The eight biggest transfer stories of the moment
By Sir Hardly Anyone
Since the issue has been raised about Arsenal being slow off the mark, in a moment I shall take us through all the players thus far signed by a Premier League club and you will be shocked, I can promise you that. But first the big stories of the moment.
1: We didn’t even know we were after him and we have missed out.
OK so we were slow. Very slow it seems. But Talk Sport have told us that Arsenal have missed out on Hoffenheim starlet Nadiem Amiri, and we didn’t even have Arsenal listed as trying to buy him. He’s an attacking midfielder.
2: We must have a centre back
That is the common call and the latest name in the melting pot is Medhi Benatia, who is Moroccan/French and plays for Juventus. And do Juventus want to let him to? Well, that of course is not debated. This comes from Caught Offside who cite Tuttosport.
3: We’ve made a record offer
And that offer is for Yusuf Yazici according to a report from Turkey in Sporx who claim that “Unai Emery is following on from where Arsene Wenger left off in trying to sign the 21-year-old from Trabzonspor.”
And we are further told that “Arsenal reportedly set aside at least €20m for the attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil once called ‘one of the greatest talents in football’.”
And since we are starting paragraphs with And, we might add that the notion of this being a record comes from the fact that “The record transfer fee in the SuperLig is the £20.25m paid by Everton for Cenk Tosun and Arsenal might have to break this if they want to land Yazici, although the details of what, exactly, they are supposed to have offered have not yet been revealed.”
4: Arsenal Fans Go Crazy
103% of all articles in Football London have Arsenal fans going crazy. I suppose that comes from watching too much of the award winning ArsenalFansTV. Anyway they have the headline “‘Lacazette reunion!’ – Arsenal fans go crazy amid rumours of summer move for Bayern Munich star”
But oh those nasty fellas only take us up to drop us down again saying “CalcioInsider now claim that the Gunners are once again interested in the midfielder and new manager Unai Emery is believed to be a big fan.” But, “Given Tolisso, who has been named in France’s squad for the World Cup, impressed after his big-money move, it looks highly unlikely that Bayern will let him depart despite the arrival of Leon Goretzka.”
So the fans go crazy over news that FooLon have produced a tale which is highly unlikely. Yes I can see the fans would grow crazy over such a perfidious report.
5: A journalist with a reliable reputation
Well, we shall see. Here’s his prediction: “Arsenal are considering another free transfer move, this time for Shakhtar Donetsk’s Bernard, according to reports in Italy.
“Premium Sport journalist Andersinho Marques, who has a fairly reliable reputation for transfer news, claims the player is considering three options: Arsenal, Liverpool, and China.”
He’s Brazilian and he’s a 25 year old winger. That’s the player not the reliable journalist.
6: The big deal is done and terms agreed
Arsenal have agreed terms over a three-year contract to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Yacine Adli as Unai Emery prepares to unveil his first summer signing, according to ESPN. That is in Football Talk. 90 Minutes say Arsenal is “set to make” the deal.
7: Emery can be sacked fast
“Arsenal respond to Emery sacking reports” shouts the Metro. That’s because they found a copy of the Times in someone’s dustbin and it says that Arsenal can dismiss him after 2 years without compensation if they feel like it. Or if the fans get all uppity again and hold up banners and fly planes and stuff. Poor guy has hardly got here.
8: A consent form gone bonkers and the bit about slipping behind.
Pain in the Arsenal have got a data consent form that is far too complicated for a simple person like me to understand so I abandoned it not least because I couldn’t find the yes button. But it looks like it is operating out of the US so possibly a good idea to be cautious over agreeing to them using my name on anything.
Their headline which I can read without going on the site is “Should we be concerned by transfer delay?”
Now the reality is that the window actually opened on 17 May but hardly any transfers have gone through yet. But I thought I ought to check on who has transferred inwards into the PL so far? Here is the list, but I warn you it is not very exciting.
Brighton and Hove
Leon Balogun (Mainz) Free
Joseph Tomlinson (Yeovil Town) Free
Florin Andone (Deportivo La Coruna) Undisclosed
Leicester City
Ricardo Pereira (Porto) Undisclosed
Liverpool!
Fabinho (Monaco) Undisclosed
Naby Keita (RB Leipzig) Undisclosed
Newcastle Utd
Martin Dubravka (Sparta Prague) Undisclosed
Watford
Ben Wilmot (Stevenage) Undisclosed
Wolverhampton Wanders
Benik Afobe (AFC Bournemouth) Undisclosed Details
Willy Boly (Porto) Undisclosed Details
And that is it? Should we be worried, given that we obviously had to wait for the new manager to arrive? No, I think that is a little bit silly. I know I don’t usually criticise the bloggettas, well yes actually I do, but I think this time they have overstepped the step, as it were.
Same old Arsenal they need to be more decisive in the transfer market. The problem is they always try to negotiate a price for a player when other teams go in & just buy. The club is starting on the back foot & shoud have made several signings already. The players that they have been linked with will all get signed by other clubs one by one.
Sir,
I believe that Arsenal have made a signing. On May 23 we signed Karl Jakob Hein, a 16 year old Estonian goalkeeper on a scholarship deal.
OK he isn’t a replacement for Cech or Ospina but will probably feature for our U18s at some point next season. He will be expected to sign a professional Contract when he turns 17
Arsenal have not announced any incoming transfer for their senior team squad yet this summer widow. The reason for the lack of announcement could be because they’ve not been able to close any deal so far that they can announce.
Arsenal who are said will operate on a limited transfer kitty of £50m to do their incoming signings this summer are loking to take thier time not to rush to conclude any incoming deal this summer but are being patient to conclude any incoming signing they want to do so as to get the best possible financial advantage out of the deal since there is not much summer transfer kitty to splash arround but a limited budjet which they must be prudent in dispensing it but still get top qiality perfoemance from whomsoever be the new players they’ll sign in this summer.
It could be at the end of this summer transer window, they might end up signing 4 top quality players of 2 CBs, a deeplying/holding midfielder and a striker for option and cover but if they want to replace a lackluster striker currently at the club whom they’ll likely sell.
If Arsenal are to do all these 4 incoming signing this summer which must be within the limit of the £50m transfer kitty approved for them by Arsenal owner, Stan Kroenke to prudently spend to do their incoming transfer this summer window. I think one of the incomings transfer that they will do among the 4 incomimgs that they’ll could possibly sign will be on the free to save paying transfer fee cost for him. But such player that they’ll sign will be of top quality performance value to the club who should impact very positively on Arsenal season in all competitions.
Caught me out there Mr C
That is a really interesting contention Wrighty and one that so far I don’t think is true. But I suppose to prove you wrong (although really the onus is on you to prove it right) we’d need to see if another club has the same level of links with players and then failures. Of course it is a bit late to do it for this window, and it really takes a bloody long time to do it, but I guess it could be done.
Why don’t you choose a club and do the analysis and if we have time we’ll do it as well, and we can see how it pans out.
Wright64 – Is your comment meant to be ironic or something? I genuinely can’t tell.
I think wrighty64 believes every rumour that is being published anywhere…. The problem is that last years it was Wenger who was blamed….now… well…. the scape goat is gone….
Bernard is a very good buy.
I’m not sure ‘Bernard’ would get a work permit for the PL.
His value is difficult to judge at the moment as he’s injured (no return date) and he hasn’t played enough for his national team.
I know the requirements were changed a few years ago, so maybe he meets other criteria…