The father of Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell has told Costa Rican sports website Al Dia that the player’s club have agreed a deal with Arsenal worth $1.5m (£930,000).
Humberto Campbell says that the deal will be finalised today (Sunday), with Saprissa set for a final meeting with Arsenal’s envoy, Richard Law. Campbell has agreed a five-year contract, including provision for him to wear his preferred number 12 shirt – currently unoccupied at Arsenal.
Whether or not Campbell joins up with the squad this season will be dependent on if he obtains a work permit. He has not played the 70% of international games required, so would have to receive a “special talent” visa.
Having followed the deal all week on Gunnerblog, I’d be quite pleased if this went ahead. That said, it’s a punt on a prodigy rather than proven talent. More reliable reinforcements will be needed if we’re going to be a force this coming season.
Hopefully Saprissa themselves, who are yet to make serious comment on the story, will soon confirm a deal has been reached.
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Update 02.17 (Uk-time)
In the last few minutes, Costa Rican radio station ADN Radio have interviewed the president of Deportivo Saprissa, Juan Carlos Rojas, who has confirmed that the club have reached an “agreement in principal” with Arsenal.
Rojas called it a “historic agreement” for Costa Rica and Saprissa, and said that whilst the club had been offered more money by other clubs, Arsenal’s stature made this the right move for Joel.
He finished by saying that assuming personal terms are agreed, a deal could be finalised in the next 24 hours.
Morning all from a very rainy London. In about 45 minutes time, Arsenal will kick off a friendly against Chinese outfit Hangzhou Greentown. Apparently weather conditions there are much the same – according to journalist John Cross, it’s so bad the roof is leaking.
Nevertheless, I’m sure the Chinese fans will be in good spirits. The degree of support we’ve seen from fans born thousands of miles away has been really heartwarming. They also put our British banner-making skills to shame. Have a butchers at this rather spectacular offering:
Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph has just announced the starting XI as:
It’ll be interesting to see how Samir Nasri equips himself amid all the speculation about his future. Roberto Mancini has spoken to Sky Sports about City’s interest in the player, saying:
“Samir is under contract with Arsenal. Also for Samir it depends on many things.
I don’t know if an offer has been made in this moment, I don’t know the situation but for Nasri it is difficult.
I hope that we can buy because we need other players and I hope that this player can arrive before the end of the month.”
To me, it’s clear that the “many things” the deal depends on are the forty million pounds Barcelona will have to stump up to sign Cesc Fabregas. If Cesc stays, Nasri will probably go. If Cesc goes, we need Nasri. It’s as simple as that. City will have to bide their time until any negotiations with Barcelona are concluded, one way or the other.
I’m also intrigued to see whether not Denilson is involved at all today, with ESPN Brazil reporting that he’s on the verge of a loan deal with his former club Sao Paulo. According to the reports, he’s due to undergo a medical on Monday, so he may have left the China tour already.
Finally, an update on the Joel Campbell story we brought you yesterday. The latest from the Costa Rican press is that a pair of Italian agents have brought offers to Campbell’s club from Juventus, Rubin Kazan, and the club who’ve signed Roberto Carlos and are tracking Neymar, FC Anzhi Makhachkala. These offers would not only be more lucrative, but would also allow Campbell to join up straight away rather than have to go out on loan, which he may have to do if he joins Arsenal.
Much will depend on the success of Arsenal’s application for a special talent visa. It’s clear however that our interest is based on more than one flashy performance in the Copa America. The player’s agent, Joel Batica, has said:
“I have been in contact for several months with an Arsenal scout who works in Central and North America.
I have a partner who also worked with and knows Arsene Wenger very well and we were running things from both sides. I talked to the scout who reported to Wenger and the interest grew little by little, because Arsene Wenger initially was unaware of the player.
Now the interest is high from the Arsenal and we are here.”
Richard Law remains in Costa Rica attempting to strike a deal.
Right, off to watch our game on Arsenal Player. If you’re not a subscriber, follow me on twitter for updates.
“Who is Messi? Who is Neymar? Gentlemen of the press – I present to you: Campbell. I discovered him playing with cans.”
Ricardo La Volpe, Costa Rica manager
“I have to handle things calmly and wait for the opportunity. Who would not want to play for Arsenal? That’s what I work for but as yet nothing is clear. I am calm: I leave everything in God’s hands.”
God and, of course, Arsenal executive Richard Law, who is currently in Costa Rica attempting to strike a deal amid rumours of interest from Spain’s big two, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Fiorentina, Lazio and Atalanta in Italy.
So just who is this 19-year old striker? Well he comes highly recommended by former Mexico and Boca Juniors manager, and current Costa Rica boss, Ricardo La Volpe, who said of the prodigy:
“Who is Messi? Who is Neymar? Gentlemen of the press – I present to you: Campbell. I discovered him playing with cans.”
La Volpe is being unduly theatrical. But if Campbell does move to the Premier League this summer, it will signal a remarkable rise.
The name ‘Campbell’ will be familiar to Arsenal fans – messrs Sulzir and Kevin have worn it on the back of their shirts before. In an interview with FIFA.com, Campbell explained his nominative origins:
“I was born in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, although my family is from the English-speaking area of Limon, which explains my surname, and I’m the third of four children.”
A virtual unknown at the start of the year, the lightening-quick striker rose to prominence after a series of outstanding performances at the CONCACAF qualifying competition for the Under 20 World Cup which will take place in August.
His direct style has drawn comparisons with Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o. Campbell describes his own style thus:
“I’m clever, fast and good on the ball, though I think I’m at my best in one-on-one situations.
Ronaldo has always been my idol and role model but I don’t think I’m like him, Eto’o or anyone. I try to take the things they’re each good at and learn from them. I watch what they do in the pitch and try to put it into practice.”
If a deal does go ahead, it’s unclear as to whether or not Campbell would immediately join up with Arsenal’s first-team squad or head out on loan to gain first-team experience or indeed qualify for a work permit.
The outcome of the negotiations should be clear in the next few days – Arsenal will be keen to complete a deal before the U-20 World Cup kicks off at the end of the month.
Reputable Costa Rican website EverardoHerrera reports that Arsenal executive Richard Law has arrived in Costa Rica to negotiate the signing of 19-year old striker Joel Campbell.
The following video shows Richard Law arriving in Costa Rica to meet with the player’s representatives:
For the non-Spanish speakers among you, the agent says something like:
“When you have to know what has happened, or what didn’t happen, then we’ll speak. I don’t want to speak too soon, in a hurry. That’s all I can say at the moment. If we are here, it’s because there is interest, of course. OK?”*
Law plays an increasingly prominent part in Arsenal’s transfer negotiations – more so than Chief Exec Ivan Gazidis. It was Law who travelled to South America to negotiate a deal for Ricky Alvarez, only for the player to choose Inter at the last moment.
So what of Campbell? Well, he’s a 19-year old left-footed centre-forward, nicknamed “The Panther”, who can also operate on the flanks. His pace, movement, and finishing ability have seen him likened to Manchester United’s Mexican forward Javier Hernandez, and he has been one of the stars of Costa Rica’s Copa America campaign, scoring and assisting in their 2-0 win over Bolivia.
It is this performance that has probably firmed up Arsenal’s interest. Prior to the tournament, Campbell was heavily linked with clubs in La Liga and Serie A. Now it seems Arsenal have made their move.
Campbell’s club, Saprissa, are keen for a deal to be agreed as the player’s contract expires in 2012. Campbell himself would like to tie up any move before Costa Rica’s U-20 World Cup campaign begins in Colombia on July 31st.
Here’s a video of the lad in action:
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*Thanks to my bro for assistance with translation, and Jamie Dalton for the heads up on the article.
Arsenal returned to action yesterday with an entertaining 4-0 win over a Malaysian XI. Although played on the other side of the world, it felt like a home game for the Gunners, who have all admitted to being blown away by the fanaticism displayed by the Malaysian support. A quick look at the stats on the blog shows that only the UK, US, Australia and Singapore contribute more readers to this site, so the numbers shouldn’t surprise anyone. What is impressive is the genuine dedication and passion for the team.
I have to say that so far this tour has been a great success. Not only has it allowed the team time together to bond, it’s also demonstrated just how big a club Arsenal is. Hopefully the commercial success the club craves will follow.
The game itself was very lively, with a higher tempo than you would expect for a first friendly of a new campaign. The starting XI was as follows:
Worth noting that Vermaelen was partnered with Koscielny rather than Djourou, which could be an indication as to the pecking order going in to next season. Aaron Ramsey, meanwhile, played as the most advanced of the midfield trio in the ‘Cesc’ role.
Jenkinson and Miyaichi made their debuts, and I was particularly impressed with the former Charlton defender. He’s unusually tall for a full-back and two-footed, and showed good composure and awareness. His versatility could make him a useful squad player over the coming years – United have always had these sorts of homegrown talents (Wes Brown, John O’Shea etc). You don’t have to be blessed with world-beating technique to make a valid contribution to a trophy-winning squad.
Miyaichi looked lively and very quick, but understandably nervous. I’m still doubtful about our ability to get him a work permit for this season, so don’t be surprised if he ends up heading out on loan again.
The first goal was a penalty tucked away by Aaron Ramsey after Jack Wilshere was tripped in the box. After that bright start, in which Walcott could have added a second, the game faded in to something of a lull, until a beautifully curled forty-yard pass found Theo in behind the Malaysian defence. He took the ball on the bounce and lobbed it over the advancing keeper.
The second half saw a raft of changes, with only Jenkinson, Ramsey and Miyaichi remaining on the field. Emmanuel Frimpong came on and made a good impression in central midfield. Another half-time substitute, Denilson, was withdrawn after just twenty minutes, sparking speculation that he is not part of Arsene’s plans for next season. If that is indeed the case, and Denilson departs, his place in the squad will be inherited by Frimpong. The muscle-bound midfielder has as much power as potential, and could provide some much needed back-up for Alex Song. The only shame is that he has chosen to represent Ghana rather than England, meaning that the African Nations could leave us bereft of both players.
Carlos Vela had a lively second half, and scored a trademark chip to make it three nil. As things stand, with Nicklas Bendtner on the brink of leaving, Vela is in line to be our third-choice centre-forward. If that’s going to be the case, he needs to show he can finish like that in circumstances other than friendlies and the Carling Cup.
With twenty minutes to go, the quartet of Arshavin, Van Persie, Sagna and Nasri were introduced. The latter buzzed around with plenty of energy. It looked to me like he was trying to make a point: even if he is going to leave in twelve months time, he seems very much up for the coming season. Either that or he was trying to show City he’s worth his prospective £185,000 a week contract…
In stoppage time Arsenal added a fourth – Arshavin drove to the byline and his cross deflected in to the pass of Tomas Rosicky, who nodded in his goal for the season.
Arsenal have now moved on to China, where Arsene will hold a press conference later this afternoon. The same questions about Cesc and Nasri will be asked, and I think we can expect the same answers. The comments of people like Xavi are, frankly, to be expected. I think it’s important we draw a line under the Cesc thing soon enough so we can proceed with the rest of our plans.
