"...and Mustafi said 'Had I been healthy the record would have been mine. Let's see about it next season.[ "

On the discussion about selling players, we need to be smart about it this summer. Looks like our budget won't be that big this summer so offloading the right players might be essential.

For example, we have too many central defenders. With Luiz extending, Mari being signed permanently and Saliba coming over you have to figure those three are penciled in to feature a lot. We probably need two more in the squad, so that leaves two spots for Sokratis, Mustafi, Holding and Chambers. I would be looking to sell Holding and Chambers. I like them both but it's clear they're not going to be the top players we hoped for. With them being 25 and homegrown they're worth money, I'd say about 20m each under normal circumstances, and it makes no sense to have valuable assets like that in backup roles when we need to strengthen.

Other players who we might get good money for that seem expendable are Torreira, Lacazette and Martinez. Arteta is looking like a really good manager prospect, so it's really important to get this summer right and give him a squad to work with.

Is he still knocking off your girlfriend then?

https://www.football365.com/news/premier-league-relegated-xi-aarons-ake-sarr-liverpool
A relegated 11

Interesting to note Liverpool have signed a player from a relegated club in each of the last 5 seasons.

Ake looks the best buy here but I think he's Man City bound

https://www.football365.com/news/premier-league-relegated-xi-aarons-ake-sarr-liverpool
A relegated 11

Interesting to note Liverpool have signed a player from a relegated club in each of the last 5 seasons.

Ake looks the best buy here but I think he's Man City bound

I'm excited about Partey. The fact we bought a person of his calibre for that position gives me hope.

:1laughter:

Rich....who are the 5 ? ...Robertson the left back...I'm guessing.....Gomez,Shaquiri,?

We certainly need some creativity.

We are a club in transition ........................... again!
For how long have we been in transition? I think it started when Stan bought the club. Holding up hopes that Arteta gets us out of the transition loop next season. Then again, the same was said when Emery was appointed. I am hoping Arteta has the guile and guts to make the right but difficult decisions for his squad.

Hi Gooner7
In transition...more like in stagnation.

Eh? Is that a fact now?

Can’t find any corroborating info.

My money will be on you having to be satisfied with a longer deal for Ceballos.

Right ltg, its not a done deal. I misspoke (or wrote). Still in negotiations. Knowing us, we won't end up getting him and he'll be in a sperz shirt with our luck.

If it is true that Arsenal have offered Guendouzi + £22.5m for Partey instead of paying the £45m release clause then Arsenal must value Guendouzi at 'only' £22.5m. He has his limitations but given his age and his skillset (which is actually quite a rare set of skills for young central midfield players) I would expect us to be valuing him more than £22.5m.

Sell him for £30m plus and put that cash towards the Partey deal if Atletico want straight cash

I'm also expecting us to thrash out generous terms on a loan deal for Coutinho and a free transfer for Willian. And any other client of Joorabchian.

Willian has said "if chelsea offer a 3 year deal give me the pen and i'll sign the deal' They've only offered 2 years. His sole motivation is getting that 3rd year on a hefty contract - by which time he'll be 35. Is that really the route we want to take?

We’ve all been waiting to see the back of Özil, even if it won’t happen until the end of his contract on 30th June 2021. All that signing Coutinho would do is give us two Özil’s next season. Another talented, bone idle player who stinks the place out. He was terrible at Bayern this season and was terrible at Barcelona before that.

If we do sign Willian on a three year deal and Coutinho, then in my view Sanllehi deserves to be looked at very seriously for his relationship with their agent Kia Joorabchian. He’s got to be on back handers from Joorabchian, surely?

I don’t think you can describe Coutinhos loan at Bayern terrible!

8 goals and 6 assists from a midfield player in a new league isn’t a bad return, better than our entire midfield put together. I think it’s fair to say he hasn’t reached the expected heights however he’s got more talent than our entire midfield put together right now.

https://youtu.be/RiKf1E6YNXU

Willian is another matter completely. Wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole I actually think Pépé is a better player anyway

If we want a winger why not look at a 24 year old like Benrama at brentford
Players like Brooks at Bournemouth.
Buendia and Cantwell at Norwich.
Even the contract we gave to Cédric would have been better given to someone like Aarons at Norwich.
Ake at Bournemouth is another we should be looking at.
All players that could blow up at a bigger club and be worth double triple what you pay for them in a few years.
I hate the way we are cosying up to Kia joorobichan or whatever his name is.
I hope Raul is not taking us down a route we will massively regret in a few years.
I know we need to get back in the champions league but let's do it wisely and not go for these 'superstars ' on bloated wages with no resale value.