May 23rd, 2006
There we are. A done deal. Arsene says:
“We are delighted to welcome Tomas to our squad. He has great technique, skill on the ball and sharp passing. Tomas has good experience at all levels for club and country, and we look forward to welcoming him to Arsenal after what will hopefully be a successful summer for him at the World Cup.“
Tomas says:
“Iâ??m really happy to be here at Arsenal, it is a great day for me. The team showed its strength recently in the Champions League and it has big potential with a lot of young players, I think we can be even better next season. This is the best club in Europe and I will give everything for Arsenal.“
Nice words from the mercurial midfielder, whose likely to wear the number 10. Don’t go and get it printed though, because when I say “likely“, I mean “I’m completely guessing“.
A great start to the summer, and yet another reason to have all eyes peeled on the World Cup. Tony Adams, meanwhile, is on the verge of becoming manager of NAC Breda.
Interesting.
May 23rd, 2006
Fantastic news broke last night, as it emerged that Tomas Rosicky, nicknamed “The Dumpling“, is on the verge of signing for Arsenal. The fee is expected to be around £7m, with Arsenal taking advantage of Dortmund’s financial troubles to capture a player signed in 2001 for a whopping £18m.
Rosicky is a key figure in the Czech side expected to impress at this summer’s World Cup, and his international team-mate Pavel Nedved recently urged his club Juventus to buy him. Indeed, in previous summers he’s been a big target for Italian clubs, with bids of up to £30m being rejected before Dortmund’s financial implosion.
The arrival of Rosicky suggests that Robert Pires will indeed move to Villareal. Rosicky began his career as a left-sided midfielder, though he is also equally adept in the central attacking midfield role of a 4-5-1, making him a perfect replacement for Robert. Although he scores less goals than the Frenchman, Rosicky provides many assists and has a Ljungberg-style work-ethic.
This is a fantastic signing for our football club, and should silence all those who clamour for “big names“. It’s also great to get it tied up before the World Cup, where a good performance could push the price up.
However, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that the signing is no good in isolation. The other night I lay on a park bench at Kings Cross for an hour as part of my “Paris Grieving Process” to work out who we need. I concluded: a centre-back, a central midfielder, and a goalscoring winger/striker. Rosicky fulfills the last of the three, but the other two are still real priorities.
Especially if the man I’ve nicknamed “The Dumpling” moves on. Despite the claims on ANR, Sol Campbell has not yet been sold. However, it is my understanding that he will be allowed to leave if he can find a club. I think this is probably the right decision. However well he performed in Paris, he’s obviously past his peak, and with an excellent English alternative in Curtis Davies still available, it’s more than likely we’ve seen the last of Sol in an Arsenal shirt.
Hopefully Rosicky will be tied up today, and then we can all begin praying for that defensive midfielder.
Zokora, anyone?
