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By Sir Hardly Anyone
Yes it is the ever growing Great Transfer Index – the absolute list of all the players already linked with Arsenal – which you can only read here. Or maybe somewhere else if they have nicked it.
The one “done deal”, according to “reports” remains the same: Granit Xhaka. But we have six new names on the chart now – although one of them is simply returning from a sojourn. Here they are…
- Carlos Bacca
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Marquinhos
- Kalidou Koulibaly
- Rafinha
- Dominic Solanke
The returnee is Zlatan the Almighty, whose name has been linked for months if not years. And since he is an Eternal, a God, he will be here forever.
So now here is the complete list of all the transfers set out by the media thus far, and with the transfer window. The Daily Mirror has provided a helpful introduction…
When does the transfer window open?
Like every year the summer window officially opens on July 1, but players, agents and clubs will be discussing contract terms and final fees long before then.
[Please tell me that I am not the only person in the galaxy who deplores the Mirror’s inability to put together a grammatically correct sentence.]
With Euro 2016 taking place in June, you can expect plenty of deals to be announced early as clubs hope to steal a march on their rivals.
When does the transfer window close?
The transfer window will slam shut on August 31, just as players disappear for an international break.
It has yet to be decided whether it’s an afternoon or late-night finish.
Already people who know all about these things are out on the street proclaiming that given that Arsenal was the only team in the multiverse not to buy an outfield player last summer (so lets forget the wonderful Elneny and the emergent Iwobi) we will be buying everyone that moves. Or if you are anti-Wenger, not.
And let us forget that only 25% of big name transfers make a difference in Year One.
I think the big news is at the end, with the appointment (we are told by the usual unreliable sources) of a new coach; a move that will ensure the stream of youngsters coming through will continue. But more on that at the end. Because that’s where I have put it.
Here we go… all the players linked with Arsenal. I’ve added an extra column this time in the shape of “Current status” for a brief word on the latest from the bloggettas.
But here also is a warning: just because this appears in the media, doesn’t make it true. They could be winding us up ready for yet another season of attacks on Wenger for not buying who they said.
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| Player | Position | From | Current status | Also interested | |
| 1 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | Forward | B. Dortmund | ||
| 2 | Carlos Bacca | Forward | Juventus | 49 goal striker | Real Mad buy back clause |
| 3 | Riechedly Bazoer | Cen mid. | Ajax | Barcelona, Chelsea, Man U, Tottenham | |
| 4 | Rodrigo Bentancur | Midfield | Boca Juniors | Real Mad, Juve | |
| 5 | Ben Chilwell | Left-back | Leicester | “Arsenal monitoring” | |
| 6 | Raphaël Guerreiro | Left-backmidfield | Lorient | ||
| 7 | Gonzalo Higuain | Striker | Napoli | Man U | |
| 8 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | Striker | PSG | Self proclaimed God | Man U |
| 9 | Mauro Icardi | Striker | Inter | Man C Man U | |
| 10 | Odion Ighalo | Striker | Watford | ||
| 11 | N’Golo Kante | Midfield | Leicester | ||
| 12 | Naby Keita | Central mid | Red Bull Salzburg | ||
| 13 | Marquinhos | Defendr | PSG | Man U Man C Chelsea and Bayern Munich | |
| 14 | Kostas Mitroglou | Striker | Benfica | “Happy in Portugal” | |
| 15 | Arkadiusz Milik | Striker | Ajax | ||
| 16 | Henrikh Mkhitaryan | Midfield | B Dortmund | Liverpool! Tottenham | |
| 17 | Alvaro Morata | Striker | Juventus (loan) Real Mad | ||
| 18 | Kalidou Koulibaly | Napoli | Signed and Sealed (Metro) | ||
| 19 | Kelechi Nwakali | Midfield | Reported as already having joined Arsenal | WHU, Bayern, Chelsea, Man U Liverpool! | |
| 20 | Domingos Quina | Midfield | Chelsea | ||
| 21 | Rafinha | RB | Bayern Munich | Metro utterly certain | |
| 22 | Dominic Solanke | Chelsea | Chelsea want to keep him | ||
| 23 | Ryan Sessegnon | Winger | Fulham | Liverpool! | |
| 24 | John Stones | CB | Everton | ||
| 25 | Jon Toral | Attack midf. | Arsenal (loaned to Brum) | ||
| 26 | Yaya Toure | C Mid | Man City | ||
| 27 | Victor Wanyama | Def. midf. | Southampton | ||
| 28 | Granit Xhaka | Defend/ midfield | Monchengladbach | “Deal done” | Chelsea. Sources |
| 29 | Andriy Yarmolenko | Winger | Dynamo Kiev | Tottenham Liverpool | |
| 30 | Simone Zaza | Forward | Juventus | ||
| Departures | |||||
| 1 | Alexis | Forward | Asking for transfer | ||
| 2 | Kieran Gibbs | Defend | Unhappy | ||
| 3 | Santi Cazorla | Mid/For | Back to Villareal | ||
| 4 | Szczesny | Goal | Happy in Rome | ||
| Coaching | |||||
| Thierry Henry | Under 18 | Accepted post | |||
- The protest from the NBL – much ado about nothing
- 55 pieces of cardboard: Arsenal v Arsenal
- Arsenal 1 – Norwich, boo boys, pgmob 0
- Arsenal v Arsenal. Welcome to the Witchfinder Stadium.
- Sticking and pulling together or not?
- Arsenal v Norwich Saturday 30 April 2016 – The Match Officials
- Change? Time to change the protest
- Memories of a true tragedy
- Manning the barricades
- What was it like to train with the Invincibles?
Oga Tony, good morning Sir. Of all those players mentioned in this article, Zlatan Ibramovich and Kelechi Nwakali look to be a stand out among the lots for a possible signing by Arsenal for their forward and midfield. If a deal by Arsenal for Nwakali had not already been done.
Giroud, Welbeck, Walcott & Sanchez goals scoring tally have proved to be short to win the title and the Ucl trophies for Arsenal for 2 consecutive seasons. Therefore, a proven consistent goal scoring striker of Ibra’s caliber is imperative to add to the current 4 forwards at Afc for their titles winning campaign next season.
If Ibra’ is truly available for signing and he’s signable, the Boss should avail himself with that golden opportunity and sign him up. But it’ll be good to know why PSG are not renewing his contract? Is he Ibra’ doesn’t want to stay at PSG anymore or have PSG noticed a declining trend in his form? Should that be the case, Arsenal MUST still find a hidden top top striker somewhere who will not be costly to sign.
I didn’t find Janssen from AZ Alkmaar. New two footed striker sensation. 26 league goals so far I think.
And mentioned in Holland that Arsenal are keeping an eye on him
oye!! Why isnt Kalou on the list??
Walter,
Vincent Janssen plays for AZ Alkmaar. He has scored 26 goals from 33 games. Has a height of 180cm (5’11). 21 years old.
From what I have read and heard he is a goal poacher much like our Eduardo, not much height and not the fastest but great positioning and finishing.
Carlos Bacca doesn’t have a buy-back clause in favour of Real Mad because he had played – alongside Jose Antonio Reyes – for Sevilla.
Alvaro Morata is not on loan but has a buy-back clause as Real Mad had known they would be mad to sell him without that option.
Alexis Sanchez was angry the other day but I hope he and Mr Wenger will find consensus so that Alexis can score loads of goals for us next season. Bayern have been making various types of pressure on him – Vidal’s public statements and articles about how Bayern 2016-17 would look like. He has scored four goals in our away games at Leicester and Spuds respectively, that kind of asset you don’t throw away.
You should include Michael Carrick (we certainly need another mid-30s midfielder who gets injured a lot)who has been mentioned recently.
Also don’t forget Karim Benzema, because Piers Organ will be playing hardball with Fiorentino Peres to get KB for 60 million euros (presumably using his own money??)
There must be an app somewhere that you can use to tot up all the mentions of individual players supposedly linked by the blogettas and traditional media with Arsenal.
This can be used to drive the AAAs mad!! And maybe they’ll take up netball next year
COYG
Very amusing.
Mitroglou……wasn’t he absolutely useless at Fulham….yet the press link him with us!
Kalou…..indeed
Still think there must be a place for Loric Cana in the scheme of things
How would this list look like if indeed BREXIT becomes a reality ? As it is scheduled to be on Thursday, June 23 2016 , Sir Hardly Anyone will have at least a week to quickly whittle down the above list .
Unless of course a number of nonreversible pre-contracts were to be signed earlier ?
Or we only look at players already in the EPL ,or who are already eligible anyway .
Any ideas ?
I want Samba!!!
Pointless article – no-one takes Arsenal transfer rumours seriously, so making fun of the them is like shooting fish in a barrel. The press have column inches to fill and clicks to farm, Arsenal have a lot of fans, so you can’t blame them in that sense, its their job. However, unless the club announce it, there is about 1% probability – even if there is something to it, the likelihood is very low as very few will sell to Arsenal at what Arsenal are prepared to offer, unless they want or need to get rid anyway.
These are a selection of the templates given to the writers to use.
it is said that (insert name) will…
(insert name) has caught the eye of (insert name)…
(insert name) will join the battle to sign (insert name)…
(insert name) are hopeful they can convince (insert name) to leave (insert name)…
(insert name) are said to be preparing a bid for (insert name)…
(insert name) have lined up (insert name) midfielder (insert name) as a replacement for (insert name) should he be sold this summer…
Col, regretfully many do take the transfer rumours seriously. Just look at some of the forums…
Josif, I can’t remember where I saw it but I was given to believe that there is some animosity between Alexis and Vidal, so that appears to be a lie used to garnish a vaguely possible truth about BM wanting him.
para
a couple more to add:
Wenger fails to sign (insert name) who has been an Arsenal target for xx years
Wenger misses out on (insert name) because he won’t pay asking price
(Insert club name) snatch Arsenal target (insert name)from under Wenger’s nose
COYG
Happy transfer window
number 2 on your list is not carlos bacca. his name is alvaro morata
@ Col – Unfortunately many, many people do believe there is something in every single transfer rumour that pops up (no smoke without fire ect) and then when it doesn’t materialize they’ll moan at Wenger for being too tight and not giving them as much as they wanted “bloody Venga had chance to buy xyx, if we had brought him we would be top of the league! Blood Venga!”.