the drop of a hat, while Arsenal are quite unable to secure even a new cleaner.
Of course the situation is nothing like so simple as the AAA like to suggest, and different clubs have different problems at different times. This summer Manchester C have picked up Fernandinho and Jesús Navas before the “window” opens, so they have got going even though they look like losing out on transfer number three.
Meanwhile in other transfer news the Daily Telegraph which sells to a more upmarket, and considerably older audience that AS has gone back to the Williams of Swansea to Arsenal story. They are saying the sticking price is the money for a man of his age.
24 June Anniversaries
- 24 June 1905: Arsenal AGM report annual income for the rent of bars as £110 5s 0d
- 24 June 1949: Bryn Jones transferred to Norwich as player coach
- 24 June 1998: Petit and Vieira play in WC v Denmark. Petit scores winner.
The Almost Complete Arsenal Anniversary File
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
- Royal Arsenal: from the Common to the Manor. Coming next.
The sites from the same team…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- The Arsenal History Blog from the AISA Arsenal History Society
Come on ,already Arsenal .com – say it is so .Say it is a done deal ! My patience is worn thin !
Sorry ! Am having withdrawal symptoms !
Reminds me of a t-shirt slogan from the 70s – two vultures are atop a tree . One of them says. ” Patience my ass ! I’m going to go ahead and kill something !”
My computer is on 24/7 and I will not turn it off til I see Higuain signs for Arsenal DONE DEAL.
If we mess this one up we will be a laughing stock.
Blow Juventus out of the water and get OUR man. Anything other than a positive result on Higuain is unacceptable and I will lose all my faith in our boss
FOR F***S SAKE SORT IT OUT !
we need good signing
“…while Everton with a new management will be keen to make a few recognisable signings as they try to push Tottenham out of the coveted Europa League position.” Tut tut tut, Tony. Such conceit. 🙂
A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.
Steve Martin
Weather forecast for tonight: dark.
George Carlin
And with that I bid you all adieu .
Arsenal have always announced their signings on either tuesday or wednesday. Arsenal signed Giroud last year on June 26, Tuesday. Santi Cazorla on Aug 7, Tuesday. Podolski on July 4, Wednesday. The Five British players extended their contracts on Dec 19, Wednesday. Kosciely extended his contract on 24 July, Tuesday. #UselessFacts.
At what percentage are we at regarding Higuain signing? Are we back to the original estimate? Or did we never shift from it in the first place?
Ian Hawthorne,
Calm the fuck down!
It is a new low when your faith in the club that you support is based on the player of another club that you hope the club signs. This handwringing on Higuain is getting pretty ridiculous and I blame Tony for bringing the nonsense to Untold.
The club management will sign whoever they think will best meet the needs of the club within our resources. And when they have signed such a person, we will find out like we always do on Arsenal.com
Is Rooney still on our acquisition list? We need these two TOP TOP players.This guy (ROONEY) can play from any position; striker,mid,wing, and can even play defense especially when Gibbs is attacking upfront. Get him before its too late. BE WARNED!
Are we still @ 99%? According to Balague it’s more like 50/50.
Were really lucky to have a blog with a hotline to Arsene Wonga!!
Matt,
Arsene Wonga
Very clever. You better patent it now before your fellow Wenger haters hijack it.
I’m not selfish let them have it.
Why is disliking him and better than idolising him?
Who is to say what is the correct thing for the club.
‘Sort it out’! ??? Of course if you don’t read or choose to ignore what Walter says about the dependencies and complexities of the deal then I suppose you can assume that Arsene Wenger is on a beach in France with his mobile turned off while Ivan Gazidis and his staff are tied up with their invitations to Test Matches, Wimbledon and the Grand Prix. Doubtless they will all get back together a week before the season starts to have a chat about who we might sign only to find that Higuain has been whisked off to Juve, Jovetic has been snapped up by Spurs, and all we have left is a bidding war with Harry Redknapp over Carlton Cole.
We all have to be patient until Arsenal.com make an announcement.
It is interesting that some of the AAA having been unable to attack Wenger at the end of the season – as they planned to do – due to the superb run in – have regrouped and are now trying to blacken him on transfers. I hope AW manages to sign Higuain for two reasons, firstly he will be a great asset to the club, secondly I will enjoy ensuring some of the AAA squirm.
Since I cannot influence decisions made by the club and there are no matches happening, I often take time off during the summer to do summery things like picnics, camping, and small trips here or there with my family. I don’t bring a mobile nor check up on what’s happening in London N5. Instead of stressing continuously about signings etc., it’s a bit like Christmas/my birthday when I log on and find out somethings happened.
Matt,
You get on with the business of hatred and name calling. We’ll keep showing love to Arsenal’s most successful manager ever!
I’m just glad that someone like you is not in position to decide what is “the correct thing” for the club
“Gunners edge closer and closer to higuain signing”
These are the headlines n links all we gunners have been clicking on.
I’m so tired of it really, is it possible to edge any closer without signing him already?
I think this potential big name signing has excited gunners the world over. I myself
A gunner from south africa is going nuts with the impending signing of such a huge name.
Just gos to show!!
Hang in there Gunners!! We are edging closer n closer n closer n……
‘While Arsenal are quite unable to secure even a new cleaner’.
I like that Tony. It made me laugh.
As to signings, I will just wait till something appears on Arsenal.com.
And I’m looking forward to the Emirates Cup. I’ve got a ticket for the Sunday.
Now I have no idea whether this transfer is happening or not, but the lad will sure improve the squad. Will be frightening to see him with Santi, Podolski & Walcott.
Hope it, or something similar happens.
Tony,
I really like the way you explain about transfers.
Signing player is like any other big business deals or major investments. I do not understand why some people just say “go in and sign”, “wrap it up quickly”, and “the club is dragging behing”.
I am not saying there is nothing call “wrap it up quickly”, and “the club is dragging behing” just that due to the complexity, secrecy and different character of other part (players, club, agents) there is no way of knowing what is “quick” and “dragging on”.
I guess most people do not really know how deals are struck but most people buy/ rent a house or car in their live. Do they just “go in and buy”???
@Nelson, I hope buying a player is nothing like buying or selling a house, having had that experience a few years ago I wouldn’t wish that process on anyone. Of course I would imagine it’s not simple buying players, even when players seem to be suddenly bought I imagine there’s been a lot going on behind the scenes for several weeks.
I think Going Going Gooner has the best attitude. Give football a rest, it’s summer, well allegedly, and concentrate on a few other pastimes. What happens happens, suffice to say I’m sure we’ll have two or three new signings to look forward to at the start of the season.
@Rupert, I think dealing with a big name like Higuaín is a lot worse than dealing with our house or car.
One can only hope every signing and renewal goes like earlier this year when 5 young British gunners renewed their contract. Simple and clean
@ bjtgooner…re: “I hope AW manages to sign Higuain for two reasons, firstly he will be a great asset to the club, secondly I will enjoy ensuring some of the AAA squirm.”
Why the heck would the so called AAA squirm if we sign Higuain, when he represents precisely the type of top quality signing they have been yearning for?
You may be surprised to learn that they hope AFC manages to sign him too precisely for the same main reason as you, because “he will be a great asset to the club”.
Nice article. One thing i’d like to point out though is that the Isco deal DOES matter for us. Seeing Isco go to City would be very bad news for Gooners. Better he goes to Madrid. If he does, this will all work out very well for us!
@A Stewart
Quite simply, the AAA do not want Arsenal to be successful, they want Arsenal to fail so that AW will be seen to fail and hence will be replaced – that is their perverted and twisted mentality and raison d’etre. I would have thought you would have been aware of that by now.