by Sir Hardly Anyone
So the craziness goes on – with 99 players now tipped to be in negotiation to come to Arsenal, and the first signing tipped for today, 29 June.
“Mikel Arteta’s side needs some fresh faces after a poor season that saw them miss out on a European spot. The Spaniard is now set to lead a summer overhaul that could see several players move to the Emirates.” That’s Just Arsenal continuing with the standard (and quite mistaken) line that last season was a disaster.
The Express runs Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta endured a poor first full season in charge.
But some blogs are rapidly pulling away from their insistence that Xhaka is going, having actually managed to watch him play for Switzerland. As we’ve been saying, he was our best player this last season.
So here we are: 99 players tipped to join and we are still in June. Seven are new for today, with a fair number still being updated.
| No | Player | Current club | Position | Reported by |
| 1 | Patrick van Aanholt | Released by Palace | Left Back | HITC; Hardtackle. Backup for Tierney |
| 2 | Max Aarons | Norwich | Full back | Daily Express |
| 3 | Abdul Abdulmalik | Millwall | Forward | Mail. Swansea have made a bid. Express says Millwall trying to hold him |
| 4 | Tyler Adams | Leipzig | Midfield | FoLo |
| Update | Amine Adli | Toulouse | Forward | TBR: Leicester also interested. Player has rejected new contract. SportWitness, no he’s staying put. |
| 6 | Houssem Aouar | Lyon | Midfield | Football.London (FoLo). Negotiations at advanced stage |
| 7 | Tosin Adarabioyo | Fulham | Centre back | Daily Express. Just £10m (Daily Cannon) until 1 month before new season. Top Flight: Arsenal interested. Centre back£10m release clause. The Athletic |
| 8 | Yuri Alberto | Inter | Forward | 20 year old Brazilian. Inter need the money |
| 9 | Joachim Andersen | Lyon | Centre back | Replacement for David Luiz. £20m. FFC. |
| 10 | Loic Bade | Lens | Defender | Boot Room. £22m Leeds also want. |
| 11 | Folarin Balogun | Arsenal academy | Striker | All Nigeria Soccer says he is in the party going to USA for pre-season. |
| 12 | Dominico Beradi | Sassuolo | Winger | €50million (Arsenal Fever). |
| 13 | Nicolo Barella | Inter Milan | Centre midfield | Anfield Central |
| NEW | Andrea Belotti | Palermo | Striker | Man U, Liverpoool, Chelsea, Everton also interested. 101 great goals |
| Update | Sander Berge
|
Sheffield Utd | Midfield | HITC; Express – he was seen out with Odegaard, Arsenal not willing to pay the asking price. Caught offside: Price dropped. VG says Arsenal interested, so does FoLo. Insidefutbol says AFC not willing to pay the price asked. Caught Office: Arsenal reaching agreement. |
| 16 | Ryan Bertrand | Southampton | Left back | Mirror |
| 17 | Yves Bissouma | Brighton | Midfield | Africa Football, Express, TBR, HITC, FoLo. No he’s going to Liverpool (Express) – it’s a swap deal with Nketiah. “Fans in meltdown” FoLo. He’s wanting a move (Rousingthekop). Anfield Cental: Liverpool will regret this. £50m quoted |
| 18 | Josip Brekalo | Wolfsberg | Winger | Just Arsenal |
| 19 | Emiliano Buendia | Norwich | Playmaker | Daily Mail, Metro, FL, Boot Room, Sportslens, HITC, TBR, Teamtalk, Telegraph, F365, FoLo, HITC. Told to forget AFC and sign for Villa (Birmingham Live). Arsenal have offered £35m (Star). Caught offside say its on. And HITC. No – he went to Villa |
| Update | Eduaro Camavinga | Rennes | Midfield | Will cost around €50million, Caught offside. TBR say he is compared to Vieira. HITC its on. SportsMole: he’s the main target. Arsenal tracking him (Mail). Caught Offside: Man U about to muscle in |
| 21 | Luis Campos | Lille | Sporting director | Would handle transfers. Charlie Watts says good idea |
| 22 | Hakan Calhanoglu | AC Milan | Midfield | Out of contract this summer. HITC – “exceptionally talented” |
| 23 | Dominic Calvert-Lewin, | Everton | Forward | Express: Arsenal weighing up options. Hard Tackle: Arsenal “keeping tabs”. |
| 24 | Eduardo Camavinga | Rennes | Midfield | 4th Official: Talented anchorman who can spray passes all around the park. |
| 25 | Zeki Celik | Lille | Right back | Standard, Just Arsenal, Sports Lens, Sport Review Man U, Totts also interested. HITC say it would be a bargain fee. Mail says interest is still on. |
| 26 | Nathan Collins | Stoke City | Defender | Sun, TBR. (Arsenal buying an “uncompromising” Stoke defender????). The 72. |
| 27 | Jesus Corona | Porto | Right back or wing | Metro. Signing this week. HITC – he’s refusing to sign a new contract. Still a target (xpress) |
| 28 | Joaquin Correa | Lazio | Forward | TBR £30m. Offer is now Torreira plus cash (TBR). One offer rejected already |
| 29 | Philippe Coutinho | Barcelona | Midfield | Just Arsenal, FoLo: Arsenal will have to wait. Winterburn says “don’t”. Just Arsenal says Arsenal interested. Express says still on. Mirror says AFC want report on his injury. PSG have made a bid: The Lazalai. HITC: Arsenal make contact |
| 30 | Patson Daka | RB Salzburg | Striker | TBR Football; Leicester want him so Arsenal no chance Express |
| 31 | Moussa Dembele | Lyon (At. Madrid) | Striker | Daily Express, HITC. FoLo: “Fresh Arsenal links”. Just Arsenal: he can leave |
| 32 | Sergino Dest | Barcelona | Right back | Bleacher claims he has £343 million release clause. HITC says could be on at lower price! HITC now says it is on |
| 33 | Amadou Diawara | AS Roma | Defensive midfield | Moving to Arsenal as part of the Xhaka deal: Hard Tackle |
| 34 | Josh Doig | Hibs | Left back | The Scotsman. £5m. FoLo say Arsenal desperate to buy a new left back. |
| 35 | Oddsonne Edouard | Celtic | Striker | Daily Star. FoLo says Leicester and Milan want him. Now FoLo say he’s staying at Celtic! |
| 36 | Nabil Fekir | Real Betis | Forward | HITC: wants to move to Arsenal. FoLo says it is on. TBR says he wants to join. Arsenal made an offer (Canon). Still on Team Talk, Just Arsenal. Star: bid far too low. 101 says most realistic transfer |
| 37 | Ferreira | Grêmio | Winger | 23 years old (Caught offside) |
| NEW | Florian Grillitsch | Hoffenheim | Midfield | Only one year left on contract HITC |
| Update | Matteo Guendouzi | Arsenal! | Midfield | He’s been in disgrace so long it seems like he’s already gone but Metro is saying he will be given a contract extension & return. Just Arsenal now re-running that story |
| NEW | Miguel Gutierrez | Real Madrid | Full Back | The Athletic; Hard Tackle |
| 41 | Achraf Hakimi | Inter Milan | Right Back | Daily Express, HITC |
| Update | Alexander Isak | Real Sociedad | Forward | The Athletic says Arsenal interested. HITC re-running it. And FoLo. Cesc says his the top man at the Euros. Others agree. HITC raving. Chelsea & Liverpool also want him. (Sports Mole). Tottenham also want him HITC. Arsenal met the asking price. Star agrees. Release clause £60m – Media Referee. Teamtalk: nearly there. |
| 43 | Joan Jordan. | Sevilla | Midfield | TBR says Sevilla don’t want to sell. |
| 44 | Kaio Jorge | Santos | Forward | Wolverhampton also interested (Caught offside) |
| 45 | Kyle Joseph | Swansea | Forward | Wales online: Swansea, Rangers, Celtic also want him |
| 46 | Glen Kamara | Rangers | Midfield | Rangers News. Watford News says he’s going to Watford. |
| 47 | Jonjoe Kenny. | Everton | Right Back | Mail / TBR. We need a right back??? Celtic Star calls him “Celtic flop”. |
| Update | Franck Kessie | AC Milan | Midfield | £42m (HITC). Arsenal out front (Mirror). Insidefutbol “Arsenal sniffing around” |
| 49 | Tenu Koopmeiners | AZ Alkmaars | Midfield | 23 year old playing for Netherlands |
| 50 | Jules Kounde | Sevilla | Centre back | Daily Express, Star, HITC. Sports Mole says offer about to go in. TBR says Arsenal moving in. |
| 51 | Layvin Kurzawa | PSG | Left Back | Sport Witness |
| 52 | Tariq Lamptey | Brighton & Hove | Right back | Sky Sports News. TBR says still onf |
| 53 | Manuel Locatelli | Sassulo (Serie A) | Midfield | Express: player will decide after Euros. £34m asked. Juventus also interested. Arsenal made offer. Juventus leading – HITC. Arsenal set to miss out (Shoot) |
| Update | Albert Sambi Lokonga | Anderlecht | Midfield | Like Yaya Toure, better than Yves Bissouma. TBR says, could be available on the cheap. Henry recommends. Footballtalk says first bid rejected. TBR says transfer is inevitable. Metro says Arsenal have put bid in. AFC just £4m short (Athletic). Any moment, HITC. Fo Lo this week. Just Arsenal, Arsenal too slow. Canon – details of contract and salary. Shirt no discussed (Canon). Personal terms being discussed (Fresh Arsenal). Done (Team Talk). It will happen (HITC). The first transfer (Hard Tackle), Talks are on (ThisisFutbol). Not in Anderlecht pre-season (Daily Canon). Improved off (Mail Online) Only offering €15m with add ons (Sport Witness). New bid entered (365) |
| Update | James Maddison | Leicester | Playmaker | Leicester Live. Chelsea also interested. Arsenal top of the list – £60m FoLo, TBR, Football Fancast, Hard Tackle He’ll have to demand transfers to get to Arsenal (Mercury). Arsenal giving up on other buys to get him. Was top target but now too expensive (Fansided). He’s top target (Express) |
| 56 | Noussair Mazraoui | Bayern Munich | Right back | 101 great goals |
| 57 | Riyad Mahrez | Manchester City | Forward | Daily Mail, Leicester Mercury, Football London, Sport Review, TBR. AFC pushing forward to deal. HITC says he has announced he is not going. Mirror, ask make enquiry |
| NEW | Mert Muldur, | Sassuolo (Italy) | Full back | Can play left and right (Just Arsenal) |
| 59 | Ruben Neves | Wolverhampton Wands | Midfield | Dail Mail: Wolv. wanting £41m; TBR “move is imminent”. Swap for Maitland Niles (Mirror). Arriving this week. Replacing Xhaka (HITC). No this week (which is the following week). F365. “A bad move” Agbonlahor |
| 60 | Neto | Barcelona | Goalkeeper | Caught Offside |
| 61 | Martin Odegaard | Real Madrid | Midfield | Arsenal not offering enough. Mirror. HITC will stay at Madrid. Being offered in swap for Smith Rowe (sport Bible). Still a priority (Arsenal Fever). Arsenal out of it, going to Liverpool (Rousing) |
| 62 | Andre Onana | Ajax | Keeper (banned for one year, reduced to 9 months on appeal) | Caught Offside, Mail, Telegraph. Mirror says Arsenal’s keeper coach prefers him to Leno for immediate change. Teleg says we’ll buy no matter what happens in court. Hard Tackle: deal close. HITC says he wants to join but Arsenal offer too low, Now say Arsenal are great fans. CAS has reduced his sentence to nine months (TBR). Inside Football says AFC to bid. Football Talk also. “Talks ongoing” Sports review. |
| 63 | Paul Onuachu | Genk | Striker | Sport Witness |
| 64 | Michael Olise | Reading | Midfield | All Nigerian Soccer |
| 65 | Charlie Patino | Arsenal Academy | Defensive midfield | 17 year old. Maybe going to under 23s first. HITC |
| 66 | Rodrigo de Paul | Udinese | Attacking midfield | Caught offside. Liverpool and Leeds also looking. AFC late interest (caughtoffside). HITC. Daily Canon – he’s going to At Madrid |
| 67 | Alassane Plea | Borussia Monchengladbach | Attack | Express; Hard Tackle |
| NEW | Dennis Praet | Leicester | Midfield | Athletic, Express, Sport Review |
| Update | Aaron Ramsdale | Sheffield Utd | Goal | Last word, Sky Sport. HITC says price AFC offering is far too low. Caught offside: deal is on. Talks on (Canon), (Teamtalk, HITC). £20m+ (The72) |
| 70 | Aaron Ramsey | Juventus | Midfield | Just Arsenal News says cash plus Bellerin will do it. Mirror says it is on. Mirror – its swap for Bellerin plus cash. Metro, he’s certainly leaving. Mad about says yes. TBR says deal back on. Mirror – AFC can’t afford wage demands |
| 71 | Ricardinho | Grêmio | Forward | 20 year old: Caught offside |
| 72 | Sergi Roberto | Barcelona | Full Back | Express: replacement for Bellerin |
| 73 | Emerson Royal | Real Betis loaned from Barcelona | Right back | Sport Witness; could happen this week (31 May). Not happening “despite relentless speculation”- HITC commenting on its own news coverage. |
| 74 | Guido Rodriguez | Real Betis | Defensive midfield | HITC; Arsenal best placed TBR. AFC leading race, Just Arsenal. |
| 75 | Kays Ruiz-Atil | PSG | Midfield | Just Arsenal News |
| 76 | Matt Ryan | Brighton | Goal | HITC: he wants first team football. Going to Celtic (Football Insider). Not Arsenal (Just Arsenal). Yes Arsenal (Football Insider)!!!! |
| Update | Marcel Sabitzer | RB Leipzig | Midfield | FootballFancast. £15m. Just Arsenal. |
| Update | Renato Sanches | Lille | Midfield | Talks ongoing: TBR, HITC, TBR returns to subject saying Arsenal have made contact |
| NEW | Martin Satriano | Inter Milan | forward | Daily Mail, Tottenam, WHU, Everton all want him but he’s never played in the first team. Club anxious to sell (SportsLens) |
| 80 | Cadena Ser | Real Sociedad | Striker | The Athletic |
| 81 | Andre Silva | Eintracht Frankfurt | Forward | Metro: Lacazette replacement; TBR contact made. Hammers News: AFC trying to take over the signing. Price discussed. Player informed (Sport Mole, Highbury House. Talks ongoing Football 365. Lacaz must go first Mirror. |
| 82 | Manor Solomon | Shakhtar Donetsk | Winger | Football.London, HITC. “Looking for a house,” TBR. Arsenal put in bid. HITC. Bid expected (Caught offside). He’s the man they want (ditto) |
| 83 | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City | Forward | Daily Mail, TBR. the Hard Tackle Cost £49m. Sport Review. HITC says Ferdinand says he’s unplayable. FoLo says he won’t go to Arsenal. Sun says it’s Arsenal. Mirror, enquiry made |
| 84 | Wojciech Szczesny | Juventus | Goal | Sport Witness; Szczesny counts as home grown and that could be the key point. |
| 85 | Tiago Tomas | Sporting CP, Metro | striker | May not come as we don’t have Europe. 442: 60m euros agreed. But player refused Arsenal as they don’t play in Europe (TBR) |
| 86 | Edmond Tapsoba | Bayer Leverkusen | Centre back | HITC, Just Arsenal News (twice), Daily Cannon (may be too expensive). TeamTalk suggest it is on. FoLo – its £60m or nothing. Chelsea, Man U beating Arsenal. Sport Review Arsenal still keen. |
| NEW | Nuno Tavares | Benfica | Left Back | Signing a five year contract. TBR, Metro, Sport Witness. HITC: he has a release clause of £75m. (What about Tierney???) Football Talk – its probably. He has signed: HITC; Foot-Talk. Happening 30 June TBR. Canon – it’s done |
| 88 | Ivan Toney | Brentford | Forward | Brentford say no. |
| 89 | Pau Torres | Villareal | Centre back | Football London |
| 90 | Kieran Trippier | Atletico Madrid | Right back | Star |
| 91 | Samuel Umtiti | Barcelona | Centre Back | Express says Barcelona are having a fire sale |
| 92 | Cengiz Under | Roma | Right wing | HITC: In exchange for Xhaka |
| 93 | Patrick van Aanholt | Crystal Palace | Left back | Team Talk says he’s no good |
| 94 | Donny van de Beek | Man U | Midfield | TBR |
| 95 | Vanderson | Grêmio | Right back | 19 year old Brazilian. HITC, Boot Room., Cannon, Caught offside |
| 96 | Dusan Vlahovic | Fiorentina | Striker | Teamtalk, FoLo. This is futbol: “he’s not going” |
| Update | Ben White | Brighton | Centreback | Givemesport say £50m; Shoot / Mirror “Arsenal in chase”. MadaboutEPL. Eurosport, 101: Mirror; Daily Canon – talks on; Express says Arsenal will swap multiple players for him. FoLo its on. Football Insider, Hard Tackle say £40m. Fo Lo – this week will be done. Insider says £50m. Still top of the list (101). Express: main target. No he’s going to PSG. Locked in talks (Mirror). Simon Jordan urges him not to sign. HITC: salary agreed. Caughtoffside says AFC see him as future captain. Deal almost done TBR. |
| 98 | Freddie Woodman | Newcastle | Goalkeeper | Offer in part exchange for Joe Willock (Express, 101) |
| 99 | Wilfried Zaha | Crystal Palace | Wing | TBR. Same story as for the last four transfer windows |
The four dangers that could stop Arsenal’s return to greatness
- Arsenal face four huge dangers as they stand again on the edge of greatness
- The four dangers that could stop Arsenal’s rise next season. 2: The journalists
- The four dangers that could stop Arsenal’s rise: Part 3; returning to the tackle
- The four dangers that could stop Arsenal’s rise back to the top: Part 4 – the rabble rousers
Xhaka was nowhere near our best player this season. ESR, Tierney and Saka were on a different level.
There are so many b/s purveyors in the media, that’s why they suffer trust deficit. The more they push their lies, the more the general public despise them.
SM
“Xhaka was nowhere near our best player this season. ESR, Tierney and Saka were on a different level”
That’s just your opinion, to which you are entitled of course, but the statistics suggest otherwise. I’m also allowed my opinion and my opinion tends to agree with the statistics. But hey, as they say ‘it’s a game of opinions’ right ?
Sir Hardly
“But some blogs are rapidly pulling away from their insistence that Xhaka is going, having actually managed to watch him play for Switzerland. As we’ve been saying, he was our best player this last season”.
Watching the game last night the commentators where almost choking on their words as it gradually dawned on them just how good a game Xhaka was having. Every word of praise was through gritted teeth and of course they bent over backwards to avoid mentioning Arsenal, at least in any positive way.
These were a couple of their half baked words of praise:
Clive Tyldesley:
“Xhakas been calm and composed…………he isn’t always like that”
He couldn’t just leave it at praise he had to have a dig.
Ally McCoist:
Granit Xhaka….lets not kid ourselves on, he’s been very impressive”
Why would we need to “kid ourselves on” Ally ? Does it hurt so much to praise him that we have to avoid kidding ourselves to do so ?
Then the inevitable sly little dig at Arsenal from Tyldesley:
“…..he plays his best football for his Country”
So he’s still crap for Arsenal then Clive ?
Then in the 2nd half another little dig at Arsenal:
“He doesn’t play like this every week”.
Well actually Clive if you check the stats he pretty much does, it’s just that, as we heard last night, you and your colleagues point blank refuse to acknowledge it.
But what can we expect from these guys when our own fans took to abusing him and as we’ve already seen today, they point blank refuse to concede just how good Xhaka actually is.
1. Xhaka driven away by fans. Hope we don’t regret it. Arteta did a good job helping him come back from what they did to him, but in the end he’s taking his chance to get away.
2. Untold Arsenal rightly points out how ridiculous the tidal wave of speculation is…and still gives us an excellent summary. Thanks!
Xhaka was my MotM last night. Tyldesley can do one. As far as I’m concerned, we shouldn’t accept anything less than 30 million for him. He’s only just starting to reach his peak.
Tyldesley has a habit of criticising Arsenal for almost as long as I can remember. I still haven’t forgiven him for his shameful commentary of the game against Celtic in 2009, which he managed to stretch out for over 10 minutes. Two days after the game, footage from another camera emerged which showed 2 contacts by Boruc.