Finally: Pre-season proper is upon us.
9 comments July 10th, 2011
Arsenal depart for Asia today as our pre-season kicks in to second gear. When we return in a week’s time, not only will we have played a couple of games, but we’ll also know a good deal more about the future of some of the current squad.
The forthcoming tour gave us Arsene Wenger’s first in-depth interview of the pre-season. Subscribers to Arsenal Player can give that a watch here.
For the lazy, cheap and unfortunate among you, here were the ‘highlights’:
_Arsene insisted he would “fight as hard as he can” to keep Cesc & Nasri
Of course, Arsene doesn’t want to lose either player. However, it strikes me that fighting to keep a player is quite different from definitively stating they are not for sale. In Nasri’s case particularly, his contractual situation means that Arsenal simply have to consider taking any money on offer. The Sunday Times report today that Nasri’s agent has agreed a £185,000 p/week wage packet with Manchester City, and that Arsenal would be willing to sell for €25m. A new contract doesn’t seem any closer to being signed, and the departure of this pair of players feels horribly inevitable.
_Gervinho is almost a done deal
It’s become a bit of a saga this one, but it seems the end is near. The official website has started referring to his “impending arrival”, and French sports daily L’Equipe claim the deal could be completed as early as tomorrow.
_Arsene hopes to add “one or two” signings
Now, this statement distressed me. After repeated assurances that we would be “very active” in this window, the prospect of just two arrivals (one of which would be Gervinho) angered me. As did the suggestion that we have already “added” Thomas Vermaelen, as he was injured for the majority of last season.
If we’re going to stand any chance of ending the wait for silverware, we need more arrivals than that. I can only hope that Arsene is being coy. Perhaps he’s waiting to see which players he sells before finalising his plans. As well as Cesc and Nasri, there are several other squad members he is actively willing to sell.
One thing is certain, though…
_Kieran Gibbs looks like being our new left-back
When quizzed as to why Gael Clichy was sold, Arsene chose not to mention the abandoned contract negotiations with the player, and instead to talk up the ability of Kieran Gibbs, stating he’s at an age where he “has to play”.
I’m dubious about whether Gibbs is any improvement on Clichy, and worry about how injury prone the young Englishman is. I’d like to see an experienced alternative brought in just in case Gibbs doesn’t make the step up as Clichy and Cole did before him.
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And so we came to yesterday’s squad announcement for the Asia tour.
As expected, Cesc Fabregas’ “hamstring problem” kept him at home, but Samir Nasri has travelled. Injuries to Fabianski and Eboue have also meant that they’ve been left back at Colney, where they should be joined by Eboue’s compatriot Gervinho this week.
The big omissions are those of Manuel Almunia and Nicklas Bendtner. An Arsenal spokesman confirmed to the BBC that both players are in talks about transfers, but I have no idea who they’re with or how advanced they might be. After selling De Gea to Man United, Athletico Madrid might be a decent bet for Almunia, who could be allowed to leave without a fee.
If Bendtner goes, it will leave us with Van Persie and Chamakh as our only recognised centre-forwards. With two African Cup of Nations in the next two years, and Van Persie famously prone to injury, I’d be hope Bendtner would be adequately replaced in the event of his departure.
Other omissions from the tour include Wellington, who is set to rejoin Levante on loan, and Henri Lansbury. I’m surprised Lansbury hasn’t travelled – whether it’s due to his extended U-21 duty in the summer or a reported £2m bid from Norwich remains to be seen.
One man who has, unsurprisingly, been included is Japanese winger Ryo Miyachi. The teenager impressed on loan at Feyenoord last season, and his presence will probably help from a commercial perspective too. From what I understand he is unlikely to be awarded a work permit for this season and will likely go out on loan again, either to Holland or to France.
Finally, a word on the story today linking us with an £18m move for Villa’s Stewart Downing. I have to say, that seems unlikely. Downing spent much of last season on the right-wing. So far, we’ve come close to one major signing: Gervinho, a right-winger. I doubt very much we’ll have use for two.
A quick warning: due to time constraints I haven’t checked this blog for typos. Don’t judje me.
