Willian's move to Inter Miami has collapsed over his wage demands which are double their highest paid player.
For a move to 'collapse' it would suggest some work has happened on it - I never understand why these sorts of things aren't a 10 minute conversation:
Inter Miami: We would quite like to buy Willian, what sort of money would he want?
Willian's Agent: Double your best paid player
Inter Miami: **hangs up**

Hopefully we have learned our lesson now and won't touch that sort of deal again.

Inter Miami needn’t worry. If the Özil debacle is anything to go by then Arsenal will pay most of his wages for his stay there.

Worth it. The Willian signing was a strange one.
Nelson may well have flopped but one can't tell anything from those little cameos he had.

And you know what that might happen. If arsenal paid half his salary they would still be saving themselves 90 odd grand a week for a player who’s involvement will be minimal. Such is the level of stupidity in our transfer policy this actually makes sense to do now as it would be 90k a week towards paying the salary of a new signing.

Basically the same problem as Özil, Sokratis and Mustafi. These guys won’t be pragmatic and take a wage cut if you need to move them on.

Good one.

Unfortunately Lacazette is one of them. I totally dislike such ungentlemanly behaviour.

The transfer of Willian into Arsenal will rank as one of the worst Arsenal has ever made.
Double whammy
One, an under performing Willian (I think more because of attitude towards the club)
Two, a disheartened Nelson (who was a very promising player and needed more minutes to prove himself).

Hope we learn from it.

If Willian would have performed anywhere close to what he did at Chelsea he would have been a great addition. It was a risk but not many people were saying not to do it. It happens. We move on.

From a playing point of view it was a bit retrograde but not terrible.

But a 3 year contract on high wages for a 32 year old. You don't need hindsight to know that is not a good idea.

In the bag eh?

Now being reported that Man City are interested in Ben White. https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/01/man-city ... _IY7QP7kZc

No such thing as in the bag until it’s on Arsenal’s website.

Everton going big for Ben White now.

You couldn’t be more right LTG. I’ve been trying to make that point recently. When a new player is confirmed on Arsenal.com is the time to be excited about his arrival. Not before.

I agree Decaf. According to reports (including L’Equipe) Messi was on £2.1m a week at Barcelona. If he expects the same at a new club, a one year commitment is, according to the link below, £108.2 even without a transfer fee (although £2.1m x 52 is actually £109.2m).

That’s one hell of a financial commitment for a 34 year old miles past his extraordinary peak. Moreover, if he wants the security of a two year contract at his age, that makes it a £216.4m commitment for someone who will be even further past his peak in 2022/23 (as a 35 year old) than he’ll be in 2021/22 (as a 34 year old).

If City sign him and they win the Champions League with him, they may consider it worth it. But there aren’t too many likely destinations other than City for Messi. Would PSG consider it, or City’s neighbours Manchester United?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football ... ona-wages/

And somewhere in Liverpool, someone is currently typing the words: 'I'll only believe it once I see it confirmed on evertonfc.com.'

No doubt most people have purchased their season tickets so normal service will return. If I was an agent for White I can’t see why I would be signing for a club that is not in Europe.

Saw this on Lokonga’s stats. The quote was that it’s as though Arsenal said to the stats guys go and find us the best 21 year old who is like Partey.

More stats on one of the best Xhaka replacements. Locatelli really is the guy. I think he’s Juve bound though.

Thanks for the update. I hope we get him but if we can do as good for less money or even in similar quality.

We'll revisit that question once we have some signed on the dotted line. For now, I like the positions we are after. I'd prefer CB and creative midfielder above all. CB over creative midfielder. We are better in midfield or have options that are better than central defense. I've made no secret I've always liked Holding but he's not going to be the preferred starter for me. As Ive said, I'd like to him to be 3rd defender.

More worried about City competing for him. 2 out of 3 is not so bad assuming we get the other.

Messi would also be a marketing bonanza. I'm not sure if they'd sell enough Messi shirts to make £216.4m but it would be a good move for City's brand in place like China.

Aubameyang's contract was highly risky but just about understandable given that he was our best player.

Willian on the other hand ...

There's also the small matter of Messi still being an absolutely brilliant player. He might have dropped from his absurd levels of a few years ago but he would instantly be City’s best attacker. 38 goals and 14 assists in 47 matches last season.

I think he will probably sign a new contract with Barcelona. Would he really want to move to Manchester at this stage? Maybe PSG and link up with Neymar and Mbappe.

And the EPL is a fresh challenge. I'm sure he'd love to have one of those rather than yet another poxy Champions League medal.

In fact, he should come to Arsenal. No European distractions. Yes, I'd still have him at Arsenal even for silly wages

Everton not in Europe, same for Arsenal...er...a club not in Europe. Oh yeh it's in the bag alright. Arsenal's low ball offer of £45M doesn't make the cut. Now there's that noisy lot up North.....

He’s always lived on the south coast right. Makes Arsenal an easier decision if it’s between us and Everton. City a different ball game though but it’s a bit harder to believe they want another defender

City are probably quite happy for no other club to get him. Hoarding.

Very impressed with how the Swiss are playing.

Switzerland down to 10 man. Reckless tackle.

I’ve barely watched any of the match but when I put it on was I right in thinking they called the Swiss manager Vladimir Petrovic? If so he briefly played for Arsenal in the early eighties. He was talented.

EDIT: Just looked the Switzerland manager up. Apparently it’s a Vladimir Petkovic, not Vladimir Petrovic.

Xhaka gives the motivational talk.

Cracking game between Italy and Belgium. Really soft penalty to the Belgians keeps them in it - never a pen for me. Come on Italy.

Saliba close to joining Marseille on loan, according to Ornstein. Figure that means we're confident of signing a new CB.

Club Record signing for Arsenal

http://www.skysports.com/share/12347212

Either that or Arteta doesn’t rate Saliba.

Fantastic game of football between Belgium and Italy. Fast paced technical football.

The best game of the comp so far and probably the two best teams so far.

Hi ltg,

I would have thought a loan to a PL club would have made more sense if we really saw him as part of our long term plans.

Well, whatever the reason for the loan is I doubt we go into the new season with just three central defenders. Ornstein mentioned Saliba is part of the long term plans but the club wants him to have a full season. He's still only 20 so it makes some sense.

Bonucci and Chiellini really are two giants in central defense. Once you let Italy take the lead it's always going to be difficult with those two and Donnarumma at the back.

Oh this can't be, but who knows.

https://metro.co.uk/2021/07/02/arsenal- ... -14866492/

Reports suggest Saliba signed a five year contract when he joined in 2019. That means it expires in 2024. If he is to spend next season, 2021/22, on loan at Marseilles, that means he’ll return to Arsenal in 2022. So two years from the end of his contract.

That’s the point when if he really is part of Arsenal’s long term plans, the club should be looking to agree an extension and get it signed. Does anyone think Saliba would consider agreeing a new contract with Arsenal at that point, 2022? Because I don’t.

Say he comes into Arsenal’s first team in the 2022/23 season, and does very well. At the end of it he’ll be a mere twelve months from a free transfer putting Arsenal in a very weak position in any contract negotiations with Saliba. If he doesn’t want to sign an extended contract with Arsenal after doing well (if he does) in our first team during 2022/23, we may well have to sell him in 2023 even if we’d rather keep him.

To add insult to injury as if Sergio Ramos would bother coming to Arsenal on loan when he can go to PSG to play CL football. Which apparently has already been agreed on for PSG.