By Sir Hardly Anyone
It is a vintage week for updating previous rumours with more rumours: but tougher going in terms of finding new players to add to the list. Surely it couldn’t be that having rushed so far ahead at the beginning of the window we are not going to reach the 120 player target, which would be a new record for men tipped to be signing for Arsenal in one summer.
We now have 95 transfers in our list that have been mentioned in the media, but experience suggests that getting the remaining 45 is going to be tough.
Certainly the WC is having an impact, but still here are a few of the latest stories…
1: Torreira
He will sign on 20th June: fact. That is in the Express and Arsenal Fever.
2: Leno
Sky Sports says that the signing of Leno is imminent, although we are forced to add that the word “imminent” seems to have a number of different meanings.
3: Caglar Soyuncu
An old tale returns as we are told he has agreed to join Arsenal. In case you missed it last time around he is a Turkish central defender. The tale is carried by the Star and Arsenal Fever.
4: Jack’s coming back!
In an amazing U-turn we are re-signing Jack Wilshere (according to the Mirror). Given the number of U turns we have had on this shouldn’t the Wilshere deal now be called an S Bend? We count Jack as a signing as his contract runs out at the end of this month.
5: Ramsey: captain!
Arsenal fans (not sure how many of them because that is one thing the Star never ever says) want Ramsey as captain. OK it is not a transfer story but it was accompanied by pictures of the player rescuing tiny animals in and around ponds which is at least a little more unusual.
6: Aleksandr Golovin
CSKA Moscow want €25million for Aleksandr Golovin we are told Arsenal and Chelsea are rivals to hand over the cash. This is from Football London who seem to have forgotten that they previously said we had to do the deal before the world cup otherwise it was dead.
7: Steven N’Kemboanza Mike Nzonzi
Pain in the Arsenal says no to the idea of this transfer but the Independent has made it a possible. The Express says he is teasing. Sevilla say we have to pay £35m. Sky Sports and HITC have also had this tale. In case you missed all the excitement he is a 29 year old defensive midfielder.
8: Hirving Lozano
Football London say we are looking for an attacking winger and Hirving Lozano is in serious contention. He’s a winger, he is Mexican, he is with PSV and is known locally as Chucky.
9: Benjamin Pavard
Suspicions have been aroused that either the Sun journalists have been drinking more than usual or have fallen asleep not noticing they have revived an old story. He is a 22 year old defender from Stuttgart.
10: Samu Castillejo
AC Milan are our rivals on this one. He is Spanish, plays for Villarreal, is 23 and is a winger.
And now with that done and dusted here is our fulsome list of all the transfers we’ve spotted… Still only one confirmed though.
| No. | Player | From | Source | Information |
| Update | Yacine Adli | PSG | Sport Review. Talk Sport says the deal is certainly on for a mere £250,000. Mirror says it is for sure. Sports Lens says no. | Barcelona Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Juventus want him. He’s a wonderkid. All set to sign NOW (DZ) |
| 2 | Toby Alderweireld | Tottenham | Football London | Man U interested. FL urges urgent action |
| 3 | Marco Asensio | Real Madrid | Guardian | Liverpool will pay up to £131m, Chelsea also keen. |
| 4 | Álvaro Odriozola Arzallus | Real Sociedad | Football London | Mainly right back can also play on the wing |
| 5 | Leon Bailey | Bayer Leverkusen | Talk Sprout; Football London | Cost £100m, he’s a winger or a midfielder who gives assists. Chelsea more likely |
| 6 | Mario Balotelli | Nice | Football London (who else?), Mirror, La Gazetta dello Sport | “He’s rebuilt his reputation in France” |
| 7 | Ever Banega | Sevilla | Daily Star | Argentine player, central midfield |
| 8 | Jack Butland | Stoke | The Sun, 101 Great Goals | Liverpool also after this keeper |
| 9 | Karim Benzema | Real Mad | EPR Scouts, Football Transfer Tavern, Diario Gol, | Deal agreed £35m. No €60 million, |
| 10 | Emre Can | Liverpool | Fourth Official | Liverpool won’t give him an extension |
| NEW | Samu Castillejo | Villareal | El Periodico Mediterraneo | AC Milan interested also. Would cost £30m |
| 12 | Jasper Cillessen | Barcelona | Mundo Deportivo, Daily Cannon | A keeper. |
| 13 | Doucoured | Watford | Football London | Play next to Ramsey to bring “much needed brawn and steel to a weak midfield.” |
| 14 | Ousmane Dembele | Barcelona (joined from Dortmund for £96m) | Express, Don Balon, Arsenal News, Gunnersphere, Telefoot | Swap deal with Bellerin even though we don’t need any more forwards and he is injury prone, but is a friend of Aub’s. Says he’s not moving |
| 15 | Kerem Demirbay | Hoffenheim | TalkSport. Liga Financial, Star, AFC Fever | Midfielder, AFC price agreed, Liverpool want him. Price agreed |
| 16 | Leander Dendoncker | Anderlecht | Fourth Official | Defensive midfield, creative midfield… |
| 17 | Abdoulaye Doucoure | Watford | Hertfordshire Mercury | Goalkeeper. Watford want to keep him. Tots want him |
| 18 | Johnny Evans | WBA | Daily Mirror, Football London | He’s the key man we need. £3m from WBA if they go down. FL just reignited the story in early June. |
| 19 | Nabil Fekir | Olympique Lyonnais | Mail. Football London | Arsenal’s number 1 target; attacking midfield. FL says maybe Liverpool |
| 20 | Emil Forsberg | RB Leipzig | Sportwitness and Calcio Mercato. £47m. | A replacement for Alexis Sanchez. He’s going to be the first signing |
| 21 | Fred | Shakhtar | Gibfootballshow | Arsenal to get him for £30m |
| 22 | Willem Geubbels | Lyon | Football London | 16 years old forward, Barce, Leipzig and Chelsea also want him |
| 23 | Alex Grimaldo | Benfica | Read Arsenal | Left back. Man U, PSG & Monaco fancy him |
| 24 | Jose Gimenez | Atletico Madrid | Marca, TalkSport, SportsReview | £53m but no sooner is it announced than we are set to miss out on him. That hardly seems fair |
| Update | Alexander Golovin | CKSA Moscow | Football London | Midfielder. One of the players we must buy before the WC. Chelsea are our rivals. |
| NEW | Mario Gotze | Dortmund | Tribal Football, Daily Canon, Sky Sports | Arsenal are favourites to sign him for £18m |
| 27 | Goncalo Guedes | PSG | Liga Financial | PSG must sell because of FFP, Arsenal have announced interest |
| 28 | Kai Havertz | Bayer Leverkusen | Metro, Mail, Tribal Football | AFC and Liverpool want him. Midfielder; B,L’s youngest ever player |
| Update | Dean Henderson | Man U; Shrewsbury | Mirror, Football London | Wants to leave to get 1st team football. He’s a keeper. No he has snubbed Arsenal and is staying |
| 30 | Ahmed Hegazi | West Brom | Transfer Tavern | Defender |
| 31 | Lorenzo Insigne. | Napoli | CalcioMercato.it. Football fancast | An attacker, aged 26, Italian international |
| 32 | Jakub Jankto | Udinese | Teamtalk | It’s either Arsenal or AC Milan |
| 33 | Jorginho | Napoli | Hot Stepanovs | Faster and smaller than Xhaka |
| 34 | Lukas Kolstermann | Leipzig | Bild says yes but Football Fancast says no | Full back; can play left and right |
| 35 | Kalidou Koulibaly | Napoli | Daily Mirror, Gunnersphere, Guardian, Corriere Dello Sport, Tribal Football | Centre back; top priority, Chelsea, Man C and Liverpool want him |
| 36 | Layvin Kurzawa | PSG | Sportsmole, the Week, | To replace Bellerin |
| 37 | Alban Lafont | Toulouse | Arsenal Mania, Daily Canon | Goalkeeper, Boyhood supporter of Arsenal. “Set to leave”. But he’s only 19. |
| 38 | Thomas Lemar | Monaco | ArsenalNewsHQ; Mirror; TalkSport. Star, Different League | Deal confirmed; has rejected a new contract. All go!!! Or he has “become available” |
| 39 | Stephan Lichtsteiner | Juventus | Just about everywhere | SIGNED. Right back, available free, he’s 34 and he will be the first signing. “It’s done” (Football London) |
| 40 | Matthias De Ligt | Ajax | Football London, Mirror | Centre back; Tots and Man C also want him. Has handed in a transfer request |
| Update | Bernd Leno | Bayer Leverkusen | Football London, Daily Express (they are certain), Bild, Star. Sky Sports say it will happen now. | A keeper available for just £22m. The story has popped up again after a month of silence.He will be first signing. No he is going to Liverpool (Star) |
| 42 | Diogo Leite | Porto | A Bola (which is a Portuguese “outlet” not a virulent disease; Guardian | Centre back |
| 43 | Joel Lopez | Barcelona | Sports Lens | 21 year old left midfield |
| Update | Lozano | PSV | Sport 360, Arsenal mania, Football London | Winger who can cut inside, FootLond say we are looking for an attacking winger! |
| NEW | David Luiz | Chelsea | Le10Sport | The defensive midfielder we need, out of favour with Chelsea |
| 46 | James Maddison | Norwich | Mirror, Sport Review, Birmingham Mail says it is about to happen | Midfield playmaker; Tottenham, Everton, Brighton Southampton & Man C also want him |
| 47 | Harry Maguire | Leicester | Sky Sports | Centre half. Man U also want him. |
| 48 | Malcolm | Bordeaux | FootballBible, Sport Review, Gunnerspheree, Football London | Winger; everyone is interested; he says he goes in the summer. But might go to China. No will play in a 3 man line behind the number 9. |
| 49 | Gelson Martins | Sporting Lisbon | “Arsenal fail with £26m bid to sign Sporting Lisbon star” Metro | HITC says Everton wants him. He’s a winger. |
| 50 | Joao Mario | Inter on loan at WHU | Fourth Official | Midfield, and said to love London |
| 51 | Lautaro Martinez | Racing Club de Avellaneda | Gunnersphere | Striker. Inter have offered €20million |
| 52 | Anthony Martial | Man U | Sun, 4th Official | Signed by United from AC Monaco in 2015, the £75.7m |
| 53 | Alex McCarthy | Southampton | Football London | Goalkeeper. |
| 54 | Max Meyer | Schalke 04. | Football London, Daily Canon, Guardian, Talk Sport, Express. Contract ends this season. FL still talking it up | Attacking midfield or playmaker. Liverpool battling with Arsenal New Santi Cazorla |
| 55 | Radja Nainggolan | Roma | The Sun, Gunnersphere | He’s a powerhouse midfielder and will cost £45m |
| 56 | Keylor Navas | Real Madrid | Don Ballon, HITC, | A goalkeeper looking for work. He’s 31 |
| 57 | Robert Navarro | Barcelona | Daily Mail, Canon | He’s 15 and plans to leave on his 16th birthday. Arsenal have made an offer |
| 58 | Wilfred Ndidi | Leicester | Mad About PL, Goonertalk, African Football, Sun | Midfielder, Man U want him too |
| 59 | Saul Niguez | At Madrid | Mirror, Arsenal Station | £130m will get him. Midfielder |
| Update | Stephen N’Zonzi | Sevilla | Football London, Arsenal Mania. | Def midfield. In March FL had him “jetting to London) now they are not so sure. Arsenal Mania say it is on. |
| 61 | Abulkadir Omur | Trabzonspor | Turkish football says Ozil recommends him | Central midfield |
| 62 | Oguzhan Ozyakup | Besiktas | Mail. Football London says Wenger obsessed the transfer | Arsenal to bring back their ex-player at the end of his contract |
| Update | Cristan Pavon | Boca Juniors. | Mirror says WHU want him, Sports Mole says we are close | We’ve already held talks. He’s 22, a forward. FootLond revitalised the old story late June |
| NEW |
Benjamin Pavard |
VfB Stuttgart | Sun, HITC | 22 year old defender also linked with Tottenham |
| 65 | Danilo Pereira | Porto | O Jogo | Defensive midfield, currently injured |
| 66 | Dennis Praet | Sampdoria | Football London says one we we must have him, next week no | Attacking midfielder |
| 67 | Pablo Moreno | Barcelona | Mundo Deportivo | He’s 15 and his contract runs out at the end of the season |
| 68 | Jan Oblak | Atletico Mad | FootballBible; Gibfootballshow, Star | Goalkeeper also wanted by Chelsea and Liverpool. 100m euros. At Mad “expect him to leave” |
| 69 | Panagiotis Retsos | Bayer Leverkusen | Goal, 4th official | Greek South African defender |
| 70 | Ivan Rakitic | Barcelona | Star | Attacking midfield |
| 71 | Rodrigo | Valencia | Fotomac, Football Fancast | Selling Lacazette to buy him. He’s a 27 year old winger |
| 72 | Sergio Rico | Sevilla | Football London | Goalkeeper; won the Europa twice |
| Update | Sokratis Papastathopoulos | Borussia Dortmund | Birmingham Live, Gazzetta dello Sport, Football London, Evening Standard, Read Arsenal. Hatchet job from Pain in the Ars. L’Équipe says it is done | Man U, Juventus, Chelsea interested in 29 year old defender. Arsenal now favourites. He’s going to be 1st signing. Final details being arranged, No Juventus are still trying |
| 74 | Adrien Rabiot | PSG | Football Lond spotted him at London Colney | Defensive midfield; 1 year left on contract |
| 75 | Richarlison | Watford | EPL Scouts, 4th Official | Forward, Chels & Tots also; Arsenal miss out & Arsenal to hijack deal, both on same site!!! |
| 76 | Daniele Rugani | Juventus | Whoscored | Defender. Agent confirms |
| 77 | Morgan Sanson | Bordeaux | Express says we are fighting Tottenham for this player | 23 years old, midfielder |
| Update | Jean-Michael Seri | Nice | Mentioned on Arsenal.com. From the Mirror and Metro, Star, Mail, Standard, Hard Tackle | Midfielder but Arsenal have been too slow and Chelsea have got him, just as they lost out last window. Sports Review says it is still on |
| 79 | Bassem Srarfi | Nice | Foot Lond – but they changed their mind. | Winger or midfielder. He’s 20. Going to Leicester? |
| 80 | Andre Silva | Milan | Mad about EPL | Attacking midfield “sensation” but failed to show his attributes this year. Wolverhampton also interested. |
| 81 | Chris Smalling | Man U | Daily Canon, Sport 360, Daily Star, Guardian | £25m will get him |
| Update | Caglar Söyüncü | Freiburg | Football Whispers, Arsenal Station, Sky Sports, Telegraph, Talksport, The Sun, ESPN, 100 Great Goal Price about £35m | Central midfield. Liverpool, Man C, Dortmund “in race”. He wants a guarantee of 1st team footie. He’s going to be the first signing. No but he’s signing NOW (Star) |
| 83 | Anderson Talisca | Benfica on loan to Besiktas | O Jogo | Brazilian attacking midfield |
| 84 | Kieran Tierney | Celtic | Football London | Left Back |
| 85 | Corentin Tolisso | Bayern | Foot Lond | Bayern bought him last year for €40 million. Now Arsenal are buying him for €60 million. No! |
| Update | Lucas Torreira | Sampdoria | TuttoMercatoWeb, Sport Review, the Metro, Calciomercato Sampdoria, the Express, Daily Star | The Star says the signing will be on 20 June. A defensive midfielder and he’s going to be first |
| 87 | Cengiz Ünder | Roma | Tuttomercato; he’s a goalscoring winger | £26m offered £40m demanded |
| 88 | Josha Vagnoman | Hamburg | ESPN (2nd youngster player in the German league ever) | Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton all want him |
| 89 | Timo Werner | Leipzig | Arsenal mania, Sun | 21 year old who has scored a multitude of goals |
| 90 | Ben Wilmot | Stevenage | Sportsmole, Gunnersphere. The 72 | 18 year old played a dozen or so games. Totts also interested. Price is £2m |
| Update | Jack Wilshere | Arsenal | Evening Standard saying he will not sign new contract until his playing position is defined by manager | Obviously he’s with us but some sites now treat him as having left unless he signs again. We are signing him (Mirror) |
| 92 | Wilfried Zaha | Crystal Palace | Liga Financial | Arsenal making a bid of £25m |
| 93 | Cristian Zapata | Milan | Giants Football News | Defender |
| 94 | Piotr Zielinski | Napoli | The Mirror | Midfielder: “An essential signing” |
| 95 | Andrija Zivkovic | Benfica | Football Facts, The Record, EatSleepSports ArsenalStation, Telegraph, Giants, Tribal Football, Sport Witness | 21 year old striker. Man U also want him Price is £52m |
According to a rumor in the Daily Slogger, Sir Hardly anyone was a train spotter in his former life.
He retired his anorak when his girl friend Rosaline told him that collecting football rumors transfer is even more geeky.
Train spotters know all about trains and therefore get on the right one and end up in the right place. People who criticise them often end up in the wrong place as they don’t know the facts about the timetable and then blame somebody else for it 🙂
One of our signings, Stephan Lichtsteiner had a pretty good game against Brazil last night & took care of Neymar well enough all things considered.
I still can’t warm to Xhaka though, he fouls so needlessly.
I am interested to see Aleksandr Golovin playing at the Emirate Stadium for the Gunners this coming summer campaign if Arsenal would sign him. But what can my interest to see him play for Arsenal this summer campaign do? I am just an ordinary Gonner living in Nigeria and I have never even been to the UK talk less of to have watched Arsenal playing at the Emirates Stadium but on my TV set through Dstv cable subscription. Therefore, I cannot influence any decision making on Arsenal player transfers, can I? But can only be crying foul on the pages of the internet wildness where I continue to show my passion for Arsenal which is unlimited. But sometimes my crying foul may not be seen as a foul by the Arsenal bosses. And I have to accept that whether I like it or not.
I watched Stephan Lichtsteiner got injured against Brazil yesterday at the World Cup. But has that told us something about him? Tell us what? Anyway, the match was tough and Switzerland just about deserved the draw they got from the match. And Xhaka once again showed his long range passing capability in the match but Sagiri cannot utilise it as he failed to collect one such long range pass from Xhaka.
Is the VAR impartial in this World Cup? Or is selectively working for the team it wants to see win or draw a match? Shouldn’t the VAR have given Brazil a penalty as the match referee didn’t point to the spot when Jesus was pulled down in the box? And should Nigeria have had a VAR penalty award when Victor Moses was elbowed and pushed down in the box by a Croatian player?
But who got booked in the game, Lichtsteiner or Xhaka? I think Lichtsteiner got a yellow period to him being substituted toward the end of the match.
And would Neymar becomes the most fouled player in this World Cup? The stats say he was fouled 10 times by Switzerland yesterday.
Özil doing all he can to get back home soon 😉
Ooh the infadel is insulting the pedant, fight, fight, fight!
Sir…. I am loathe to say you can be a bit of a square, and rather presumptuos on occassion, which can be irksome. But at least you aren’t an infidel.
Thanks for the tit bits, is it raining where you are? Why the anaorak? Train spotting and timetables? I thought tardy people and those lacking a good sense of direction, got lost in train changes….?
The most comical part is that I think most of this list are either [retty much unavilable, or will ultimately go nowehere.
Well at least it will inflate their next pay packet.