Well, well… about 27 hours to go before the TW slams close and it’s starting to heat up in and around the club.
It looks like DC United are keen on MO10 and let’s hope this is all a bit of nonsense. No doubt there is some truth in this but I would be very surprised if Mesut would agree to move to the States and leave all his remaining pride and ambition behind. He is only 30 so why move to a B-competition nation now? Yet I have to say I am a bit concerned about this as Mesut is so hard to gauge and he may want a change from the ongoing fan and media pressure in the UK. It may also explain why we have been linked with a loan-move for Coutinho in recent days. Clearly, there is no need for him at Arsenal with so many creative midfielders in our squad, unless of course Ozil could be on his way out….
Koz my man you were a joy to watch over the years but your silly shirt-swap trick was distasteful and unworthy of you. I guess there was a reason you’ve seldom appeared on TV for the team, even though you were our captain. It wasn’t just a lack of control over your employer’s language but lack of intelligence too, no doubt. That makes me wonder what our good fellow blogger 17Highbury Terrace is going to do with the LK he won on BK a few years ago… Koz, thanks for the service and the joy you brought us and I sincerely hope you will never have to return to those smoking bridges you left behind.
Everton have put in a bit for Iwobi and that is another worry. This is what the BBC reported re Everton’s approach to Arsenal:
“Everton have had a £30m bid for Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi and a loan offer for Manchester United defender Chris Smalling rejected.
The Toffees are expected to return with an improved bid for 23-year-old Nigeria international Iwobi – but it is likely to have to exceed £40m to be accepted.
Iwobi is not agitating to leave but is willing to move if a deal is agreed.”
I have high hopes for Alex and this should be his breakthrough year…. But we also have Nelson and Martinelli and then there was a fine LW performance by Saka v Barca on Sunday. Pepe will have to be squeezed in and an all-out attack of the PALs is highly likely. Ceballos, Willock and Guendouzi are further competition for the nr10 position, and so Iwobi may feel a move to Everton now may be the best thing for him. Should we cash in? The Toffees are very keen to get a left winger and Zaha, their main target, is being priced at an incredible £100m by Palace so we may get a good price for him now… Tough one..
All of this should not distract us from sorting the defence out before the deadline, of course. The management team have got their work cut out and who knows what our squad will be come 5pm tomorrow…
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
Share your concerns on the hard-to-read Ozil thought.
Then, recalling that Mesut is a branding-diva (all the fuss over finally getting Wilshere’s No. 10 jersey). Occurs this is precisely what his goal has been all along: Widening his audience globally. He’s surely not going to do it at Fenerbache.)
Philippe Coutinho is 27 and on £230k per week.
Perhaps more to this than we might think.
No doubt about Countinho’s talent but do we really need him we should be better with more if AFC can get a good tackler in defensive mid
Too much luxury midfielders is what we are parading as long as we can’t get a good defender
Hi JW, good point about Mesut’s world profile and so he may be tempted. Hard to imagine he would make the swap now (or in January) though.
Sammi, if you want another tackler in midfield, let’s put Mustafi there. No need to spend money. But for me it is a combo of Xhaka, Torreira, WIllock, AMN or Ceballos in the DM pivot. Plenty of options..
Pleased for Welbeck to have signed for Watford. Let’s hope he will stay injury free for a long time (except when playing the Arse).
I just saw a Dutch sport magazine analysis of Arsenal suggesting that Ceballos will become our new nr10 – or our key man there. I love to see more of him and they also believe we have signed a quality player in the young Spaniard. So BIG IF Ozil were to go we have at least Ceballos to fill the gap, possibly followed by Coutinho and/or Iwobi or Smith-Rowe….
Okay Tierney on his way to the HoF!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49261543
Ozil is one moody, cold fish of a man. Hard to read him, for sure. Ask the staff of the German FA. However, he is probably using the rumours to increase traffic on his site and his Instagram/Twitter handle, or merely feeling the waters without intending to leave. What ever the case, it’s only going
to happen in January, if at all.
We don’t really need Coutinho. It will be a luxury we can ill afford and will have the short to medium term effect of blocking some of our young talent, which is going to be counter-productive.
Koscielny has not behaved well in how he’s managed his departure and may yet regret his actions. He does not look much like the brightest apple in the bunch and I still think he hasn’t intended to disrespect the club, but he should have been better counselled. He’s done nine years with us and is turning 34 soon. He deserves our forgiveness and a chance to commence retirement processes.
I am happy for Jenks and even chuffed that, at last, Danny has had interest shown and has signed for Watford to keep him in London. We also let Dominic Thompson leave for a token sum to Brentford.
As for Iwobi, it will be all down to the club. I am sure Iwobi loves the club but may equally love a chance to test himself elsewhere, if the club feels he is not required anymore and he won’t have hard feelings. Our fans have not been fair to him, issuing some strong criticism at times, considering he is still learning his trade.
In my view, it will be a big loss if we let him go now, when he isn’t even in his prime. I’m certain Arsenal will reject offers unless it is a really mad one.
With all the Arsenal ins and outs, I do hope someone is paying attention to the home grown and foreign player quota. We’ve lost a couple of English/British players and I’d be curious to know how we sit with that rule.
All agreed Erismus – you summed it up succinctly. Nice.
Well Eris that is for the admin team to worry about! We are on a roll at the moment…. just that extra CB and we is ready to rock!
I am really getting carried away now…. New Post New Post 🙂