August 30th, 2012
Not long now, is there? Not long for Arsenal to replace Alex Song, sell Theo Walcott, and do all those other things the newspapers have insisted they’re going to do. And yet it is very, very quiet. The day before the big day, I thought I might have a little look at what I expect to happen in the coming hours.
OUTS
All the talk yesterday was of Theo Walcott being on the verge of quitting Arsenal. Since then, there’s been a fair bit of backtracking from both sides, and Arsenal are now actively briefing that regardless of his contract situation, Walcott will stay. This reportedly follows on from talks between Theo and Arsene yesterday, during which the winger expressed a desire to find an agreement on a new deal.
Perhaps Arsenal were looking to flush out Theo’s true intentions by leaking the story of a possible sale to the press. Whatever the case, it now seems unlikely he’ll go. A bid from Liverpool would certainly test our resolve, but it seems we’ve decided to gamble that we’ll be able to find an agreement with the player before January. I suspect Walcott’s advisers are smart enough to know he’s on to a good thing with Arsenal, and a compromise will be reached in the coming weeks.
However, there will be others on the move. The list of possible departures reads: Sebastien Squillaci, Andrey Arshavin, Nicklas Bendtner, Ju Young-Park, and finally, at a push, Marouane Chamakh.
The one I consider most likely to move on is Bendtner. Both he and Arsenal admit that the relationship between the Dane and the club is broken beyond repair, and I suspect a solution will be found on the final day. Last year we waited all summer for someone to pay a fee, and when that failed to materialise agreed a hastily arranged loan deal with Sunderland. This summer we’ve hung on in the hope of receiving a few quid, but at this stage it wouldn’t surprise me if Bendtner makes another temporary move. All considered, I’d be hugely surprised to ever see him play for Arsenal again.
I’ve barely seen Ju Young-Park play for Arsenal at all, and having had his squad number pinched by Lukas Podolski, the chances of seeing him do so again seem slim-to-none. His biggest problem is going to be finding a club willing to take a chance on a player who has barely played in the last twelve months. It’s such an odd situation: his international record continues to suggest he’s a player with significant ability, yet he is plainly not part of Arsene’s plans. There was rumoured interest from Celta Vigo in Spain, but that’s now gone quiet. Should that fall through, I suspect he’ll get himself a move to the Middle East, or perhaps back to Ligue 1. For his sake, and for the good of his career, I hope he gets out.
If Bendtner and Park both move on, I think it’s highly unlikely we’ll allow Marouane Chamakh to go too, despite interest from Besiktas. If, as at Stoke, we field both Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski, then Chamakh is (rather worryingly) our first reserve centre-forward. I consider it impossible to let him go without signing a new striker – but more on that later.
Sebastien Squillaci, too, seems likely to stay. Arsenal had hoped to move him on earlier in the summer, but Bastia were unable to get close to the salary he currently earns in London. Since then Arsenal have sold Kyle Bartley, who had been promoted to the first-team squad, and seem set to retain the Frenchman as fifth-choice centre-half. Whilst he certainly has his failings, he was only called upon to make six appearances last season, so retaining him in the squad wouldn’t be a disaster. You never know: his experience could even prove useful away from the pitch.
The case of Andrey Arshavin is a tricky one to unpick. His Arsenal career seemed to be over when he joined Zenit on loan in February, only for Arsene to mention the possibility of a reprieve after an impressive Euro 2012. After being involved in the opening game with Sunderland, he then didn’t make the bench for Stoke, amid reports of a ‘business trip’ to St. Petersburg. Personally, I think he’ll still be at Arsenal come Saturday morning – but we can’t read too much in to that. The Russian transfer window runs for another week, so Arshavin’s future will still be up in the air until after the international break.
INS
I’m afraid this section is going to be rather shorter.
It’s not that Arsenal don’t need players. Hypothetically, we could strengthen all over the field. There are back-up goalkeepers who would fill me with more confidence than either Lukasz Fabianski or Vito Mannone. An experienced right-back would allow Bacary Sagna to recover at leisure and relieve the pressure on young Carl Jenkinson. Alex Song is yet to be replaced as the club’s primary holding midfielder, whilst the patchy form of Gervinho and Walcott means we could do with another option out wide. Finally, the worryingly high position of the goal-shy Marouane Chamakh in our attacking pecking order suggests a striker should be on any shortlist.
However, at this late stage, and judging from the whispers I’m (not) hearing, I don’t expect any major activity. Arsene will hold a press conference this morning, in which he will say something like:
“At the moment we are not close to anything. We are working until the last minute. If we find a special player at a good price, we will do it.â€
It’s a different situation to last summer, when we desperately needed bodies. Arsene is searching within a very specific set of parameters, and I find it hard to see us turning up what he wants at this late stage.
It’s not that were not bothering.  We are making enquiries across Europe. Earlier this week, when Theo Walcott’s situation looked a little more precarious, Dick Law spoke to a club in Portugal about the logistics of signing a wide player. That interest, perhaps due to progress on the Theo front, has now been formally ended.
If we sign anyone at this late stage, I suspect it’ll be a forward. Arsene seems very confident in his midfield options, and despite the rumoured interest in Yann M’vila I can tell you with conviction we have made absolutely no contact with Rennes all summer. It’s interesting too that so many papers said we’d look to replace Alex Song with Victor Wanyama – a story that has died completely since Song’s departure. It’s almost as if it wasn’t true in the first place.
To put things in perspective, at this stage last summer we knew of an agreed fee for Andrey Santos, Park Chu-Young had completed a medical, and I’d let you know (albeit in code) about Per Mertesacker’s imminent arrival. We’d also been linked by a credible BBC journalist with Yossi Benayoun. This time round? Nothing. Granted, we still had the surprise signing of Mikel Arteta to follow, and Arsenal do like to do things on the quiet, but I think it’s too quiet for there to be any flurry of activity.
I could be wrong – we’ll get a clearer idea when Arsene meets the media this afternoon. I don’t think failing to add to the squad would be a disaster – we’ve bought well in Cazorla, Giroud and Podolski. But I do think there’s clear room for improvement, and I’d be delighted if we could add a defensive midfielder and a striker. I just don’t hold out much hope.
Predicted Outs: Bendtner, Park
Predicted Ins: None
August 1st, 2012
Hello folks. Â Apologies for radio silence. Â Serves me right for trying to use a radio to write a blog.
In the time since we last spoke, Arsenal rounded off the Asia tour with a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City, and a 2-2 draw with Kitchee SC.  The latter through the Kitchee sink at us, and exposed almost as many defensive frailties as our Premier League rivals.  There’s much work to do, and it’s worrying that only one official pre-season fixture remains in which to tighten up at the back and introduce the new strike pair of Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.
There were, however, some positives on the tour. Â We’re used to the defensive problems, but there were some less familiar sights, such as Gervinho being efficient and productive, and Abou Diaby not limping. Â Now we return to London and the hard work continues – away from the pitch, too.
In recent days we’ve been heavily linked with two Spain-based midfielders: Malaga’s Santi Cazorla, and Real Madrid’s Nuri Sahin. Â It’s well known that Arsene is a huge admirer of both players: he attempted to sign Cazorla from Villarreal last summer, and six or so years ago named Sahin as the world’s best teenage talent.
The need for Cazorla is clear.  Despite selling both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, Arsene’s didn’t buy a direct replacement in the form of an attacking midfielder, choosing instead to rely on Aaron Ramsey and Tomas Rosicky across the course of the season, with mixed results.  Cazorla would fill that gap and add an extra dimension to the side – and, at a reported £16m, be an absolute bargain.
At first glance, the signing of Sahin would be a little odd. Â He plays a deeper role than Cazorla, without being a destroyer. Â It’s an area in which Arsenal are seemingly well-stocked. Â If there is anything in this story – that of Arsenal pursuing a left-footed, box-to-box creative midfield player, then one has to wonder just how worried Arsene Wenger is about the amount of playing time he’ll get out of Jack Wilshere this season.
If a deal for Sahin was imminent, I doubt the player would have flown to America with the rest of the Real Madrid squad.  There seems to be a significantly bigger fire at the heart of all this Cazorla smoke, and Malaga’s financial troubles could hold the key to us nicking their prize asset on the cheap.  I had a brief chat with a journalist from Malaga Hoy last night, and he told me that people around the club accept that the player has decided his future is with Arsenal; it’s now just down to the two clubs to reach an agreement.  Whether or not that’s possible will depend on how desperate Malaga are to bail themselves out – I can’t see Arsenal bidding much more than the current £16m on the table.
Arsene has already confirmed that messrs Park, Bendtner and Squillaci will soon be on their way, and there are a couple more who could face the chop. Â And that’s without mentioning the precarious contract situations of Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott, and even Alex Song. Â It’s going to be a busy few weeks…
September 1st, 2011
Two days. Five signings. One goal: Regeneration.
I expected activity from Arsenal. I hoped for three, maybe four additions. But five signings in two days is more than I could have wished for.
The 8-2 defeat to Manchester United brought the club to its knees. But it also brought a change of ideology. Arsene saw how on that day how vulnerable his young squad was, and has moved decisively to reinforce it with experience and quality. The cavalry has arrived.
On Tuesday we completed the signing of Park Chu-Young, and Wednesday afternoon saw us secure the anticipated signings of Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker. That saw the defence and attack sorted, but huge concerns remained about the midfield. As night drew in and the 11pm deadline inched closer, fans were deeply concerned: could Arsenal really go in to the season without adding to a midfield shorn of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas?
They needn’t have worried. An impeccable source tells me that Mikel Arteta was at London Colney as early as 6.30pm. After some haggling over wages – it seems Arteta may have taken a pay-cut to secure his four year deal – his signing was secured, right on the deadline. Not only that, but he was joined by Yossi Benayoun, on a season long loan from Chelsea.
The signings all bring a wealth of experience and character to the table
Per Mertesacker – 26 years old, Former Werder Bremen captain, 75 Germany caps
Andre Santos – 28 years old, 22 Brazil caps
Mikel Arteta – 29 years old, 161 Premier League appearances – more than any other Arsenal player
Yossi Benayoun – 31 years old, Current Israel captain with 83 Israel caps
Park Chu-Young – 26 years old, Current captain of South Korea with 53 caps
And all that for a total outlay of about £28m.
The negative element of the fanbase with complain that we haven’t made a marquee signing – someone of the stature of a Cesc or a Nasri. To a degree they’re right – although I consider Mertesacker and Arteta to be unusually high profile signings for Arsene. What we have done is significantly strength the squad – certainly since Sunday, and perhaps even since last season. I expect Santos, Mertesaker and Arteta to make a significant impact on the first XI this season, whilst Benayoun and Park will provide capable options in attacking areas.
The big German centre-half is what we’ve been crying out for, and I’m looking forward to him forming a mean looking partnership with Thomas Vermaelen. Santos will provide stiff competition for Gibbs – you don’t play for Brazil regularly without being a half-decent footballer – and Arteta is an absolutely vital addition. He knows the league inside out, he can pass the ball, and score goals. We’ve seen how someone like Ashley Young has stepped up to another level since joining a Champions League club, and I believe Arteta has the talent to do the same.
I think Benayoun is regarded a little harshly by Arsenal fans, perhaps because he’s played for several rival clubs. I believe he’s talented and capable of scoring goals – and he hasn’t cost us anything yet! Remember, this is the man who scored the goal for West Ham that put us in Europe ahead of Spurs after lasagne-gate, so we owe him a little goodwill. Park, meanwhile, seems like a very solid pro who will fit right in to our technical style of football.
It’s all unprecedented for Arsenal on so many levels. To make so many signings – and this kind of signing too. Mertesacker is the tallest player Arsene has ever bought. He’s added two veterans of the Premier League. He’s signed players who are ready to go now – and for some of whom time is actively running out!
For those who wanted a global superstar: Arsene will tell you that within twelve months, the likes of Wilshere or Gervinho could reach that level. These players will provide the platform they need to do that. My favourite aspect of deadline day was seeing the tweets flood in from young Jack:
Maybe Arteta will give him the support Cesc needed but never had. Against Manchester United, we saw an Arsenal team that didn’t believe in themselves. Now, they might just have a reason.
There were departures too. Henri Lansbury joined West Ham on loan, and with his contract close to expiry he may not be coming back. Nicklas Bendtner also joined Sunderland on a temporary deal – his long-term future is harder to call. We might get him as a proven Premier League goalscorer. Gilles Sunu got himself a four year deal at Lorient, who have also taken Joel Campbell on loan for the season.
It is a radical overhaul of the squad. At a glance:
Out: Denilson (loan), Clichy, Fabregas, Eboue, JET, Vela (loan), Nasri, Traore, Lansbury (loan), Sunu, Campbell (loan), Bendtner (loan)
In: Jenkinson, Gervinho, Chamberlain, Miyaichi (WP granted), Campbell, Park, Santos, Mertesacker, Benayoun, Arteta
I’ve probably missed some out – but still, you get the point.
Over the international break there’ll be plenty of time to analyse each signing individually and their potential impact on the side. For now, I’m exhausted, and need to rest for a long time.
It’s a new look Arsenal squad. It might not be good enough to win the league, but it’s certainly good enough for Champions League qualification. Also, it’s one I can take pride in, which is more than I can say for the situation last week. I’m glad that Arsene, too, seems to have shown some humility and amended his transfer policy. It was, I’m sure we all agree, entirely necessary.
The season starts against Swansea. I can’t wait.
August 27th, 2011
Although the clash with Manchester United is tomorrow, the talk around the club is still dominated by transfer speculation. Â It’s understandable: with just five days to go, Arsene has indicated he’d like to add three players to his squad.
“It is important [to strengthen] because we will lose players in January with players going to the African Nations Cup.
We lose Gervinho and Chamakh together so, first of all, it is important to strengthen up front. It is important that we find one midfielder and one defender as well. So we are still short of three bodies.”
Arsenal, it seems, need something of everything. Â Obviously, working to such tight deadlines is not ideal, but sometimes the end of the window can prove a fertile ground in which to ensnare a bargain. Â For some clubs, this five days represent a final chance to cash in on saleable assets. Â Take, for example, the case of Gary Cahill and Bolton.
It is widely known that Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Cahill as part of their search for a centre-half with Premier League experience. Â After having had a bid for Phil Jagielka rejected earlier in the summer, Arsenal have set their sights on Cahill, holding formal discussions over a possible transfer this week.
Yesterday, Bolton manager Owen Coyle and chairman Phil Gartside chose to speak publicly about the negotiations, with Coyle labelling Arsenal’s offer (which, at this stage, remains verbal) “derisory”. Â Gartside, meanwhile, chose to retweet the following eloquent message expressed by a Bolton fan:
Image courtesy of 'Metro'
What a classless, clueless idiot.
Arsene responded with his usual dignity, and refuted the suggestion that the offer was as low a £6m:
“That number is completely wrong. If Gartside can say I am lying I am ready to confront him.
I believe every negotiation is between two parties and you only have to sell the player if you are all right with the price. In this case the information is below what has been spoken about.
You can believe Gartside or you can believe me. It’s not right. It’s not the truth.”
Bolton’s behaviour is entirely transparent. Â All summer long Coyle has talked about what a great player Cahill is, how he deserves Champions League football, and how he’s surprised no offers have been forthcoming. Â Now an offer arrives, and he’s up in arms about it.
If Bolton didn’t want to sell Cahill, they would quietly reject the offer and speak no more about it. Â Their decision to publicise the bid can only have one desired outcome: to create an auction. Â Cahill’s contract expires in twelve months, and with Champions League clubs looming, he’s unlikely to sign another. Â Bolton stand to lose their most valuable asset for nothing. Â If they can sell for a decent price in this window, they will. Â In the current circumstances, the timing of the loan signing of Dedrcyk Boyata was particularly interesting.
With Liverpool about to sign the Uruguayan Coates, and City having bought Savic, Arsenal are Cahill’s only obvious suitors. Â It remains to be seen if Gartside and Coyle have shot themselves in the foot and driven us from the negotiation table. Â I think Cahill’s a good footballer and a solid defender and would fit in well. Â If Arsene shares my conviction, then a deal could definitely be done.
As for the midfielder and the striker Arsene is looking at, your guess is as good as mine. Â There’s been a lot of talk about Rennes’ Yann M’Villa, but I think we need a more creative presence in midfield. Â The arrival of a striker is contingent on the departure of Nicklas Bendtner, of whom Arsene Wenger said “we know he will leave”.
It’s hard to envisage anything but these deals going right to the wire, which promises to be exciting/traumatic. Â As ever, you’ll be able to follow it all as it goes down on Gunnerblog.
There’s some early team news for United here. Â With Wilshere, Diaby, Song and Frimpong all unavailable, Johan Djourou could be asked to play in midfield alongside Aaron Ramsey. Â I’ll have a full preview for you tomorrow. Â Today, I’m off to Stamford Bridge to check out the competition…
July 27th, 2011
You know the season is well on the way when Arsenal start picking up injuries. A squad which is already braced for several departures in the next month has been hit by a couple of injury blows.
The first bad news is that of a cruciate ligament problem for 19-year old Conor Henderson. The Irish midfielder was filling in at left-back against Cologne when he twisted his knee in the final seconds. Arsenal.com say he’ll miss “a minimum of six months” – the player himself has already written the season off on his official Twitter account. It’s a shame as the very fact he was in Germany was indicative of how highly Arsene rates him. Hopefully he can follow the lead of Emmanuel Frimpong, who suffered a similar injury only to fight back in to first-team contention a year later.
Theo Walcott also returned home early from the German training camp with an ankle problem. Arsene said:
“It is an ankle injury that comes and goes. We need some more investigation because sometimes he’s completely free of it and sometimes it affects him. But we had to send him back because he couldn’t practise any more.”
Whilst it doesn’t sound like a serious problem, any recurring injury is a bit of a worry, and without wanting to panic anyone it sounds like the sort of thing that might require surgery to resolve. However, I’m sure Arsene will want Theo fit at the start of the season, so any major treatment will doubtless be put off now.
If Theo does miss the opening games, Arsene could be reliant on Russian forward Andrey Arshavin, who has targeted 15 goals for next season. Although the player has been heavily linked with Galatasaray, I can’t see him being allowed to depart at a time when the futures of fellow playmakers Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri are in so much doubt. Arshavin has looked sharped in pre-season and could be an important senior member of the squad in 2011/12.
Another player heavily linked with Galatasaray was Ivorian full-back Emmanuel Eboue. However, the latest news from the Turkish media suggest his move may be off after Arsenal raised their valuation of the player to £7m. That seems an improbably high price, so at this stage it could just be media tittle-tattle.
One man who is definitely loping towards the door is Nicklas Bendtner, whose Dad suggests he is inundated with offers. Personally, I don’t care he goes so long as we get a decent fee – one that is reinvested in the squad.
Reinvested, perhaps, in one Juan Mata. Valencia and Spain’s attacking midfielder has been consistently linked with Arsenal throughout the summer, and with the Cesc Fabregas saga coming to a head, Madrid-based daily Marca have suggested we’ve gone as far as to meet the buyout clause in his contract.
Mata would certainly meet a lot of the criteria for replacing either Cesc or Nasri, but for now let’s take these stories with a pinch of salt. So many times in the past we’ve questioned the authenticity or motives of Marca when printing stories about our players – this very morning they also ran a story suggesting Cesc is on “strike”, which simply isn’t true.
Finally, raise your mug of tea because Gunnerblog is seven years old today. Thanks to all who have read, through its many incarnations. Lets hope we can make this year the best of all. Any maybe have a trophy too.
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