Doesn’t Partey come in the equation? Meaning money plus Torreira for Partey?

These things are so hard to predict and often become much clearer with hindsight, for example Sancho and Foden. Sancho played loads, Foden very sparingly, Sancho is further along I think, but in a different team situation, and they're both well placed in their careers, social distancing indiscretions with Icelandic locals aside. Saka I think would thrive either way, but I've got to admit I feel a bit anxious when I don't see him in the team for three games in a row.

Wilshere it seems played too much, but maybe he would have got those impact injuries in any case, for me he will forever be the one who slipped through the cracks.

Seems to be the trend to do the deals separately to keep things simple, although if both deals are done, you could describe it as a swap with money involved going one way.

I've seen speculation (and I stress the word speculation) that Atletico are waiting for us to trigger his release clause, as that would mean the entire fee is being paid directly. Any other sort of deal could be negotiated to be paid in installments (like the Pépé deal), and it would leave less money for Atletico to spend now. No idea if it's true or not.

AMN to utd? Surely not.

You've got to let Arteta get the squad he's happy with to implement the style he's going for, otherwise there's no point saying he has or hasn't done this or that. We aren't Burnley scrapping to make the best of things, working with the squad we've got - we're The Arsenal trying to get to the very top and win the biggest prizes. It's been said so many times, Klopp - 8th, 4th, 4th, 2nd, 1st. Every leap apart from 2nd to first was squad changes, and he was busy winning in Europe that season.

If Arteta, who is now the manager not just first team coach, wants these players and you can get them, you work your arse off to try to get them. If he gets two midfielders in, he's maybe one player away from saying, this is my team, you can judge me now. Atm, his record signing is someone else 72M mistake - it would seem right now.

Where have you seen that? For 40M+ I'd think about biting...

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... r-19022109

Man Utd fans don't seem keen, but then they've put a picture of Reiss Nelson on this story so perhaps they don't know their arse from their elbow

Sancho is some (or nearly) eighteen months older than Saka. Up until the start of this season, Saka had played in 42 first team games for Arsenal, when he was still 18. Obviously the appearances he’s made so far this season have to be added to 42 to give his overall total. But I do wonder if Sancho had played so many more than 42 first team games before his nineteenth birthday? I don’t know the answer by the way, but over forty games before his nineteenth birthday doesn’t sound too bad for Saka, to me anyway.

Sorry, but I do think getting anxious if he doesn’t play three games in a row sounds a little bit of an overreaction, or worrying about very little.

Wow, didn't realize it was so recent. I don't recall it being talked about at all but then again, I'm not in England. An incredible achievement.

This one seems to be happening, very good deal if true.

Solid rumours about Torreira, Sokratis and Mustafi as well. Pretty big squad overhaul going on now.

The not playing at all for 3 games in a row is more a nod to Gaz's point, that he's one of the best players we have, so why not play him? I get 1 in 2, or 1 in 3, its when it's less frequent than that I start to wonder why. But yes the plan is clearly for him to be a big part of our future I'm not worried about that, he seems to be developing fine, just I'm not sure exactly where he will fit into this side as it is and I want to see him play.

His playing time as far as I can see is a little under Sancho's at the same age - he had 43 appearances in the 18/19 season alone - but that just goes to the point that Sancho was first choice, Foden wasn't and they developed a little differently in terms of their public profile and value but they've both made excellent progress.

... did you forget to take your happy pill this week.

Do you seriously believe it’s impossible for Partey and Aour to eclipse the incredible achievements at Arsenal of Xhaka, El Nenny and Torreira? (Club legends with statues being built when they retire obviously)

Do you think this is a similar comment to when you said you didn’t want Kieran Tierney anywhere near Arsenal

That's how I'd read it as well. As he has a release clause Atletico are refusing to negotiate and the money must be paid 100% in one lump sum on day 1. Perhaps Arsenal could overpay but stagger the payments?

I can see Aouar happening very soon, Partey could go to the wire and I just hope we have some proper back ups - there are plenty of good players out there who can fulfill that defensive, powerful, pacey destroyer role. I think we need both players to get in to the top 4 this year.

You're talking £90m for the pair, if we need to break even this year in transfers then its virtually impossible that we can raise £90m from what are ok with leaving (on the basis that our business is roughly even so far)
Kolasinac £10m, Sokratis £5m, Balogun £5m, Torreira £25m Those 4 seem the most likely deals at the moment. Mustafi £10m, Chambers £15m......if only we could fetch £25m for Guendouzi and just convince Özil to leave for free (adding his £18m wages in to the pot) we could make it happen.
Really those 8 players are not going to add anything this season (Mustafi could be useful) so it is frustrating to have them clogging up the squad. It is a struggle to push forward when so much is holding you back. We're slowly getting through it though, the key will be to not be in this same position next summer and the one after - which means our purchases can't be duds!

I suspect the reason for him not playing every game is linked to his age. He has had a number of disappointing games, after all. Personally, if as you imply there’s not a big difference between Saka and Sancho’s appearance record before their nineteenth birthdays, I don’t see it as necessary to make a nod to Gaz’s point. The point I remember most vividly about Gaz’s point was his suggestion that Arteta should change his preferred and therefore Arsenal’s playing style just so that Saka can play more often. That sounds a bit barmy to me, assuming I remembered the drift of his point correctly. I still think playing over forty games before his nineteenth birthday represents Saka being selected enough. So to repeat myself, I perceive Gaz’s suggestion (if I did recall it appropriately) as unnecessary as well as a bit barmy.

I would much prefer to see the back of Holding than Mustafi. It had looked like Holding may go to Newcastle on loan. I would like to think we’d get £20m or so for selling him.

I do think we have to be realistic about the chances of getting rid of Özil. I just don’t see it happening because I think he’s more than happy about not playing. His priority is getting £350k a week for the next nine months (his contract expires 30/6/21). Why should he leave? He’ll still be able to go and play for someone in America next year for relative peanuts compared to his Arsenal salary. So surely he’ll take the £350k a week while it lasts. Even if we offered to pay 50% of his salary if he moved, who is going to cough up the other £175k a week for a waster like that?

Big squad overhauls have happened in the last 3 seasons.
We had 31 first team squad members at the end of Wenger's last season, summer 2018, and we've only got 12 of that 31 still at the club. 19 players have left in 2 years. And those 12 still here includes Mustafi, Kolasinac, Özil, Mavropanos, Chambers.

In fact Wenger's last season started to see the overhaul which follows a period of only 11 first team signings in 4 seasons between 2013 and 2017

Summer and winter 2017 saw the departure of Sanchez, Ox, Walcott, Giroud, Coq, Szcz, Gabriel, Gibbs - that group had a lot of games for Arsenal.

Post wenger and not including loans we've bought in 14 first team players and 15 have departed. I expect both to rise in the next week

I’d agree about £40m. But the price I’m seeing is £20m.

I’m really not understanding why we’re shipping out AMN. Even more so when it’s to Man U. I rather think that will come back to bite us if it goes ahead.

I actually thought AMN was one of our better players in the defeat at Liverpool. Hope it doesn’t happen. He’s another one I’d rather keep than Holding, who is worth around the same.

Agree with that. And he is part of our home grown quota, and he is what I would call ‘true Arsenal’ rather than simply passing through like so many do.

From what I've seen, the AMN to United rumours originated in Germany, and has been rubbished by the press in Manchester. I also thought he had a good game against Liverpool, at least defensively. To me, he just doesn't offer enough on the ball to be a starting player for us, but I'd like to keep him around as a squaddie.

I would agree with that. I don’t see AMN as a automatic first choice, but as a valuable squad player. Indeed, out of the current set of youngsters that have so far come through the academy, Saka is the only one I can see as a regular first choice, unless I’ve forgotten someone. Does Martinelli count as an academy player? I thought he was a signing from outside but if I’m wrong and he does count as an academy player, he’s another.

If any of AMN, Nelson, Nketiah, Smith Rowe and Willock end up having longish careers at the club, I presently see all their futures as squad back ups. After his three sub appearances in the season before last I once had hopes for Medley becoming a first choice. But he seems to have fallen off the radar for whatever reason. Think he’s currently on loan at Gillingham, but I’ve no idea at all how he’s doing.

I would be in favor of a Lacazette and possibly AMN swap for Martial if we have to but would see AMN as a last resort to close the deal. Crazy as that may sound. I think he'd thrive in our squad. Imagine him and Aubameyang (or Martinelli for the future)? Mouth watering. Willock is a 'fox in the box' that is a unique skill we can use. The ball always seem to bounce kindly to where he is.

I would not sell Saka under any circumstances. I'd hate to get rid of AMN as well. We will need Luiz until Gabriel and Saliba are settled. Chambers, Holding and Mustafi can go obviously. We have Mari, Soares as back ups. I haven't seen much of the latter two but its almost impossible not to be better than the three former players mentioned. I had hopes for Holding but its not gonna happen. Chambers isn't going to be any better. Mustafi, the less said the better. Arteta can only hide his 'mistake waiting to happen' performances for only so long with formations and putting players around him.

yep

On the contrary, it is very easy to be worse than those players, particularly Mustafi. The premiership is a about the toughest test a defender can face. It very lazy to imagine that anyone we bring in, including the likes of Gabriel and Saliba (who are essentially untested) and will automatically do better.

I think Trump and Biden should debate this.

Well said Decaf. I think ‘very lazy’ is a good way of putting his automatic assumption that practically anyone will do better than those players. Especially, as you imply, Mustafi who is the obvious focus of his obsessiveness as it’s been going on for so long. I still remember him saying we could find someone from the Conference better than Mustafi. Whether he stays or goes this window, at least before leaving Mustafi has showed what a prat our friend from across the Atlantic really is.

Saka is in the full England squad

Yep, I'm not a huge fan of Mustafi, but the abuse he cops from AG is truly pathetic. Here's a quick pub-quiz question. Who, out of Mustafi and AG, recently

(a) pledged to donate 16,000 meals to help vulnerable people in Islington
(b) posted the sentence: "Willock is a 'fox in the box' that is a unique skill we can use."

One of the above deserves a wee chuckle at their expense. The other maybe less so.

The Athletic are reporting Torreira is close to joining Atletico Madrid on loan with an option to buy. It's been widely reported previously that we've been against loaning him out and were looking for a permanent transfer. I wonder if it means we're confident of bringing someone else in?

That’s better news than many will realise as Nigeria were bound to be sniffing around and there could be a pile up for African cup of nations if your letting Saka, Aubameyang, Pépé and potentially Partey go all at once.

...and fully deserved. One of if not the brightest young talent England has going for itself. Years ago the England squad lived was over hyped I thought. However over time I think British players got a lot better technically and I would put it down to playing with and against a very high level of foreign players. It's also helped them not be over-awed playing an Argentina or France or Spain.

That said, the continental players have also raised it up a notch. England has improved technically but other countries are richer in talent.

Maybe it's "fake news".

Hi Haz,

Seems an odd one, a loan without an obligation to buy does us few favours unless the loan fee is substantial, especially to Athletico.

On one side you have Athletico playing hardball on Partey's buy-out-clause and on the other side you have us rolling over and having our tummy tickled.

So, AMN is called up as well? Congrats to him, also well deserved. Good to see The Arsenal represented.

The Willock thing

Let’s hope that he doesn’t entertain any Icelandic ‘beauty queens’.

Guendouzi to be loaned to Marseille possibly, those predicting he would end up at Barca, Madrid or Europe’s biggest clubs look to be disappointed as Athletico and others wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot barge pole

https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/01/arsenal- ... -13354615/