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.

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.

A number of reports in Italy suggest we've made a 25m euro bid (£21m) for Aaron Hickey from Bologna. Quotes saying a 'farewell' is likely.

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.

Why are White and Xhaka on the list? I think Gabriel did better than White.

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

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.

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.

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?

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.

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

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

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.