You have been proved wrong

Well take last summer at the height of covid as an example players like Allan and Timothy Castagne moved for over 20 million. We ourselves were being linked with Jorginho for a while at a cost of 35 million. Even players like Rhian Brewster with no experience were sold for 23 million. Tiago went for 27 million and not the peanuts Xhaka fee and the market was worse then

No I haven’t. I’m glad you’re presumably not a lawyer because you clearly don’t understand the meaning of ‘proved wrong’.

So are you saying Xhaka is better than both Castagne of Leicester and Jorginho of Chelsea? But hasn’t one of your moans about Xhaka been that he wouldn’t get into the sides of clubs above us? Jorginho is a regular in Chelsea’s side, so it’s strange (and hypocritical) if you’re now saying Xhaka is better than him.

I don’t see the Ben White rumours having any legs at the £40-50m price being touted.

Not unless someone has made a big bid for Saliba or even Holding.

Jorginho as an example is better than Xhaka clearly hence the higher fee, castagne not sure, Brewster unproven but all higher fees than a player with hundreds of appearances for arsenal. Why is this ? This is because Xhaka has a reputation for petulance and making major bloopers that cost his team dearly in football matches. To ignore that shows you are in denial and kidding yourself but unable to dig yourself out of the hole you have fell in.

I thought I asked who all these players are you consider worse than Xhaka who will move for higher fees. So why did you mention Jorghino, let alone Castagne or Brewster? How about Allan, as it’s down to him now? By the way, do you consider £20m peanuts? Because that’s the fee I’ve seen for Xhaka, a player who’s approaching 29 and appears eager to move on. You obviously buy your peanuts from Harrods.

Apparently Brighton really want Nketiah apparently. Might make sense if you think about it. Nketiah plus 20 million ish

Loan out saliba for another year as it’s a make or break season for Arteta and he will get few games anyway.

New centre back comes in for 20 million and can play out from the back with his right foot and beat the press. We still have a healthy budget to get other players.

.....also Keep an eye on some of our players being linked with Crystal Palace.

Fee being mooted I’ve read is 15-18 which is peanuts when you consider Tiago went for 27 and was seen as a total bargain.

Why are you mentioning the players quality anyway. Ha lol you have just admitted that quality is a factor in the price proving my point precisely

The transfer fee prices quoted in the media will be unreliable. That is sure not arguable. I’ve never said player quality isn’t a relevant factor and it would be a lie if you’re saying I did. What I do think is that there are other factors that influence the price paid and received.

This could include in no particular order the state of the market (depressed or not), players’ ages, length of time left on contracts with existing clubs, the eagerness or willingness for relevant players to leave current clubs and join a new ones, the skill or competence in negotiating transfer fees for buying and selling clubs, and I doubt that will be an exhaustive list. So it is NOT solely down to player quality, which you appeared to be suggesting.

So we have Mari Holding Gabriel Chambers Mavraponos and Saliba currently on our books but we want to go and spend another 40 to 50nmillion on Ben White. Absolutely *%^@*** bonkers when midfield is crying out for some much attention.
Arteta doesn't want to do what he is supposedly good at and actually want to coach these players and give them a chance namely Saliba and Mavraponos .
I'll be so so disappointed if Saliba is jettisoned without even being given a *%^@*** chance. The kid has all the attributes to be a top class defender but no typical Arsenal to spend 28 million then sell him without giving him a chance because Mikel *%^@*** Arteta didnt take a shine to him.
I'm so 'meh' right now with Arteta. Slowly taking a dislike to him
Hate the way he treats some players who clearly are not afforded the same chances others are. Not the manager or that man manager(like Brendan Rodgers)i thought he was going to be.
Let's not even use the obvious one as Guendouzi or the atrocious way he has treated Saliba.
Just look at the way he has treated Reiss Nelson.
You cant tell me the boy doesn't have potential. He could have nurtured him and worked on him to bring that talent out but no he played Willian and Willian over and over and dumped Nelson giving him no chances whatsoever. I'm sure Rodgers would work wonders on Nelson.
Look what he did with Harvey barnes.
If this dumping of Saliba comes to pass then Artera is done for me.

arse blogger was saying on Twitter something’s up with the saliba transfer and it stinks of Raul Sanelhi.

It was always odd paying such a huge fee for a young player then loaning him back immediately. If he leaves we may never find it the full story about this but my feeling is this is more than about the coach not rating him.

If you're using Arseblogger as a yardstick, he also said a couple of days ago that Xhaka is easily our second best midfielder - by which he means, I'm sure, our worst player ever.

But I do find this fetishisation of Saliba from some fans, particularly on Twitter as a bit odd seeing as he’s never played a competitive minute for us.

Basically we don’t have fans anymore

There is a whole generation of fans now days who attach themselves to a player, almost like a club. They seem to be doing it before a player makes it, as a look at me statement. Look at the way Bernard doubles down on Guendouzi and Xhaka if anyone dares suggest they aren’t up to it. Bizarre

I think any use of 'doubling down' and 'Xhaka' in the same sentence points pretty inevitably in the direction of one particular forum member - and it isn't Bernard. Bernard is certainly more of a fan of Guendouzi than most of us, but that happens.

Regarding Saliba, it feels more like an anti-Arteta thing to me (something else to blame him for) than pro-Saliba, but I might be wrong about that.

We dont have the resources to be spending huge amounts.
That's why nurturing these youngsters is another way to do it.
Arteta is not the man to do it.

Your post 530621 confirms player quality determines transfer value. No longer any need to continue this

My post 530621 was: “I thought I asked who all these players are you consider worse than Xhaka who will move for higher fees. So why did you mention Jorghino, let alone Castagne or Brewster? How about Allan, as it’s down to him now? By the way, do you consider £20m peanuts? Because that’s the fee I’ve seen for Xhaka, a player who’s approaching 29, his contract expires in two years, and appears eager to move on. You obviously buy your peanuts from Harrods.”

I have never said that transfer fees are unrelated to player quality. It is why, assuming he leaves Tottenham this summer, that Harry Kane will be transferred for more money than someone like Maupay will leave Brighton for, if he goes. What I am saying is that player quality is not the only single thing that influences transfer fee size. Age can. If Lewandowski was to leave Bayern this summer I am sure he would go for less money than Kane will leave Tottenham for. Not because of any vast difference in quality, because as players they’re quite possibly at similar sorts of level. But because Lewandowski is about five years older and is now a veteran, who is probably not only past his best but will be leaving his best further behind in the past as time moves on.

There will be other factors that influence transfer fees as well as quality and age. Among them time left on contracts, the eagerness of players to move, negotiating talent at buying and selling clubs, and judgements that to inevitably to an extent be subjective as to how good or bad a player is. And I don’t suppose for a single minute there could be other factors.

So I do agree with you that there is no longer any need to continue this.

Your post 530621 confirms player quality determines transfer value. No longer any need to continue this

P.s you mentioned Jorginho who is also the same age as Xhaka

Post 530621 was asking you, after not only calling Xhaka the worst Arsenal player you’ve ever seen but also saying he wouldn’t get into any of the better sides, why you were suddenly writing stuff that made me wonder if you might have considered him better than Jorghino who regularly gets into Chelsea’s side.

I have NEVER claimed player quality is the sole factor determining transfer fee size. Because it isn’t, full stop. I didn’t say it was in post 530621 or anywhere else. Because it isn’t. It is one of a number of factors.

Glad you still think there’s no need to continue this. Which makes me wonder why you did your last post unless you’re a sad obsessive determined to write the final post on any subject. For the sake of your mental stability, I hope that isn’t the case.

Awful scenes in the Denmark game. Eriksen just collapsed and the medics are on the pitch trying to resuscitate him. Hope he pulls through

Awful is right Rich. Don’t look good. I hope that ripple of applause at the end is a good sign. Fingers crossed for him.

It's just awful. Eriksen appeared just to collapse according to reports, even showing his wife. Hoping he'll be alright. Game should be stopped immediately.

I wasn’t watching the game so didn’t see Eriksen’s collapse as it happened. But saw what was happening when I turned over to catch the latest score. Hope he recovers. The game has been postponed.

I wasn’t watching the game so didn’t see Eriksen’s collapse as it happened. But saw what was happening when I turned over to catch the latest score. Hope he recovers. The game has been postponed.

Photo circulating over here (USA) showing him conscious on the stretcher

Well that’s good as far as it goes. Thanks.