Muani isn't a player I'd buy, but if we can't buy a striker we genuinely want in Jan then him on loan for 6 months is as good as we could do I expect.

Our striker purchase is going to be the biggest transfer moment for some time. If it goes right it has the potential to take us to winning everything. For my money, realistic names in the hat are Isak, Gyökeres, Sesko.

Isak has a little bit of Henry about him, is likely the best technically of the lot, no prem adjustment and will be easily the most expensive but the lowest risk apart from a few too many niggly injuries for my liking

Gyökeres, I really like him, ability to hold it up, powerful runner, crisp ball striking, scores all sorts of goals, price seems good at £60m ish, Man U will likely be the favourites for him and the only 2 concerns I would have is will he get as much space in our system/league compared to what he appears to have in Portugal and he'll be 27 this summer, it is quite late to break through and not in an elite league (plen ty of strikers have blossomed late but it is still a slight risk)

Sesko is the most raw, tall 6ft 4, fast for a big man, good touch as well, he'd be more of a project at only 21 so does he move the needle enough for a 'win now' strategy?

Vlahovic name is still around a bit but I've lost touch with how he's getting on.

There are some interesting players I really like in the prem but they seem to play more support striker, Joao Pedro at brighton and Cunha at Wolves are both very talented footballers who would fit in a top 6 side no problem but I don't think their natural position fits with how we play

If we could only get a loan striker in january for 6 months would anyone take Ivan Toney for 6 months if he was available?

West Ham away is always a strange game, they can and have given us trouble, but we've also brushed them aside with ease. I'd take a 1-0 right now.

We've got Man U at home in midweek so we may see a little bit of rotation. Personally I'd go with the team that beat Sporting so comprehensively and then get them to go again v Man U who will have 24 hours less rest than us for the midweek game and we're at home. We also have some good bench depth now where players can come on and perform at a good level, Jorginho, Merino, Trossard, Zinchenko

I'm confident of winning both

Yep. It would make a lot of sense. It would only be a loan so not much risk. It would also add pace to our attack. Martinelli is the only proper speed merchant we have. It's very hard to judge players at PSG. Good players flop there for no apparent reason other than the club is usually a circus.

The thing about Muani is at least he’s a striker. Our alternative has zero goals or assists in his last 19 league games. It’s madness. Even mid type strikers you mentioned like Cunha would be a far better option. Like I said in the summer it’s a specialist position and if you can’t get who you want you need to work your way down the list because having nobody to cover Havertz is crazy.

Out of the options listed Sesko seems the most gettable. Gyökeres would be my preference but surely bound for united now. We are continually linked with Isak however I just can’t see that as it would be a nightmare transfer negotiating with Newcastle, likely a British transfer record plus huge wages. It’s really not easy,

I don't think we should be under any illusions that Gyökeres can be bought for £60m. That may be the release clause value to the Club, but his agents and the serried ranks of hangers-on will probably push his transfer well above the £100m.

Haaland's release clause was £51m and though its never been confirmed just how much Cite paid, it was way more than that.

Yes

The Norwegian's switch to Man City also came with a supremely hefty agent fee of €40 million (£34.66m / $41.7m) according to multiple reports, including The Athletic. That fee was reportedly split between his agency, run by Rafaela Pimienta (who took over the agency after the death of Mino Raiola), and Haaland's father, Alfie Haaland, who played for Man City during his career.

.. so you are probably looking at a 100 million quid transfer ish

This is from a contemporary report:

There are also commission payments: 30m euros for Haaland's father, Alf-Inge, and 50m euros for the agency that the Norwegian represents, which was led by the late Mino Raiola. In total and without being official figures, the signing of Haaland by Manchester City will cost more than 350m euros

I would have a lot of reservations about Gyökeres. He's had an excellent season and a half, but it's in the Portuguese League. Prior to that he really did very little. He never made it at Brighton and didn't stand out in the Championship. Maybe he is a genuine late bloomer, but I have my doubts. Also, the £60m seems to be based on a release clause but if it is the actual fee, you can be sure that there will be a large signing on fee or wage demand if Man Utd are the competition (which they inevitably will be). Overall, I think he is a big risk.

Edit: I see TG and DHD made the above point on the fee while I was posting.

All transfers will come with 'hidden' costs of agent and family fees, signing on fees - even wages. If we're worried about Gyökeres fee not just being his release clause then the same applies to every player you buy with varying degrees of cost. A player on a free transfer will command a big signing on fee and wages.

Buying a striker is probably the riskiest transfer you're ever going to make, particularly when that striker is the one who you want to help you bridge the final step.

Isak, Gyökeres, Sesko will all cost a fortune but it feels like its the key position to address along with moving Jesus on.

After that we need to be considering what we do in central midfield with Joringho and Partey in the final 7 months of their deals. Partey has been playing out of his skin but can you give him a 3 year deal? Jorginho might be worth a 1 year deal and a pathway in to the coaching set up - but I think there will be space for a technical defensive mid in the summer.

Left wing should also be considered as whilst Martinelli and Trossard are both very good options I'd love us to have a Saka-esque output from that side

All of that costs £200-250m though!

If his head is at the right place, yes. He tends to be too moody

I'd like if we had looked at Artem Dovbyk but he signed for Roma. Lois Openda would be a good bet but the price would be high.

Goodness me. So that transfer is probably beyond Arsenals financial capability which hence highlights the difficulty in signing top strikers. It’s going to be interesting what we do in this space.

I’m not sure. When he plays he looks the real deal. He scored 18 goals in the championship for Coventry. It’s like saying we shouldn’t have signed Ian wright because of his age and he played for palace. He scored a hat trick against city. Theres plenty of evidence to say he’s the right candidate. Bound to be off to Manchester though

No. I think it was telling that no big club touched him with a bargepole this summer. If we wanted him it would have been a pretty easy transfer this summer but chose not to.

Wrighty was a late bloomer in the sense that he turned pro very late by normal standards. He was excellent for Palace in the old First Division before we signed him. He was already a proven striker in England.

That hatrick against City included 2 penos and even the Spuds put 4 past them last week.

I would have reservations as I'd be wary that it's a purple patch in a weak league.

Wasn't the rumour that Arteta spoke to him and had decided his attitude was not right for us?

yes I certainly heard that rumour. If its true then no chance he'd bring him in to potentially rock the boat in a harmonious squad challenging for 4 trophies

Its a problem that anyone who sticks a few goals in suddenly becomes a £50m player, more if its a top 6-8 prem club interested.

All forwards who moved last summer, how many would anyone have taken at Arsenal for the price they moved for? (discounting Mbappe and Osimhen for free and loan)
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/transfe ... se=&leihe=

Konate to miss 5-6 weeks it looks like. Not the time of year to pick up injuries. 6 weeks from now misses 11 or so games for Liverpool, pick up that same injury just before an international break and you'd likely only miss a handful of club games.

Hopefully a few more injuries in key areas can stretch Liverpool squad a bit more

Ben White out for 3 months afrer knee surgery.

And they've been really unpredictable this season.

We should definitely go full strength against them, not least to keep our form going. If we can keep up our form there is a good chance we can wrap the game up early use the bench..

We don’t need to leave London until Jan 4th, and even that is a short trip to Brighton

So we know Jorginho (option for 1 more year) and Partey's contracts expire at the end of this season but here is the rest of the squad's contract situation

June 2026 - Tomiyasu (option for 1 more year), Trossard, Zinchenko, Tierney

June 2027 - Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, Jesus, Martinelli (option for 1 more year)

June 2028 - Rice (option for 1 more year) , Ødegaard, Havertz, White (option for 1 more year) , Merino, Timber, Raya, Kiwior

June 2029 - Calafiori

From all that Id say we need to think about selling Zinchenko and Jesus this summer whilst they still have value. Big summer decisions on Tomiyasu and Trossard.

Need to be looking at the contracts of Saka, Saliba, Gabriel this summer. I'd happily tie all 3 down to 5+ years

We can really make hay in that time. I expect us to be top 3 by then taking into account the current form of the teams around us and the Sporting performance.

No Partey or Merino in the squad at all. Central midfield and right sided defence down to the bare bones

The bench looks really weak.

I hope Partey's injury isn't one of those mysterious ones that keep him out for months.

Gabriel !!!!!!!

Lethal Gabby

Quite a sneaky bit of work from Timber there to remove the defender.

Game management:
a) we don't need Timber to get a yellow for timewasting. We are dominant so what is the point.
b) we don't need Calafiori to to do that again!

Nearly another from a corner

Trossard!!!! Great goal

Wot a *%^@*** goal that is

Total football

Trossard !!!!!!!

Saka isn't much good, is he?

Total dominance for 30 mins here. We need to bury this game asap

Now he wins the penalty. What a player.

Come on Martin...

Ødegaard!!!!!!

Ødegaard !!!!!!