Amazingly, the queue to sign Xhaka is longer than Mustafi's.

Wtf are you talking about? They took EUEFA to court got the penalty fees cancelled and stopped a major injustice. Whether you like it or not they did nothing wrong.

Imo opinion it would be good for grass roots footie. Get rid of the likes of RM, Barca and Juve and money no longer bends the rules.

Football would go back to being a sport.

I’m not wanting to get into the debate whether the clubs did or didn’t do anything wrong. However, am I missing something as I’d have thought it benefits Arsenal too, as we were one of the Super League clubs?

Hi ltg,

I think its the post covid market. I'm not a big fan of Xhaka but he was undoubtedly one of the standout performers in the euros and the fact that no club is willing or able to offer more than the paltry sum Roma have is indicative of what a troubled market it is.

It's also why we are having trouble offloading players like Kolasinic, Willian, Bellerin, Lacazette etc. There are just very few clubs willing or able to make the kind of outlay in transfer fees and wages that it would require. Teams are looking at loans with options to buy which is not great for the selling team.

The upside for teams who do have money is that they are in a strong position to pick up bargains or players who would normally be out of their reach.

Hi bromley. I know I owe you a sincere apology for doing this post as you did yours comfortably more than 10 hours 17 minutes ago, making it too old to debate. But I didn’t know Ben Stokes is a Tottenham fan.

I looked him up and saw he was born and raised in New Zealand until the age of 12, when his parents moved to the north of England. It didn’t actually say where in the north, but I’d have assumed the north east was a fairly safe assumption considering he joined Durham County Cricket Club rather than Yorkshire or Lancashire.

I know Tottenham have support all over the country, and presumably New Zealand. They’re a pretty big club after all. But my impression has always been that their support is more localised in London and the home countries than Arsenal’s (and Chelsea’s).

Wonder why Stokes decided to support Tottenham?

We seem to be have the classic conundrum of both struggling to sell and struggling to buy.

FFP was never going to work because 'money' rules. There is just too much money and the big money almost always has influence over the rules that govern their own money.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58032330

Hi AG,

By all accounts City have cheated their way to several titles with inflated sponsorship deals, it's just that their lawyers are smarter than everybody elses and can muddy the waters suffiently so that UEFA's attempts to punish them are thwarted at every turn.

At the end of the day, it made sense to sell Xhaka because he wanted to leave. But from a pure squad building perspective, he shouldn't be the midfielder to leave, and if Roma can't meet our valuation we're doing the right thing by keeping him.

I see it like this: Using Bissouma as an example (because we've been linked with him, not because I think we'll actually sign him), would you rather see us start the season with a midfield of

a) Partey, Bissouma, Lokonga, Xhaka

or

b) Partey, Bissouma, Lokonga, Elneny.

The above is meant to reflect what I hope for the coming season, not what I think will happen. I'm far from confident we'll try to sign another central midfielder, but I think it would be a mistake not to do it.

I am certain the reasons socrates gave about Xhaka are correct regarding the struggling to sell part of the equation. But LTG, are we struggling to buy? Tavares came for around £8m, Lokongo arrived for about £10m, and now White is here, with reports saying £50m. £68m spent already, allegedly, with unless I’ve forgotten someone (entirely possible) nobody yet out the door on a permanent deal.

Some of us discussed Arsenal being one of the wealthiest clubs in football a few days ago. We also have one of the richest owners. So we should be able to compete with almost everybody, and outspend the huge majority. I’m not another Swiss Ramble (I only recall ever reading one of his reports) so don’t know the in and outs of where the £68m has come from. The club’s own resources or Kroenke’s?

Perhaps it is the club’s own money, or if it’s KSE’s perhaps it will have to be paid back in due course (maybe with interest). But with his obvious unpopularity and the support for Ek’s takeover bid, as well as wanting to get back into the Champions League, is it feasible Stan is finally putting some of his own money in? If so, does that make Arsenal the latest financially doped club?

Hi Haz,

I see keeping Xhaka and offering him a new contract as a pragamatic approach to a tricky situation but not really a progressive move. Signing another top central midfielder as well as keeping Xhaka would be progressive.

Hi Bernard,

I think Lokonga was closer to £17m.

We did have to pay massively over the odds for White, but thats what big english clubs invariably do with top British talents. Man U payed £80m for Harry Maguire and £50m for Wan-Bissaka. Chelsea payed £50m for Ben Chilwell. Looks like City will pay £100m for Grealish.

I think we are looking to offoad players both for financial and numerical reasons and had we been able to do so I feel we would have made some more high profile signings by now. Will we make more signings if we can't sell.....I hope so but who knows.

I've read where some Gooners, excited about our prospects this season, see us threatening top 4. What about Sperz, Chelsea, Leicester or Man Utd do people think we'll just jump over any of them? Even if Kane goes to City, I'm not writing Sperz off. It's going to be a free for all. Ebbs and flows to this upcoming season.

Hi Bernard. I was a bit shocked to see you reply to my post beyond the prescribed sell by date. I expect you’ll be receiving an official warning from the mods.
Nevertheless, as I understand it Stokes isn’t really a football fan at all, but Tottenham sent him a shirt for some reason, and a tabloid newspaper used it as an excuse to fill a bit of space.

Morning socrates. If Lokongo was £17m rather than the £10m I said, that makes the expenditure so far around £75m. I think you’re right that incomings will be more likely with some outgoings. Who will they be?

It certainly looks like Xhaka won’t be one of them. Indeed, I think it’s more likely he’ll get a contract extension. My impression has always been that Arteta rates him very highly as a player, and it wouldn’t shock me if his prospective move to Roma had more to do with Xhaka favouring it instead of Arteta. That it didn’t come off may even have led to Arteta chatting with him, saying why not hang around with a pay rise in a new contract?

So who else might be on their bike? I don’t think Willian will move, even if he and Arsenal would probably welcome it. The sticking point being his salary, which he won’t get anywhere else. He’s also guaranteed it for another two years staying with us. My guess is Leno will stay, as if we really pay what Sheffield United want for Ramsdale, Stan must be financially doping us.

I can see Lacazette being offloaded to Atletico Madrid, but I reckon it’ll have to be for peanuts for it to happen. If Elneny goes, I think that will also be for peanuts. Bellerin might fetch an okay fee, but if he leaves we’ll presumably have to buy a new right back. Any or all of Willock, AMN, Nelson and Nketiah might go for semi-decent sums, even though not as much as it would have been in a non-depressed transfer market.

Their departures will hopefully fund the purchase of another central midfielder because even if Xhaka stays, we still look light there.

Thanks bromley. That would explain why Stokes supports Tottenham, even if he’s not a serious football fan. Wonder why Tottenham sent him a shirt though?

Just the smugness of the statement. These clubs *%^@** up because they are unable to do basic maths and hold any accountability over themselves. That’s the truth.

Btw despite you being a dribbling gurning *%^@ I agree with the last part. Those clubs are bad for football however next time those clubs try again the English clubs will be involved again despite everything I bet you.

Modern day journalism isn't worth the paper or site its written on. I keep seeing Daniel Ek buying Arsenal articles and these journalists know he doesn't have the money. If he had well heeled partners, okay a possibility but Kroenke isn't going to sell. Anyway, there is next to no chance of that happening. Almost as much chance as my exchanging holiday gifts with....

The 4th estate has been dead for a while.

I probably didn’t explain myself very well. What I meant was that when we try to sell then clubs ‘haven’t got enough money’ and the market is depressed but when we try to buy then the price goes up with little sign of a depressed market.

I've long heard many of the African players had fake birth certs. Not trying to stereotype, just what I've heard even from fans of their own players.

The actual truth is that covid May have affected things but the impact at the top of the market isn’t as bad and the reason we have issues are the players we are trying to sell have flattered to deceive a bit whilst on big money and the buyers know that and aren’t prepared to take the risk.

If you look Roma have signed 3 players now including the wolves keeper and are being linked with Telles the United defender. They obviously have money but aren’t prepared to spend much on Xhaka ? Why ? because if the fee is 20m plus a 3 year contract the total cost is a 40 million pound commitment for 3 years of Granit *%^@*** Xhaka. I can understand why we wouldn’t get a bite.

Obviously the market is depressed a bit but it can’t be the reason we are struggling to sell these players at all. Decent transfer fee + huge wages for a player who could be hit and miss ?

Kieran Trippier is on 80 grand a week apparently and Bellerin take a guess ? It’s 120k. I know who I’d rather have in our team and that highlights our problems

From the reports I’ve seen, the three players Roma have bought are Rui Patricio, the Wolves keeper you mention, for £10.35m; Roger Ibanez from Atalanta for £8.10m; and Bryan Reynolds from Dallas for £6.08m. Together their transfer fees add up to £24.53m. In total just £4.53m more than what Arsenal wanted for Granit Xhaka.

You say Roma obviously have money, but how much money? The three players they’ve signed together cost less than half of what Arsenal have reportedly risked on Ben White, a central defender who arguably still has a lot to prove (or maybe unarguably).

Fair enough but they are also supposed to be signing Telles who will cost another 18- 20 and are linked to Belotti! We only want 20, must be reason they aren’t biting.

Wouldn’t argue with any of that.

Is the game today on tv anywhere?

I understand Arsenal TV is covering it but I am unclear if you have to pay.

Will be interesting to see what system we play and who Arteta has in mind for his squad.

This report suggests Viera at Palace is seeking a loan of Reiss Nelson. If the financial penalties weren't too severe for us I think it would be a good deal.
https://www.teamtalk.com/news/patrick-v ... elson-loan

There were rumours Vieira had wanted Nketiah as well. I’d be happy to see them both (Nketiah and Nelson) go to Palace, although preferably via sales rather than loans.

That’s not me writing both off as useless. I just can’t see either getting much game time this season. So I think moves would be beneficial to them as well as Arsenal.

Some poor challenges from Chelsea in the first half. Partey has gone off injured and now Tierney in some discomfort after a bad challenge from Zouma. Can someone tell Chelsea it's a friendly?

Can someone tell Arsenal that it’s a friendly. They want to charge £7.99 to watch it.

There are a couple of links here:

https://reddt1.soccerstreams.net/event/ ... eam/667386

I'm watching the one called cappuccino, works fine.

There's a big gaping hole in central defense since Mustafi left but Ben will at least try to fill it in part if he can't whole.

Thanks. Tried that. Just keeps opening loads of windows with adverts.

Ha. Gotta laugh. Can only keep track via text updates. Our ‘just like a new signing’ has equalised.



Edit: Well that lead didn’t last long.

Plumbing new levels of awfulness. Just seen the Bellerin ‘backpass’ which put us 1-2. Truly horrible.

Leno has made two of those as well, nearly leading to goals.

On the bright side Willock equalized from a shot that hit the crossbar and went in. Sadly the linesman missed it and there's no VAR.

Hopefully it will all be better when we play them for real.

Aubameyang still sounds to be in the same vein of form as last season.