By Sir Hardly Anyone
“Ben White to Arsenal transfer claims dashed as well-placed source reveals cold, hard truth”
That uncomfortable headline came from Team Talk. And it was uncomfortable because a lot of “sources” have been telling us the opposite. As with the report from Team Talk (yep the very same) that White was already house-hunting in leafy Hertfordshire.
Elsewhere there are tales that the difference between Arsenal and Brighton & Hove is just about whether the money is in part for achieving targets or “add ons”. The Athletic and Sky Sprouts are going with that line.
But then again The Evening Argus, the local Brighton paper, is dubious, saying, “a well-placed source” has told them that such reports are “simply not true”. The point is made in their article that there is no need to sell to Arsenal now. They aren’t desperate for cash, and others will probably come in and offer more.
Now that thought comes from the fact that for months the media has been saying that Arsenal don’t have much of a budget and have to sell in order to finance deals. That was overthrown briefly by the claim that the owner was about to put a quarter of a billion pounds into the club’s transfer fund, but that story too has now gone quiet.
This is not to say that the quarter of a billion tale is untrue but rather that it is more convenient for the media to ignore that one, and focus on Arsenal taking their time, not offering the full amount and so on. Then if the player goes elsewhere the media has another story: Arsenal too slow, owners too mean.
And there is a problem with this transfer. Ben White has only had one season in the Premier League – the one that has just finished. His other experience has been 42 games in League Two, 15 games in League One and 46 games in the Championship. So yes he may be very good indeed, but at Premier League level it is all down to that one season with Brighton.
Now it is true that the Brighton defence was good last season – they conceded 46 goals. Fewer than West Ham, Everton and Leicester in fact, but even so, try this for size….
Supposing you were running the transfers at Arsenal, and you wanted a right back to replace Hector Bellerin who has said he wants to return to Spain. Surely it would be much more intelligent to find a player you want, and to offer the club concerned an extra £500,000 providing no story about the transfer leaks out anywhere until three days before the actual signing.
That way, Arsenal could conduct negotiations quietly and calmly and the selling club gets a bonus. Everyone is happy. After all, there are far fewer scouts watching matches these days because everything is available on video, (which is why Arsenal got rid of most of their scouts last year).
And if you were going for a player and wanted to keep that quiet, what better cover than to let out through “sources close to the club” the fake tale that Arsenal are trying for Ben White? Or indeed someone else?
So what supports the Non-White theory?
Certainly the main point that in recent seasons when we have run the list of the 120 or so players rumoured to be coming to Arsenal, the actual transfers that have happened have only appeared in the media a few days before the transfer is announced.
And second, the fact that it is so clearly beneficial to both clubs that transfers should be kept quiet until both sides are ready to sign off. There is after all, always the chance that the deal doesn’t get done, in which case all the rumours have achieved is to unsettle a player who is already at the club.
Plus what, for example, is Chambers thinking? He’s come back into the team and been happy to play when Bellerin isn’t there. And what of Bellerin himself? Much has been made of him wanting to go back to Spain – but we’ve no idea if that is true. If he doesn’t want to go, or if he hasn’t found a club yet, he’s going to be very unsettled.
In short, there is no benefit to Arsenal for transfer news to leak out while matters are still at the preliminary stage, but every benefit for both parties to keep the story quiet.
Also we know that sports journalists don’t do research, but just print whatever tittle-tattle drops in their inbox. And we are getting on for 90 players rumoured to be coming to Arsenal and its only 25 June.
Of course it is possible that White is coming to Arsenal, but if so, Arsenal have handled the situation badly. But the biggest chance is that he is not coming.
Which will mean that the journalists will be happy because they can run another Arsenal cock-up story which can be once again written without any research or knowledge.
The only sadness is that so many people see to believe the gibberish. I mean, 90 players tipped to be coming to Arsenal and its only 25 June? If you want something insane, that surely is it.
The Glorious 2021 Revolution
- Arsenal only did well after Xmas because the fixtures were much easier
- Why Arsenal absolutely must not “allow the players to play”
- How Arteta gave us a hint of what he was about to do, but we missed it.
- For the last two thirds of last season, Arsenal were a top two club
- The audacious tactical change that sent Arsenal charging up the league table
- Figures from Football Observatory at the end of the season showing Arsenal players dominating the statistics.
I get your recurring point that the football reporting press is rubbish and write garbage . In fairness social media has created a much more open and transparent situation. A conversation with an agent is much more likely to be revealed than it was twenty years ago .
As to White, firstly he is not a right back as his primary position and secondly this is a story that has legs and is highly likely to happen .
I’ve just had a text from my ex work college (a fellow Arsenal fan I worked along side, whom I haven’t actually met for about 10 years but whom I chat to now and then about Arsenal) who says, and I quote “looking like a good transfer window on the horizon buddy” “I really believe this time they will spend a fortune ! (As we haven’t already) The boy from Brighton looks a done deal (does it ?).
My ex work college is an amazingly nice guy. Very bright and loves Arsenal.
Yet he’s bought into all this bullshit hook line and sinker.
Honestly I didn’t know what to say to him without upsetting him so I just sort of agreed how great it would be. I mean what can you say?
It just shows how the smartest people buy in to this rubbish,
The nonsense can be quite enjoyable, taken with a grain of salt and some research. And it’s not all nonsense: last year, the talk all summer was of Aouar and Partey. And they got Partey.
I had the fun of looking at stats (including injury stats) and videos (showing only the good moments) and coming to my own conclusions. I was happy they got Mr. Partey, although injury and acclimatization (I hope that’s what it was) have so far kept him from consistently reaching the level I expected.
We’ll know there’s fire behind the smoke if they indeed end up spending more liberally. Of course, as far as the media and some fans are concerned, Arsenal will either under-spend or over-spend, and always on the wrong players.
If they do acquire several new players, I myself will worry how long it will take for them to meld into a real unit, without losing the improvement they made last year.
I think you should realise that Ornstein is effectively an official mouthpiece of the club because he is effectively an official mouthpiece of the club as Arsenal actually feed him information. So when he says White is almost a done deal I would believe it .If you doubt this and most people on this site doubt everything all but a small handful of people write look back at tye latest signings Arsenal have made and look at how he has reported them .
The Tierney deal was broken in the Athletic a few days ago and lo it has come to pass today . Honestly it really has
Doug Whincup
“And they got Partey”
Bertie Mee
“So when he says White is almost a done deal I would believe it”
When we have over 100 names linked with us in every single transfer window of course 1, 2 maybe 3, maybe even more will be correct, but that hardly gives them credibility.
Look I’m not having a pop, I enjoy reading both of your posts, but the law of averages says someone’s going to get it right, that doesn’t mean they actually knew anything.
Bertie Mee
Please show me how you know Ornstein is an ‘official mouthpiece’ of the club.
What a ridiculous re ark. He leaks Arsenal new with unerring accuracy regularly. Where do you think it comes from ?
Go back and check tte last twenty signings Arsenal have made and Ornstein’s release of the news. Twenty lucky guesses ?
Bertie Mee
Why is it a ridiculous re ark (remark?) ?
I haven’t seen that, you say it’s there. Fine, show me.
Have to say that Ornstien does seem to have an inside track , maybe he inherited it from Steve Stammers.
Whether it’s true or not regarding both things, the Kronke £250 Million and the Ben White transfer, Arsenal fans, and other teams fans, I have spoken to all seem to of bought in to both hook line and sinker.
Despite the apparent Ornstien (I’ve still yet to be shown his last 20 predictions?) connection I will only believe that when it appears on Arsenal.com.
As for the £250 Million (Nett) I’m still not having it.
Both may happen and if they do fine, it doesn’t change the fact that 97% of these transfer rumours will be just that, rumours or that I’m happy with the Kronkes whether the £250 M appears or not.
Wasn’t this Ornstien supposed to have been the then unofficial mouth piece of Ivan Gazidis ? I read it here on these pages .
So whose mouthpiece is he now ?