Today, the Independent touts Juan Mata as a potential replacement for Cesc Fábregas, especially in last season's 4-2-3-1 formation. These are the two deals which the media surrounding Arsenal are filled with these days. In the puzzle that is a modern, professional football squad, a missing piece must be replaced, mustn't it?
The prevailing mood in the reports on these transfer deals is that Cesc will be allowed to leave for Barcelona if Mata is signed. Or that Mata will be signed if Cesc leaves, depending on the paper's outlook. At least any of these alternatives are easy to understand.
If we mix in Samir Nasri, as some do, it gets more complicated. Perhaps he'll inherit Cesc's role if the captain leaves. That could make him sign a new deal instead of leaving for free in a year. (Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if Arsène Wenger tossed in the captain's armband in such a deal, true to earlier form.) Mata would then be resigned to compete with Andrei Arshavin for a place on the left.
Or Nasri could be disenchanted by the sale of the captain, and remain steadfast in leaving when his contract runs out. That seems to be the gist of most reports.
The chairman's statements in the Daily Star today suggest not only that Cesc will leave for the right price (which Barcelona has spent all summer not to bid). Sir Peter Hill-Wood also confirms that negotiations are underway for Phil Jagielka and at least one other player.
Arsenal fans can at least take heart, knowing that the club can see the gaping hole in central defence as well as the fans.
The talk of Christopher Samba and Gary Cahill has died down, the players are almost exclusively starring as alternatives in the pieces about Jagielka. The only break with that ended with Samba's angry and outspoken denial of quotes attributed to him in the Sun, looking like the classic 'come-and-get-me' plea.
The leavers? We're still waiting for more solid evidence for Nicklas Bendtner's whereabouts, and the touted move by Galatasaray for Emmanuel Eboue (or even Arshavin) remains cloudy at best.
But remember, this is what I read in the papers. Your reading is as good as mine. Feel free to comment. Creative speculation is more than welcome below!
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The captaincy should never be used as an inducement to an unsettled player as it completely undermines the rest of the squad when those that should be made captain are not, in preference to someone who wanted to leave.
ReplyDeleteVermaelen should be captain with RVP as vice captain. That's best for the squad.