Gazidis set out ambitious lines in June, but will he and Arsene deliver?

TotalArsenal

Arsenal drug

So June is almost over; without any doubt, the hardest month for those of us  who are addicted to club football. Whilst still suffering from non-action cold turkey, we are straightaway bombarded with transfer gossip, both of players coming to us and some of our players wanting to leave.

The Terror/Torture Window officially opens on Monday 1st July, and let’s hope we will move from being ‘close’ to signing players to actually reading ‘signature announcements’ on Arsenal.com anytime soon.

Seldom or never does the word ‘close’ get abused more than during the Transfer Window. Whole armies of journalists and blog writers rely on it for producing endless articles that attract thousands of hits. However close Arsenal appear to be to signing a player, it is seldom or never close enough for comfort. Only a few weeks ago, we were ‘very close to signing Jovetic’…. I rest my case!

I wrote in the last post that the TW is not for the faint-hearted and there will be many more twists and turns. We could end up disappointed or ‘totally over the moon’, and I have no doubt that Gazidis and Wenger are feeling the pressure to deliver. Although Arsenal have, apparently, a war chest of £70m or more, it will still find it hard to compete with those who have limitless funds and don’t live by normal capitalist financial principles, or sporting morals.

The club will also need to demonstrate to their transfer targets real ambition to move things up now – that we are ready to win silverware again. It is one thing  to convince the likes of Giroud, Mertesacker and Podolski to come to Arsenal, but once we start to target players already playing for top clubs the ‘sales pitch’ will have to change, especially if we don’t want to attract the typical mercenaries.

Looking back at June, we can pull a few conclusions:

  1. The club has made it clear it has entered a new phase now: there will be significant funds available for player purchases from now on: apparently as much as £70m every season;
  2. Despite the press trying their best to tell us some of our players want to leave Arsenal, our boys have remained loyal to the club and kept a low profile since the season has finished;
  3. We are continuously linked with a different, better calibre of players – so called Super Quality – this summer;
  4. The club is trying to make space in the squad, by letting go of those players who are deemed as ‘surplus to requirement’.

In more than one way, the month of June has been one of over-promise: bigger funds available, no core players will leave, and the targeting of big, established players; and all of this on the basis that we are now (financially) ready to compete for silverware again. This is a very good, but risky, thing to do.

What’s been interesting, is that Gazidis has done most if not all of the talking – of setting out the strategic lines of the club – and this includes announcing that Wenger is expected to sign a new contract any time soon.

Yet, Arsene has been very quiet recently. Of course, he is on  holiday at the moment and will resume his duties for the club any time soon – with the first friendly in just over two weeks. But it will be interesting to see what Arsene has to say when he returns from his leave.

The problem with over-promising – something we are not used to from Arsenal in recent years – is that expectations will soar accordingly. Now, I reckon Gazidis is a clever man, who knows all about the risk of over-promising. So, it must be part of a well thought-out strategy to convince all stakeholders, including we the fans, as well as our transfer targets, that the club is ready to make the final step up now.

During the next month, we will see to a large extent whether Gazidis and Wenger can deliver on their promises. Let’s hope they will.

Written by: TotalArsenal.

104 thoughts on “Gazidis set out ambitious lines in June, but will he and Arsene deliver?”

  • Why does everyone think that the window “officially opens on July 01”. Read the Premier charter , it actually officially opens from midnight after the season closes. That’s why so many English clubs have already signed players .

  • haha don’t hold your breath gooners….season ticket money banked..the usual bs from wenger and the board.. When are you all you gooners gonna wake up..I can here it now. diabys like a new signing..you no where I coming from..

  • Trkcky1967, I believe the rule is that a player cannot play for their new club until July 1st. Or something like that.

    TA, great post as usual! 🙂 I believe a signing will be announced July 1st at Arsenal, even though it’ll likely be Sanogo, maybe it’ll be Sanogo and Higuain! 😉 Now that would be a treat! 🙂 I think we’re set for a big summer at Arsenal, we just need to be patient.

  • Don’t be surprised if it turns out that the board are trying to persuade Wenger to spend some money but that he digs his heels in because he wants to be proven right.
    I’d love to be proven wrong, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Sonogo turns out to be the ‘super, super’ striker signing.

  • pls let d board n wenger tell us d truth about transfer target, dats d only way des speculations will stop n fans mind will b at rest. gunner for life

  • Nice Post TA, and all too true… The proof is in the pudding, or something…

    I don’t suppose this one will make top clicks on NewsNow as the previous did…Gotta throw in some names, I think 😉 ….

    Work went well today and we finished up before the heat got to us…Home for lunch (and a coffee) and now off to the beach. Where’s my wing-man (Glic) when I need him?…

    So, nothing before 1 July would seem to indicate that Redders had a point. Can Mr. VCC start some sort of UMF league for transfers? Where’s Alex with our prizes?….

    I’ve really got nothing to add. Like everybody else I need that shot in the arm. Maybe I should tie up with the surgical tubing… I wonder if deals take longer (sometimes) because we’re trying to get all parties to agree to how we’ll be presenting them to the public (fans). As time goes by (and I’ve said over and over and over…) it will be more about the wages paid than the fees. Does Arsene “need” to be seen as not over-spending? Does spending too much put too much pressure on the player himself? I think these issues may factor in, and, as people have mentioned, contracts may be moving to (relatively) lower base #s but with more lucrative incentives. Is any of that info published?…

    To the beach 😀 Hope everybody is having a fine Saturday (nite)….

  • Trkcky1967,

    why does everyone believe it “officially opens on the 1st of July” ?

    erm, because technically it actually does.

  • Baz,

    chill, Fred’s a gooner 😀 his comment is more out of sheer frustration due to the Terror window taking it’s toll

    TA,

    i’m not gonna be adding anything to what you’ve written, all i want is that “drug injected” ASAP hahahaha

  • Hi 17 🙂

    I thought Gazidis and Wenger are some pretty big names in this blog’s title…. 😉

    Good points as usual. We don’t know what is happening, and as long as there is no news, slowly but steadily the fans’ discontent will grow. So, yes we need a concrete, hard shot in the arm! 😛

    Good to hear the work is finished and hope you’ll enjoy the swim! I stayed at a beach at lake Tahoe once: it was lovely weather and the view of snow capped mountains in the background was breathtakingly beautiful!

  • alright, if you insist here it comes the full monty 😉

    – IG get’s a lot of money paid and bonuses just to come out and say all the “right things” the fans want to hear, at the end of the day, it’s his job to keep the fans happy by selling whatever hope/medicine we’re looking for to hang on to…e.g. Financial fair play, stadium debt being paid e.t.c next year it will be this that or the other, we don’t need to sell any of our players now, we’re in a very strong financial position…..in a nutshell it doesn’t matter how many promises he comes out and makes, or what he says because at the end of the day, he still gets his pay cheques from the top and not the fans (not accountable to the fans, is he now ?).

    – we have had from 70 million to 100 million promised in transfers before this season as well on a continued basis…i.e. If wenger wants the money it’s there, 50 million, 60 million, even 100 million (was it in 2009 or 2010 ?).

    conclusion : we’re all used to it, all we do is talk now it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and actually prove it to the fans that we can back all this talk up and give them all what we crave – quality players, trophies and Cesc Fab 🙂

    on a more positive note,

    for the first time in many years, least the press is linking us to quality players, in the 20 million plus bracket and higher wages unlike before when it used to be … ” Arsenal’s record signing was for 15 million and a certain player would cost 20 million and high wages e.t.c. e.t.c”

    so in a way, it might be frustrating but some part of me is happy that we’re linked this strongly to quality players..just goes to show that not many players are beyond our reach, where as before not many quality players were within our reach.

  • while we’re at it, worth a punt to make a 5 million bid for Gareth bale as well i reckon 😉

  • Maybe just maybe Ivan and Stan have realized that you have to speculate in order to accumulate The manx strolled into the emirates last year and walked away with RVP and left us a tip for his services. He went and won the league for them thus creating several hundred million pounds in revenue . We now find ourselves entering a “new era for the club” according to our messiah “Ivan” . We have been promised enough money to make Arsenal a force once more. We have been given a “war chest” to pave the way to “deserved success”. Forgive my cynicism guys but why are we chasing after Higuein when we let Van Persie go ? why are we pining after a midfield magician like Fabregas when we let him go ? Kroenke has seen Man U make millions by paying the “going rate” (whatever that is ? ) and has now realized (????) that we have lost too many good players in recent years due to shortsighted “business models” that don’t work in football. Reputations count , and poor decisions have cost the club and our manager a lot in esteem and credibility in recent years.This is Arsenal, this is football, this is a new season. No more nonsense no more excuses Give AW the resources to work with and we will see no more Denilsons , Parks or Santos types at the club .Onwards and Upwards Arsenal forever !

  • Now that we can compete ( Ivan the Terrible`s or is that Tortureable`s words ) with the Big Guns, here is a list of who I wanted in preferred order :

    Goetze / sold

    Isco / sold

    Rooney / available ?

    Navas / sold

    Muniain

    Bernard

    Others ( I`m sure you BBB`s could add quite a few more to the list !, maybe Totes can put a list of all the SQ players on the side ! )

    There seems to be a few trends here !.

    1) Most of the best ones have gone at prices and probably wages we could afford !

    2) Ivan is lying about competing !…..or

    3) Wenger wasn`t interested in any of these players in the first place !

    4) I like small technically gifted Spanish LadyBoys !. hahaha

  • Thanks Jambo 🙂

    A fine and honest comment. For me, there is a clear strategic difference between this season and recent previous seasons. Where before it was all gossip, now our CEO comes out with these announcements. Also, Gazidis might be paid by Kroenke but he still needs to face the fans, and he also has other stakeholders to think of: if he over-promises but under-delivers, it is not going to go well for him….

  • Totes, have you the technology to do voting stuff, like they do on other sites ?. We all like a vote and I thought it would be fun to have a list of SQ players and do a vote/poll on who is most wanted by us bloggers !. Or any other pertinent questions etc !.

  • Noel c,

    a passionate comment, however,

    RVP – wanted to leave because the little boy inside him wanted more attention upnorth.

    Cesc – also wanted to go, and out of respect i believe delayed his departure for 12 months, even signing an improved extended contract so we could get the max out of it (inserting clauses and so on).

    in the first example RVP – i say, good riddance as for the longer term he’s done us a favour.

    in the 2nd example Cesc – only so much you can do when another club is constantly playing with your head (same happened with Ronaldo re- man utd to Real Madrid, isn’t it ?

    agree with the rest tho

  • Passionate comment there, Noel c, and welcome to the site. 🙂

    Cesc could not be kept any longer and van Judas burnt his bridges on purpose. But yes, Wenger will now be able to keep hold of what he develops himself and add quality if and when needed.

  • you’re welcome – Noel C

    don’t you think that Santos if played at LW may well turn out to be better than Gareth Bale 😉

  • Please visit again, noel. There is no need here to agree with each other all the time, and we like new bloggers who put forward their arguments in a constructive and passionate way, which you just did. Cheers 🙂

    Glic

    We’ll do a post soon about all the remaining prospects and their BOINGability, and when we sign somebody I will use your favourite word in the the title of the post about him. 🙂

  • while we’re at it, TA

    can we also do a post about the top 20 babes in world footy (wags ) 😉 i can see Glic and Terry going bananas already, ha ha

  • and the crowd goes “Boo” “Boo” and chucks all the tomatoes and what not at @ TA.

    right, so that’s Torres being linked to us now (muhahahahahahahahah).

  • Arsenal don’t need Rooney. They need Fellaini.At the end of th tw,don’t be surprised Arsene doesn’t buy anyone of the quality players Arsenal need. He will stick to his buy young and win mentality.
    If the gunners can’t challenge by decemeber,he shd be off. He has wasted too much time to get things right.If not Arsenal could be stuck in the mid table like AV/Everton/Pool

  • I know I’m new to the site and don’t wan’t to be a smart arse but I could’nt help making a comment on this mornings papers . It seems that we have made a 20 mill bid for Torres cos Chelski don;t love him anymore, we have made another 20 mill bid for Rooney cos he is who he is ! and another for Fellaini because he needs a haircut ! It seems that they are all set to join the new look gunners for next season ! With julio Cesar already “signed” as our new keeper we seem to have really pushed the boat out ! What about this for a starting eleven and in no particular order ! Cesar in goal ,then any two blokes who have nothin to do of a Sateurday afternoon ( no defence needed ! ) Wilshire, Arteta, Felliani and Rooney in midfield (just for fun ! ) Up front we could have Santi and Pod “interacting” with Higuein and Torres ! What a line up ! Wonder what Theo and the OX would think of that ! only dreaming of course !

  • Nizam….seems to me that AFC need a finisher and a backup for Wilshere (in the hole) as well as a backup for Arteta. An experienced international keeper would go down well also. Therefore:

    1) Higuain fits the bill for a finisher,

    2) Feliani could play in the hole, if not him then the OX or maybe Cesc?

    3) Vermaelen is a potential Defensive midfielder, and certainly worth a trial

    4) Sagna could play alongside our current CB pairings as a rotating substitute,

    5) Julio Cesar would be a great and experienced keeper…he looked good in the Confed.Cup games.

    6) Miyachi might be tried out in the left wing role substituting Podolski

    7) We still have Rosicky,Frimpong and Coquelin as substitutes.

    I am not convinced that Wenger has got too many transfer wrong since the last few seasons and my gut tells me that he’ll really spend wisely and superbly this summer. Take a deep breath and exhale all your negativism….things are very promising now for AFC.

  • Thanks TA, nice stuff.

    Once again i find myself agreeing with Weedy @ 00.46, things are very promising now.

    You said it yourself TA, its a new phase.

    I feel no terror, i reserve this for when i hear the Mrs at the Loft stairs. No torture either, this is when the Mrs comes up the stairs.

    We mean business now. We are after some big names and mean to get them. higuain is in the bag(hahaha) and others will follow

    The important thing to remember is what TA said in his post, this is not a one off, Arsenal will have this extra income every year. Whether its spent on transfers or wages, its all good

    In fact its better than good. Arsenal are one of, if not the best run football clubs in the world. Maybe world domination isnt calling just yet, buts its the final ingredient to takes us were we belong, the top.

  • Cheers TA for the good read. Only drug i need through the transfer window is an animal tranquiliser (similar to the one Terry uses on his victims). It really is torture. I’d prefer to wake up an hour before the first game of the season and see who we’ve signed. If it’s not up to satisfaction then more tranquiliser until the end of January!

    @ The First Noel

    it’d be a dream!

  • TA, I am re- posting my comment from yesterday —
    – it is more appropriate for todays article—
    I love Arsene, but if we do manage to lose Higuain because we didnt tie him down fast with a SOLID offer . I will be disgusted. A solid offer is close to what RM asked, not 4 million less. I hope im just being paranoid. This guy is a class striker, he brings talent and credibility. Missing out on him for a couple million just would confirm that we are not a big team. A big team can attract and pay top talent. Not just poaching a benteke or michu off smaller vulnerable clubs.
    — and today I will add:
    if we do manage to blow it, it will be even more frustrating, because by all accounts, he actually agreed to join us, for a reasonable wage. Not Rooney or Falcao money.
    —– everyone talks about a statement of intent, or setting the tone for the transfer window, and for next season.
    —- A top striker like Higuain would do that, especially after selling the prems best striker and handing Manu the trophy for roughly the same amount.. we could justify that by the fact that Higs younger and entering his prime, not at the end of it.—- he could be the first of a new era of our competing for top players and titles.
    Now think of the statement we make- the tone we set, if we let him slip away for a few million. Depressing, plain and simple. Other top talents will not consider us, because we don’t do what it takes to compete for top honors. scrapping with Everton and Spuds for fourth, competing with newcastle in TW for players…
    I hope im completely wrong, I will be so proud for us to add a couple stars to a solid team with a good nucleus. It would be so exciting to add a top striker and one more high quality player..im not asking for too much… but it will take money spent to put us over the top.

  • jonnie nyc – As has been said many times, it it not just up to the buying that settles any deal.

    Regards Higuain, and I share your frustration that we have not got it nailed down earlier, but Real are not like some cheapskate clubs I could mention in the EPL that flog players just as their new manager is walking in through the front door. They, from their point of view, have done the decent thing. They agreed the fee, we agreed terms with the player, so it is not about money. It is about giving their new manager a chance to say whether the particular player is part of his future plans.
    Now it looks likely that he thought it might be possible to use the player as a bargaining tool to get Bale – that may just be gossip? But it is still within his right to do so? Now, if Spurs maintain they want cash because they, like us, would like to fill some gaps in several positions, it may just be, that come tomorrow morning Higgy could be on his way to London – but whether Bale is going the other way we may have to wait and see. What I am saying is, I don’t think Real would have sold Higuain at any(reasonable) price once they knew an agreement was in place to get Ancelloti. Had that deal fallen through, and they had to search for a new manager, then it may have been possible to get him 10 days ago?

    I said it was going to be a bumpy ride in this TW, with many twists and turns. So much fog is being created my stories being fed to the gossip mongers, that when the truth finally sees daylight we will be all set to go on tour of Asia?

    I see the latest is for Micah Richards, for Sagna? More like a cheaper option to Fellaini I would have thought? His injury record is what will keep the price down, and is also a slight worry. But as a ‘Beast’ DM I could see that happening if he gets through a medical? Wages might also be a sticking point though?

    I thought HT17 hit the right note of caution yesterday regards our chances of winning the League title this coming season.

    We have 3 players who are likely to improve for their 2nd season in the EPL, but the players coming in will need time to settle in too. True, with just our end of season attitude we should get a better start than of late, and two key positions having an extra something as the season develops should make the Christmas table look far better than last season? However, with everybody else adding to their squads, particularly Man C with an astute manager in charge, that final push will be more difficult to maintain this time around?

    The Cups are always up for grabs though, and I’d settle for one of those before a proper run at the title 2014-15. We will be in stronger position next summer in the TW if we are only looking for just the odd quality player?

    I must be the only one that will be happy if we just add quality potential this time around because they will form the basis of our squad in the season after this? But Higgy would be welcome!

    Let us see what this week brings in surprise bounty, eh?

  • Bottom line – Gazidis doesn’t have the balls to stand up to Wenger and he won’t spend if he thinks it’s a bit over the top. All this farting around means we will miss out again and get our third or fourth choice target. Dave Dein would tell him and look out for the clubs best interests rather than letting AW’s ego get in the way. Don’t get me wrong, I think AW is a top manager and not sure what we be without him, but I want him to change his policy of not paying £1 too much and buy some quality. I really hope I;m wrong and things will change this year, but I really son’t see it …..

  • TA,

    Great article.
    The precedent has been set by what Gazidis has said. You are right in saying that that AW hasn’t said a word. Speculation runs rife at this time of the year as we all know and we have been linked with so many players which is nothing new.

    I believe that it will be delivered. Maybe not the superstars that we are all craving for but at least additions to the team which AW deems will help to further improve our squad. Yes we all want the Big name players but if we end up with one plus a few additions in the correct areas, I will be truly satisfied.

    We all know that we finished so far behind the Mancs but if we held our composure in some of the games we would have been right up there. We just need players with a winning mentality or someone who can make the difference out there when things are not going our way.

    A big name will not necessarily give us what we need, they may not suit the PL if they come from other leagues. It is a gamble and sometimes we need to hope that AW has done his homework and gives the team what it needs.

    COYG (One month to go, cant wait)

  • Afternoon y’all,
    June is almost gone now and to be candid it’s time to unveil all that’s been touted and promised us by our sugar-coated IG’s mouth. To his credit, Arsene whilst he’s away on holiday, had kept mum above transfer issues circling over us thus far which makes me think those guys are def up to something. I just hope it(they)’ll be announced soon because we are actually tired of reading “close”. HH, Happy belated birthday and TA nice job. JB keep it coming. Glic, how you today?

  • Fear not TA: this summer WILL be different.

    As you say, Gazidis is no mug and he chose his message very carefully. We will be spending big this summer and on players who will excite us.

    One thing though, we may have to be patient. I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the big signings come in August.

  • Really nice piece of article and it summons up a lot of thoughts of the Gooners regarding promises and expectations.

    There are a lot of conclusions people can make out of Gazidis’ Q&A session and some of them are depending on the angle from which you analyze it. For instance, when Gazidis said that Wenger has the support from the other parts of the club’s structure but the final word regarding transfers is Wenger’s, it might also mean that Gazidis – who has been almost equally blamed as Wenger for our lack of special quality signings in recent years – returns the ball into Wenger’s court in order to avoid his and the Board’s responsibility for failures in previous years.

    The one thing that makes me an optimist is whole “let’s get rid of the deadwood!”-action we have seen in recent weeks – Arshavin, Squillaci, Denilson, Bendtner, Djourou…are all gone or will be gone and off our pay-roll which leaves us a logical question: for whom the space is being prepared? Arshavin earned 90.000 pounds per week, Squillaci was on 60.000 per week for doing nothing, Bendtner is on 52.000… That’s more than 200.000 pounds per week that we won’t have to pay anymore. An optimist goes a bit further and says: “That’s space for Higuain and Fellaini…or maybe Rooney!”

    A pessimist, the one that learned his lesson after summer 2011, says: “We gave Walcott a pay-rise in January, other members of British core also got new contracts, Sagna’s new contract will be negotiated soon and it is likely that soon Cazorla and Koscielny will ask for improved contracts.”

  • See, this is what drives me nuts about the transfer window…seemingly normal people go nuts for a month or so wanting this player and that player…I like it that we are trying to sign higher quality players, but maybe some of you should back off a bit or just RELAX. If we don’t sign anyone what will you do??? I think this coming season Podolski will play a huge role, along with Oxlade Chamberlain, MAYBE Giroud AND definitely Wilshere. These 4 players actually COULD be like 4 new signings!!! Evolution and not revolution MIGHT be the way forward. All I’m saying is this…Try not to go crazy over mere speculation, and have some patience!!! Again…RELAX.

  • I am relaxed Milo, the Morphine has been a blessing since we missed out on Goetze and Isco !.
    I`m especially excited as when Diaby gets fit , that will be like 5 new signings !. We can then save the £70M and use it next year with that’s years £70M, giving us £140M ! and if our injured players come back that year we can save that £140M and use it in 2 years time and have £210M !, then if…..blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah………….then we will have £1Billion !.

  • Sorry, forgot to add,……..we will be f**king loaded, but would have won f**k all !. However, I will still be relaxed on the Morphine !. hahaha

  • Interesting Post, TA, thank you! 🙂

    I noticed the earlier comment from some one regarding the dates of the Transfer Window – again – and so much hot air is expended on this, when looking up the UEFA/Premier League rules is so simple, or you can cheat and check with the BBC.

    The 2013 summer transfer window reopens for business on the 1 July, (tomorrow) but clubs may announce signings before then, if they wish, and if their status permits this.

    Premier League clubs will also have an extra two days to complete their summer business with the window closing at 2300 BST on Monday, 2 September.

    Patience guys — signings will come – eventually – and we must not forget that both the potential buyers and sellers of a given player have to agree to do business, at an agreed valuation, and the player has to want to move. 🙂

  • RA, I really hope the signings come. We have been linked with Torres and I will be really disappointed if Wenger is stupid enough to actually buy him.

    TA, top post. The post is so good I cannot add anything to it. 🙂

  • AFC……are you saying that a man who bought……Squiddly Diddly, Santos, Park, Chamakh, etc…..has bouts of stupidity ?. hahaha Don’t be surprised if has more bouts !.
    Morphine anyone ?. hahaha

  • you do realize that this Torres talk might all be smoke or tacts to get higuain to sign (basically telling his camp that we have other options if you don’t play ball)

  • With all these smoke signals, I think we will end up with 3 native Americans called……” Lightning Rod who has great shot “, ” Stallion in the Hole who provides for Lightning Rod ” and ” Big Bear who scares shit out others in middle of plains “. !

  • Glic & JB, I know this whole Torres thing probably will never happen but we cannot be 100% sure it won’t. I just hope Wenger doesn’t sign him.

  • AFC,

    Torres isn’t as bad as people make him out to be, if i were to be given the option of signing one of Villa and Torres, i would go for Torres

    in our style of play and system, he may well get over 20+ goals on a regular basis

  • Milo,
    It is a fair point we have all gone on hyper sign star player alert mode, it is hard not to with every media out let linking us to every single player that we could possibly buy even though the TW is shut still til tomorrow lol.
    We should be a bit more patient or try to be , Wenger has said he wanted to sign early but it depends on other clubs, he will want them to bed in the Asia tour if possible. Let’s hope it comes soon and not in August which is possible.The only players that we are being linked to that i believe is Higuain, Rooney, Jevanivic and Cesear.and Williams the rest i either don’t believe or don’t really know the players they are even talking about.
    I would be over the Moon with bargin Cesear , Higuain or Javavivic and Rooney any 3 out of that 4 would be awesome i would be happy with 2 of them.
    ps,
    we should not moan if Wenger gets a few young gems for a few million which he can improve as he always has done. He is the master of finding rough gems and turning them into sparking beauties and we should also get a couple of thm

  • JB, agreed. However I would not want any of those players at Arsenal. We can get strikers better than both Villa and Torres. Top teams like us should be aiming higher. Let Spurs go for these types of players.

  • PG, it quite simple. We need to add 4-5 senior players to challenge for honours. Cesar, Higuain, a midfielder with Presence, a no.10 and maybe a young CB if there is any left over money.

  • I would also look to bring Henry back for a few weeks meanwhile Gervinho is away on international duty.

  • it sounds all jolly good, AFC

    however, top teams like us also need to show ambition by showing that we’re not going to be merely making the top 4 and be content with it.

    i remember when Santi joined Arsenal, the first thing he was told by Arsene Wenger through Arteta was ” tell him that in England , finishing 4 is a trophy”.

    whereas i do understand it was a joke but still, shows you the mentality, isn’t it ?

  • JB, it you are 100% correct and that is why we have to get serious. I would be happy with these players to come in.

    Cesar, Higuain, Rooney, Luis Gustavo or Fellaini (I would prefer Luis Gustavo), a young defender. I woulld also have Henry come back to replace Gervinho meanwhile he is away on international duty.

  • if some stories are to be believed then we’re going to be getting a player from Germany, only time will tell if it was all rot or had some substance to it.

    the Milo way of thinking is actually very good, if we don’t get anyone , we’re mentally prepared , if we do get a few quality signings – it’s xmas come early, ha

    plan for the worst and hope for the best i guess.

    1st of july tomorrow, so let us wait a little bit longer

  • JB, I feel we will hear announcements during next week rather than on Monday.

    If we have offered 20 mill for Rooney, which will probably not be enough, what would be the highest fee you would pay for Rooney?

  • an update on Fellaini of sorts from my sauces:

    the £23 million release clause expires on the 15th of August and Everton are keen to sell him before that as they are after a few players themselves and need the funds from the Fellaini deal.

    they are hoping to cash in on all the 23 mills ASAP, perhaps Arsenal know this and have tabled a lower bid in the region of 18-20 million ?

    i don’t know but it’s an interesting theory (the 2nd paragraph).

  • AFC,

    Rooney – increase it by a couple of million, then a million …anything between 23 million to 25 million should be seen as good business…..i would be reluctant to go over 25 million considering his high wages.

    saying that, we could easily recoup most of the money invested in Rooney if not all the money by increasing our commercial revenues , shirt sales, global image rights e.t.c e.t.c so the Rooney deal will make a lot of sense both on the pitch and pay dividends off the pitch as well.

    our most marketable player currently is Theo walcott , isn’t it ? with JW a close 2nd ?

  • JB, it would seem like that. If Everton really need to sell Wenger could be playing the long game to get him on the cheap. If Wenger gets him for 18-20 mill (3-5 mill less than Everton want) that would be good. That 3-5 mill could go towards a new young promising player or even Rooney. 😉

    However, Wenger need to know how long to haggle over price so we do not lose him.

  • JB, you have hit the nail on the head. Rooney is a global superstar and the England’s star man. We could pay 30 mill and get the money back with added profit from shirt sales, sponsorship deals etc.

    Did you know Real have recover all the money from the Ronaldo with added profit?

  • * Did you know Real have recovered all the money from the Ronaldo deal with added profit?

  • Maybe Wenger is looking to see if United can get Baines on the cheap. If they do then Wenger knows he can get Fellaini for the price he wants.

  • no, i doubt it

    don’t think it has anything to do with the Baines deal, as he is not keen to leave Everton from what i’ve read.

    on a slightly different note, i’m glad we’re not in for El-sharaway or Cavani.

  • JB, I honestly thinks Baines will go to United between a fee of 15-20 million.

    Cavani was disappointing throughout the Confed cup and I can easily see him failing in the EPL.

  • not only in the conf cup, but matches before that as well on the international stage….his chairman at naples must have been praying for him to put on a good show so he could get the monies he wanted…. (chelsea have bid 45 million.

    i always maintained, EPL is one of the most difficult leagues to play in the world, if you succeed in ligue 1 or serie A then that doesn’t mean you’ll make it big in the PL .

    his work rate is very good but not a 50 million plus striker for me, 25-30 tops.

    for that price, Everton might be tempted to part ways with a 28 year old LB but where does that leave Evra ?

  • JB, United will look to get rid of Evra if they get Baines.

    Chelsea will have to pay 52 mill to get Cavani according to Napoli. 25-30 sounds about right but in today market I can understand 30-40 mill but no more.

  • couldn’t care less about the mancs tbh, i just want RVP to never win a trophy again whilst at the mancs.

    in David Moyes i trust, ha ha

  • Fantastic dialogue between James and AFC this evening. 🙂

    Thanks for all the comments today! 🙂

    Next post at some time tomorrow morning or afternoon.

  • cheers, TA

    now looking forward to a promising Final….come on Spain !

  • AFC, I hope Higuain wears 27! That’s my number for my soccer team! 😉
    What do you guys think of this final!?!?! Madness 😉

  • Dylan,
    Its been an interesting final Spain were always going to be up against it tonight with Brazil playing at home, Spain playing lots of matches and for defo looked very tied.
    That said Brazil look the real deal again, i wanted them to beat Spain tonight they have had it all there way for 6 years and everyone needed there bubble to burst. I wanted it to be a tight close match might have been if they scored that shocking penalty effort. Madness is about right they totally lost they way.

  • What a solid defence Brasil have..
    Cesar.. Alves-Silva-Luiz-Marcelo..
    With two DM.. Gustavo n Paulinho.. wow..

    Hope Cesar deal is for real..
    He is super GK..
    I will happy enough if We only sign him alone.. hehehe..

    It is time for spain to let go Iniesta n Xavi.. and give Cazorla n Fabregas to lead the team.. But I think that only will happen if Fabregas comeback to Arsenal and win the Champion with us.. hahaha..

  • Henrychan.
    I think Cesar is a done deal, the reason i think that is we want him and Vito Mannone contract has just expired an hour ago . That means we haft to sign a keeper and he is a perfect fit for us as we are for him 🙂

  • I rate Luiz very highly i always have , i never could understand all the pundits slating him , yeah he makes a few mistakes but hey don’t we all.
    Maybe we should look at the they DM’ers and think about buying 1 of them. The spuds would love that lol

  • ProudG.. I wish you’re right..
    His 2 millions price was underrate for me..

    Any news from TW..??

  • Oh yes Luiz did a very great job..
    It will be very different if that was a goal..
    But We have Koscielny already who can play his kind of defence..

    Something funny when Pedro complaining Neymar for diving.. hahaha..
    Pedro is a diver also.. and that’s was the dna of barca.. and that why Neymar choose Barca.. hahaha..

  • I hoped Brazil would beat Spain, but it was hard to choose who I wanted to win due to the fact that both sides have a penchant for diving.

    We (Arsenal) might not win in a pretty fashion next season, but I think that we will finish higher than fourth, and close the gap between us, Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs. The finish to last season should fill us with confidence, that we can overachieve and punch above the weight the pundits and some, if not most of the fans have given us. If we sign another player or two, I think we will have the capacity to dominate most matches. I leave that up to Wenger and his backroom staff to figure out though.

  • Milo.. Brasil already beat Spanish by 3-0..
    I believe we will lead the EPL this season.. hehehe..

    Chelsea will never win the EPL.. as long as Toress is their target man.. He is even worse than our Giroud.. hehehe.. Unbelievable.. rumours linked us to Toress..?? hahahaha..
    Chelsea will be unstable because of Mourinho.. this guy really a monster.. won’t be easy for Chelsea’s player to run his wish..
    The only Chelsea man that I adore is Juan Mata (mean ‘eyes’ in Indonesian language)..
    If ever Mou think to sell him.. then Wenger must bring him..

    Milo.. Paulinho seem closer to Spurs.. It will be nice if Luiz Gustavo come to Emirates.. but can he play Arteta rules..??

  • @ henrychan July 1, 2013 04:53

    There is an outside chance for Arsenal to bring in Luiz Gustavo from Bayern Munich. He is one of the few outstanding (yet underrated) holding midfielders playing in Europe’s top flight currently. I shall say Luiz Gustavo >>> Marouane Fellaini, Victor Wanyama, Asier Illarramendi (players linked with us), in terms of match experiences, tactical awareness and technical ability playing both the protector and destroyer in front of the backline.

    Javi Martinez is their No.1 candidate in the holding midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger (their vice captain) will not be drop from their starting line-up, and Sebastian Rode is reported to be joining them from Eintracht Frankfurt for the new season.

    When and if Bayern Munich are willing to negotiate, we should go in to pursue Luiz Gustavo without hesitation.

  • JM & Henry, I am also hoping we get Luiz Gustavo. He is the most experienced DM we have been linked with and is pretty solid at both Brazil and Bayern.

    Reports are saying the Higuain deal will be completed in the next 72 hours meanwhile we hold talks with Cesar and his guys.

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