Saka's contract expires in 2024, Bernard. We have some time yet to sort it.

Does it? Phew. I thought it was next year. In that case you’re right, we do have some time to sort it out. Top Gun is also right and he will be here next season, at least.

We only need to start worrying if it looks like we won’t qualify for the champions league next season or we will end up without a trophy. Honestly at that point he will probably call it a day and all bets are off.

They need to offer him a massive contract this summer really he can’t turn down.

I can’t really imagine what would happen if we sold Saka. The goodwill built up at the emirates this season would turn to anger and belief in the project would diminish. Probably mean the end of the manager and really the fans would turn on the kroenkes again.

Pick a number you know he won’t turn down folks because the alternative is changing everything

Think that sums it up pretty well. Wonder what figure he won’t turn down? £300k a week? £350k the same as Özil? Are we talking barmy figures upwards of that?

Jack Grealish makes 230k a week and John stones 250k. Sterling is 300k. Surely in this ball park as he’s a comparative player.

I thought I saw Liverpool were willing to pay him £300k. If that is the case, I’d have thought that becomes the ball park, especially as Grealish and Stones aren’t automatic first choice regulars at City.

I'd say that report you saw was exaggerating the offer. Liverpool will probably go to that level for Salah but hardly for Saka. Salah, Thiago and VVD are currently on £200-£220k. I couldn't see them paying Saka more while also meeting a huge transfer fee.

I'd say Saka will probably sign a contract with us for c£200k.

19 years old.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/18737825 ... l-bologna/

Yeah, I know its very early but so far (before transfers in and out), what is an early goal for next season? Europa? Top 4? A cup win? All of the above? Other?

I hope you’re right but I can see him wanting more than that.

Perisic has signed for Spurs. Free transfer. No doubt a big signing on fee and rumours of £180k per week for the 2 year deal - as would be expected for a player of his standing in what would be his last big contract unless he decides to go to China or the States.

It is a potential commitment of £25m on the player. Conte very much in it for the here and now. In a weird way Spurs downfall might be some immediate success/trophy and then Conte gets poached for a much bigger job - I think he's only got 1 year left on his Spurs deal - and it leaves Spurs with an old squad, mountains of debt and no manager or long term squad plan

While I think its reasonable for us to have CL qualification as a goal for next season I also think we have to manage expectations. Chelsea started off well and stuttered a little at the end but they will be strong if not stronger. Man Utd won't always stay down. They did beat us. Tottenham as well. You just don't know with those 2 clubs. And no one is talking about Newcastle but they will buy and have the money to buy quality.

I wouldn't be suprised if they are Europea league place challenger next season. They have money and good manager, always a tough combination to beat. West Ham should go from strength to strength. Leicester may emerge again, as well as 1 or 2 other clubs that may have a shout.

My guess is Arteta was presumably asked who he thinks deserve a place on the shortlist. It would seem odd not to ask the team manager, instead letting some Billy No Mates on Arsenal.com decide.

He’s on holiday in Greece I doubt he’s involved in creating an internet competition

Are we sure it’s not just the players who were selected as player of the month throughout the season that made the shortlist

Tomiyasu (September), Martinelli (December) and Partey (February) all won player of the month awards last season and none are on the final shortlist?

I’m sure Arteta is capable of sending texts or emails from Greece, or giving his shortlist before going on holiday. The player of the season is a significant award. I just don’t see the manager not being asked who he thinks should be on the shortlist.

https://medium.com/@wasi.ws453/cheick-o ... 8e89c6caa9
Some good analysis on Cheick Doucoure and a comparison of him to Tchoumeni who is close to signing for Real Madrdid for £70m+

I'd love to see a bit more athleticism, pace and power in our central midfield. Someone who can destroy attacks and launch counters with powerful running and dribbling. Strong physically and strong in the air.

We're still asking for Vieira but I can't think of many players in world football who have had his full skill set and attributed since he retired, let alone one's who we might have a chance of signing.

When was the last dominant central midfielder that we had? I'm not talking size either. For a minute, Torreira was a bit of a pit bull.
Frankly, I was hoping Partey was more dominant. I was a wee bit underwhelmed for a while. He's improved but if I'm honest, he is good, very good but not the full package I thought he was.

I would have still taken a chance on Pogba a few years ago but at 29 and his spirit a bit broken, I wouldn't take for 20 mil. It's a shame. My memory often fails me but wasn't Mourinho that broke his confidence? In any event, its a shame. I was very worried when he came to Man Utd. I thought he was going to be transformative like Ronaldo. So, while I am glad he wasn't as dominant as he was in Italy, I did enjoy seeing him play. As much as I hated/feared Ronaldo, he was still a joy to see play when he returned purely as a football fan. The same with Pogba when I saw him in Italy, imperious in fashion a bit similar to our Vieira but as aggressive.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61659836
Paul Pogba will leave Manchester United on free transfer

Saka and Emile Smith Rowe both nominated for the PFA young player of the year award.

Foden, Reece James, Gallagher and Ramsey

Id expect that to be a straight fight between Saka and Foden

Saka hands down.

Three years ago. RIP

Man U lost him on a free to Juve where he won 7 trophies, paid £80m to bring him back, he stunk the place out again and are about to lose him on a free transfer (possibly to Juve) again.

When we talk about the difficulty competing with super rich clubs it isn't really wholly down to signings as we're capable of flashing a lot of cash on signings ourselves, the much bigger advantage super rich clubs is being able to make mistakes, really bad mistakes, and not really having to suffer the consequences.

PFA player of the year nominations
Mohamed Salah
Sadio Mané
Virgil van Dijk
De Bruyne
Cristiano Ronaldo
Harry Kane

Bonkers that Kane and Ronaldo get in ahead of Son.

Apart from Van Dijk and Son it is just a list of the top scorers in the league

Son had the 2nd most combined goals and assists this season and the third most last season - without taking any penalties, and in neither season he was nominated for player of the year. Crazy really.

Arsenal should be able to compete with clubs you presumably count as super rich. The Glazer family is worth $4.7b. Stan on his own is worth $10.7b, and the Kroenke family is worth over $20b. Arsenal have made big errors in the transfer market as well, albeit not as expensive as Pogba.

It’s no good any of us having a persecution complex and moaning about things being unfair because we’re not super rich. Arsenal have the money behind it to be super rich, and has done for quite a few years. That Stan didn’t spend the money didn’t mean he couldn’t. Hopefully he has now changed his mind.

But aren't United way ahead of us in terms of merchandising? How much of their spending on players comes from that?

Hickey playing right wing back for Scotland tonight.
Zinchenko playing CM for Ukraine.

Both players linked with us for the left back spot! I like the idea that we're targeting flexible and/or two footed players

I know you've stated all of this before but the difference is not what your owner is worth it is what they're willing to spend, and importantly write off! The only clubs with owners who throw money around and seemingly simply don't care whether there is any monetary return on their investment are City, PSG, Chelsea (may change now) and I presume Newcastle. If then we look at clubs who may have very rich owners but still spend in the realms of what they generate or earn then historically and/or current times you can add Real madrid, Barca and Man U to that list.

If Kronke suddenly decided to pump money in to Arsenal as Chelsea, City, PSG have done over the past 10-20 years then I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that we'd be right at the top table for the major trophies year in year out. He doesn't, so clubs who have owners that do have a huge, (others can debate whether it is 'unfair') huge advantage based on nothing they as a club have done well. There is no pressure on them to spend wisely, they can buy a £70m gk and he flops and go and immediately buy a £30m gk. People may say Arsenal bought a £50m striker (Lacazette) who didn't do well enough so bought a £60m striker (Aubameyang), but we cant keep doing that if they fail. The list of transfer failures at those clubs I've noted above is enormous and rarely do they face the consequence of that awful decision like any other club would. Everton pumped a tonne of money at their project with a vast amount of awful signings, they're suffering, they can't simply buy their way out of it.

Rich, I accept what you say. But it doesn’t mean we cannot compete. It means we’ve chosen not to, which is something I’ve said before. I’m still hoping that will change. If it does, people may give Josh credit for changing his father’s mind who I still recall said words to the effect that he didn’t buy Arsenal to win trophies (note ‘words to the effect’).

But I find moans of Arsenal not competing with super rich clubs tiresome. Simply because that’s been the ownership regime’s choice, up until quite recently anyway. It has had nothing to do with not being able to compete financially, which presumably has an impact on the pitch.

To sum up my thoughts. IT IS NOT THAT ARSENAL CANNOT COMPETE WITH SUPER RICH CLUBS. IT IS THAT WE’VE PREVIOUSLY CHOSEN NOT TO.

Of course they are. But not to the tune of the $6b more money Stan has than the Glazer family. Not even remotely.

Hey Rich, more money doesn't always mean more to spend as you may know. At that level, your assets and resources are in a myriad of things, some more liquid than others. Kroenke spent his most recent years building a huge stadium in LA. A multi billion pound project. His NFL team is far more valuable than the Glazers as well, and he spent on the Rams. The Glazers won a super bowl spending less money than most sides who win.

Also, his wife doesn't mix her money with his except once to get around an NFL rule about owning multiple professional sides in different cities/markets. Its the only time I know of. If the rule wasn't there, they wouldn't have comingled funds. We shouldn't be adding her wealth into the equation.

The only reason Kroenke spent big money on the Rams as I've noted a few times on here was because the NFL had a private agreement with him that he would make a good faith effort to make the Rams a winning side. For years the NFL didn't have a team in America's 2nd biggest media market which is shocking actually. Its akin to the EPL not having a side in Manchester (or is Brum the 2nd biggest?).

He didn't spend money on the Rams when they were in St. Louis and their low positoin annually in the NFL table attested to it.

The history of Kroenke is clear. He spends only when he feels he must. He admired the Oakland A's baseball team success because it was similar to the Dein/Wenger era of '98 to '04, getting great undervalued players (Vieira, Henry, Ljundberg, etc).

The Kroenke's don't feel they need to spend unless external forces make them. Whatever those forces are. Winning titles is definitely subordinate to profitiability and net worth to Stan. His history makes that clear.

I agree with the principle of that but we are in the massive majority in this case. In terms of having rich owners who choose not to spend wildly then that is most of the prem, as each club pretty much has owners who ‘could’ spend more than they do based on their total wealth. Last list I saw had 14 prem clubs with billionaire owners.

I see mesut has now fallen out with his club in turkey and they are now at loggerheads. Same thing over and over

Whether the majority of billionaire owners of Premier League clubs follow the same ownership principle as Stan or not, it was still his decision (hopefully that is or has changed) not to make Arsenal compete with super rich clubs. Our owner fits the description ‘super rich’.

https://twitter.com/arteta_fanpage/stat ... WPEHPx9XUw

A good bulletin point highlight/lowlight of our season thinking towards what the Amazon documentary may show. Very interesting reading the expert opinions on Arsenal before a ball was kicked and after the first 3 games and on all our signings. I think there has been a huge amount of revisionism from these experts at the end of the season

Apparently he’s on a bit more than £64k a week at Fenerbahce. His contract expires in two years and reports indicate Özil has said he won’t leave before then, despite the club suspending him since March. As you say, it all sounds very familiar, even though he’s on much less at Fenerbahce and wasn’t formally suspended at Arsenal. Albeit not being selected to play by Arteta adds up to much the same thing.

But who could have seen that coming ?

Maybe I am looking at things differently than they are, but it seems like there are no more relatively easy trophies. The league cup comes to mind. The Europa Conference cup, the one Mourinho just won, may be easier than all the domestic competitions.

Swansea were the last non big club to win the league cup back in 2013. It must be said, there are times were clubs outside the top 6 or so have at least been in the final.


Also, while I am very happy we get back into Europe, the added games, trips abroad, quite often in locales you need google to find, may hurt us in the league more than we think. Not only does Arteta need to get it right, we need to buy big and well (we say that every summer)

He’s probably got an offer from the US or something and are trying to force their hand to pay him off. He released a tweet yesterday that sounds all too familiar.

If he’s doesn’t like playing football anymore just quit. He’s worth over 100 million how much damage does he need to do with his reputation to get 64k a week. Seriously how much money are you going to need mate. Live off the interest alone.

A supremely talented player for 2 seasons but really Madrid we’re spot on about him.