By Sir Hardly Anyone
When we run silly stories we try to say so in the headline (not to mention with the name of the author). But not Football.London who have tricked innocent Arsenal fans into reading their stuff with the tale that “Ismael Bennacer has impressed with Empoli in the season just gone, registering five assists in Serie A and it looks like he could very well be on the move during the summer window. This would benefit Arsenal because they reportedly have a 30% sell-on fee clause. Empoli’s president, Fabrizio Corsi, admitted in April that the midfielder is almost certain to leave this summer.”
All of which is of no concern of ours except for the fact that the notorious FooLo runs under the headline ‘Can afford Zaha now!’ presumably because with the money we get from the Bennacer sell on Arsenal is now cash rich.
(Mind you Wales Today which tells us that Arsenal fans were “up in arms” over the issue of Ramsey leaving Arsenal on 30 June. Really, I must have missed that one. I think we’ve come to terms with it by now. Stuff happens.)
Anyway here are the big ones of the moment
- Arsenal unwilling to offer the full €30m for William Saliba says the
- Arsenal have made an opening £27m plus bonuses bid to sign Lucas Vazquez as Real Madrid look to cash-in on the winger this summer. Football Talk. He’s a 28 year old right winger.
- Arsenal set to make free agent Yacine Brahimi first summer signing following Porto exit moving when Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign comes to an end. TalkSport. He is a 29 year old attacking midfielder who has played 139 games for Porto.
1: Reiss Nelson
The Mirror which owns FooLo says that Palace will sell Zaha if they can have Reiss Nelson in part exchange. Except that they also say in another article that Man U have a sell on clause for Zaha (which is a bit steep since he only played for them twice) and so the price for Palace to sell is now £95m, in order to get their profit and pay off Man U.
2: Cahill
Arsenal are among four Premier League clubs who are considering a “summer swoop” for former Chelsea captain Gary Cahill says the Mirror. 90 Min also has this saying “Cahill was forced to depart this summer upon the expiration of his contract. Maurizio Sarri’s treatment of him throughout the season has to be considered a black mark against his name.”
3: Aubameyang
Arsenal are willing to sell Aubameyang to Man U for £56m says the Daily Star
4: Mustafi
After weeks and weeks of every “outlet” telling us that he has to go, finally the Mirror has supposedly found a club that is willing to take Mustafi. “Fenerbahce are reportedly in the process of stepping up their pursuit” we are told.
5: Jules Koundé
Sport 360 seem to be alone in picking up on this 22 year old centre back who apparently played in every game for Bordeaux last season – but others are after him too they tell us.
6: Armando Izzo
He apparently had an excellent season for Torino and is attracting plenty of interest this summer. Despite having just joined the club from Genoa last summer for €9.7 million, now it’s looking like he could be on the move again. Everton want him too. This from SB Nation.
7: Torreira
Squawka now tells us what we knew all along – Torreira is staying. They still get a bit of drama out of the non-event however with the headline “Arsenal transfer news: ‘Official line’ from AC Milan quells Lucas Torreira fears.”
Did you have fears? Really?
8: Keita Balde
He’ s a Monaco winger, but was loaned out last season and now several purveyors of the tittle and the tattle say he is Arsenal bound on the grounds that we need a winger, apparently.
9: Sutton: It smacks of disgusting contempt
Now that is a bit harsh coming any journalist, but it is quite something when announced by a football journalist and reported on a national sports radio station. “Arsenal trying to commit ‘transfer market murder’ and Kieran Tierney should be insulted by £15m bid, slams Celtic legend Chris Sutton” is what they have said about the alleged Arsenal bid.
And this is the point. The most likely scenario is that none of the story is true, so the contempt being expressed is that of Talk Sport in running it as a true tale, and Chris Sutton who is silly enough to believe it might be true in the first place.
FooLo say a second bid has been made and rejected.
East Lower however got the whole thing just about right, and hoping that the blogger doesn’t mind I thought I’d run his whole article which came under the headline “Ooh ooh Tierney add-ons”
I was considering the ongoing saga of Kieran Tierney (is it a saga? Perhaps not yet) and I was ruminating on the way Arsenal were proposing to structure a deal (yes I am this boring in real life). By all accounts Arsenal are offering an up-front fee and a bunch of sweeteners contingent on various things happening.
And then this headline came to me, and it made me laugh – probably just me, I know. Normally, you’d think of something to write, write it, *then* think of a suitable headline. I’m flipping the norms here by thinking of the headline first, then writing nothing.
10: Zaha no deal …
Because of the Palace takeover – or at least the buying out of two of the existing shareholders who have seemingly had enough. It’s the Metro that says that Crystal Palace don’t want to sell Zaha now because that could screw up negotiations.
11: Arsenal agree three year deal extension
That’s the headline on the Daily Cannon which takes us to the article…
“Arsenal have renewed their partnership with Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. (KONAMI) which will now run until 2022.” I am sure we are all pleased to hear it.
12: James Hillson
He’s an 18 year old goalkeeper, who Arseblog tell us “joined Arsenal on loan from Reading towards the end of last season to provide cover for the injured Karl Hein.” He apparently played in the Dallas Cup and
Although he didn’t play a league game for the Gunners at youth level last campaign, Hillson featured in the Dallas Cup, while he also made the bench for the U23s and the U18s in addition to training with the first-team on several occasions.
Hillson was released by Reading at the end of last season but the fact that he was back at the Arsenal training ground indicates that a permanent deal is in the offing, even though this has yet to be confirmed.
If he does end up signing for Arsenal then Hillson will still be able to feature for the U18s as an overage player in addition to being part of the U23 setup.
13. Gabrielle Martinelli has been spotted in London by FooLo.
Described as a quick and skillful player who is comfortable playing as a second striker or as a winger with an eye for goal. Oh for the days of “spotted at the airport.”
14: Fekir
“Arsenal offered Nabil Fekir for just £30m” says TBR Football. They blame the Mirror for that one. This wild tale is that the Telegraph said Liverpool were going to buy him for over £50m but he failed the medical. But Lyon, his current club, were banking on the money and so need to move him on.
He’s an attacking midfielder or a forward, he’s 25, he’s French, he’s won the world cup. Talk Sport are running this one as well. They also blame the Mirror.
15: Jarrod Bowen
Arsenal are offering £12m for Hull City’s striker Jarrod Bowen, who they see as a cheaper alternative to Wilfried Zaha. Quite a lot cheaper in fact. He’s English and he is 22. That’s according to Talk Sport. Again.
And that, I think, is that.
Oh yes, and Hector is showing off his new haircut.
Well they got Martinelli right. That must be it for the year now!!