The 116 players coming to Arsenal, part 1: Patrick van Aanholt to Tenu Koopmeiners

By Sir Hardly Anyone

There is a certain extra caution in the air at the moment what with Smith Rowe re-signing for Arsenal, and an increasing edginess that the tales of the amazing Arsenal recovery in the last two thirds of last season are actually true, and there clearly is no intent to replace the third best defence in the whole league across the whole of last season with others.

I think a few of our recent statistical pieces have helped a bit to settle things down, and indeed there is a greater calmness in the air – not least because a few more people have realised just how bonkers the notion that 116 players have now been tipped as coming to Arsenal.

When we come to do the totting up as the window finally shatters as the glass falls on the ground, and it turns out that as ever 95% or more of the rumours are untrue, and then we highlight who got the most wrong, there might be some red faces.  Or at least their ought to be.

Here we go with the first 58.  The remainder of the list follows shortly

No Player Current club  Position Reported by
1 Patrick van Aanholt Ex Palace Left          Back HITC; Hardtackle.  Backup for Tierney
2 Max Aarons Norwich Full           back Daily Express.  Express running story again – as if new!  WhoScored – AFC interest
Up date Tammy Abraham Chelsea Striker TBR.  New Thierry (Foot Fancast).  HITC – fans will stop supporting AFC if he signs. AFC close(TBR). HITC – looking possible. Player keen (Football Talk) (TBR). AFC OK with wages. (London Football). Lacaz being sold to fund deal (Sport Review)
4 Abdul Abdulmalik Millwall Forward Mail.  Swansea have made a bid.  Express says Millwall trying to hold him
5 Tyler Adams Leipzig Midfield FoLo
6 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
Up date Amine Adli Toulouse Forward TBR: Leicester also interested. Player has rejected new contract.  SportWitness, no he’s staying put.  Sports Lens: replaces Odegaard.  He will certainly leave HITC
8 Nathan Ake Man C Centre or     left back Express; AFC close link with Man C cited.
9 Yuri Alberto Inter Forward 20 year old Brazilian.  Inter need the money
10 Joachim Andersen Lyon Centre      back Replacement for David Luiz. £20m. FFC.
11 Houssem Aouar Lyon Midfield Football.London (FoLo). Negotiations at advanced stage  Back on (FoLo).  A bargain (HITC). Going well  (Arsenal station). Bid Tabled (Give me sport).  It’s off (Express). AFC favourites (Canon)
12 Loic Bade Lens Defender Boot Room.  £22m Leeds also want.
NEW Leon Bailey Bayer Leverkusen Winger Caught off, Sun, Mirror, Bleacher, 365. Football Insider: Arsenal pulled out as his attitude is not right.
14 Folarin Balogun Arsenal    academy Striker All Nigeria Soccer says he is in the party going to USA for pre-season.
15 Dominico Beradi Sassuolo Winger €50million (Arsenal Fever).
16 Nicolo Barella Inter  Milan Centre midfield Anfield Central
17 Andrea Belotti Palermo Striker Man U, Liverpoool, Chelsea, Everton also interested.  101 great goals. Decision about to be made TBR
Up date  

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. Sportsmore says no go. Napoli & Atalanta want him (Star).  AFC circling (FL World). Price too high (FFC).  TBR: he’s available.
19 Ryan Bertrand Soton Left back Mirror
NEW Mika Biereth Fulham Striker Arsenal youth; TBR
21 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. Star: AFC / Liverpool “head to head”. SportReview: he has a chequered past. No its Liverp.  TBR. TBR – no its Arsenal with R Nelson in part ex.
22 Josip Brekalo Wolfsberg Winger Just Arsenal
23 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
24 Hakan Calhanoglu AC Milan Midfield Out of contract this summer.  HITC – “exceptionally talented”
25 Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton Forward Express: Arsenal weighing up options.  Hard Tackle: Arsenal “keeping tabs”.  Man U trying to beat Arsenal. Football Talk, Sports Lens
26 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. 4th Official: Talented anchorman who can spray passes all around the park. AFC, Chelsea, Man U fighting it out (442)
27 Luis Campos Lille Sporting director Would handle transfers.  Charlie Watts says good idea
28 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.
29 Nathan Collins Stoke City Defender Sun, TBR.  (Arsenal buying an “uncompromising” Stoke defender????).   The 72.
30 Jesus Corona Porto Right     back  or wing Metro.  Signing this week.  HITC – he’s refusing to sign a new contract. Still a target (Express)
31 Joaquin Correa Lazio Forward TBR £30m.  Offer is now Torreira plus cash (TBR).  One offer rejected already
32  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
33 Patson Daka RB    Salzburg Striker TBR Football; Leicester want him so Arsenal no chance Express
34 Moussa Dembele Lyon          (At. Madrid) Striker Daily Express, HITC.  FoLo: “Fresh Arsenal links”.  Just Arsenal: he can leave
35 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. AFC make approach – FoLo. He turns AFC down – JustArse. New approach – Football Tallk
36 Amadou Diawara AS Roma Defensive midfield Moving to Arsenal as part of the Xhaka deal: Hard Tackle
NEW Matchoi Djalo Pascos de Ferreira Winger Canon.  Available for £1m
Up date Josh Doig Hibs Left back The Scotsman.  £5m.  FoLo say Arsenal desperate to buy a new left back.  Inside Football: AFC not interested.  Hibs told to lower price (Edinburgh news)
39 Oddsonne Edouard Celtic Striker Daily Star.  FoLo says Leicester and Milan want him. Now FoLo say he’s staying at Celtic!
40 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.  Talks with player’s rep (TBR)
41 Ferreira Grêmio Winger 23 years old (Caught offside)
42 Jack Grealish Aston Villa Wing/ midfield Football fan cast; Athletic
43 Florian Grillitsch Hoffenh’m Midfield Only one year left on contract HITC
44 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
45 Miguel Gutierrez Real Madrid Full Back The Athletic; Hard Tackle; TBR – Arsenal still interested.  Sport Witness says “surprising claims”.  Arsenal made off (TBR)
46 Achraf Hakimi Inter Milan Right     Back Daily Express, HITC
47 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. HITC – price has just gone up.
48 Isco Real    Madrid Midfield Mirror.  Milan & Totts also keen. It’s a bargain (Just Arsenal).
49 Sam Johnstone WBA Goal If Ramsdale won’t come (Star).  Arsenal’s new focus (Mirror), (Footballleagueworld)
50 Joan Jordan Sevilla Midfield TBR says Sevilla don’t want to sell.
51 Kaio Jorge Santos Forward Wolverhampton also interested (Caught offside).  Available on a free (HITC)
52 Kyle Joseph Swansea Forward Wales online: Swansea, Rangers, Celtic also want him
53 Vinicus Junior Real    Madrid Winger Brazilian.  Hard tackle says AFC enquiring
Up date Glen Kamara Rangers Midfield Rangers News.  Watford News says he’s going to Watford. Teamtalk: back on. Sportslen: very likely.  Alternative to Neves (HITC)
55 Thilo Kehrer PSG Defender TBR – AFC looking into… PSG Talk ditto, TeamTalk also.
56 Jonjoe Kenny. Everton Right     Back Mail / TBR.  We need a right back???  Celtic Star calls him “Celtic flop”.
57 Franck Kessie AC Milan Midfield £42m (HITC). Arsenal out front (Mirror).  Insidefutbol “Arsenal sniffing around”
58 Tenu Koopmeiners AZ   Alkmaars Midfield 23 year old playing for Netherlands.  HITC – he’s tempted. Teamtalk.

 

Part 2 follows in a moment.

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