So the transfer window closes again. I fully expect the first rumours of exciting Arsenal transfers in the summer to pop up in newspapers and on their websites tomorrow morning.
But Arséne Wenger has his buying-internationals-under-the-radar-mojo back in the European transfer market! Arsenal's new left back Nacho Monreal arrives for quite a fee, if rumour is to be believed around €10m or more than £8m.
Monreal has nine caps for Spain, and has been impressive in La Liga. At 26, we can expect him to be first choice for a while. Not only may out-of-form André Santos be heading out this summer, Kieran Gibbs may also have reason to feel that his position is threatened.
Throughout Transfer Deadline Day, the Arsenal's Silly Season rumour list has been updated and changed as news have come in. Some of the 150+ "transfer targets" have ended up at other clubs. The vast majority are staying just where they are. One former target (not linked to Arsenal since March last year) ended up in a car park.
Again, the January window and the months before have taught us that transfer rumours are equivalent to the droppings of cattle. It's fantastic to see that Arsenal's only signing wasn't mentioned by any serious news sources - or, indeed, anyone else - before Transfer Deadline Day itself.
Still, fair is fair, and I know of course that some of it is printed in good faith. A lot of professional journalists open up from time to time, admitting that they know they aren't right all the time. A rumour not ending up with a squad number and a Wenger handshake may still have had a core of truth in it.
Jeremy Wilson of the Daily Telegraph sums the Arsenal transfer window up here, as he sees it: Monreal was to be signed in the summer, but Gibbs' injury made Arsenal move today. Luke Shaw of Southampton was preferred, but wouldn't come.
Wilson is of the opinion that Arsenal have failed to sign a striker and a defensive midfielder. The candidates were Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (chose to stay in Germany) and David Villa (made to stay in Spain) up front, while Wenger decided that it wasn't necessary to strengthen the midfield with either of the prime candidates Victor Wanayama or Mohamed Diamé.
Whether or not the Telegraph paints a precise picture, we may never know.
Most Gooners wil be happy with the signing of another left back, but a lot are still disappointed at the perceived net loss of players and quality in the window. However, I have a strange feeling that many of the supporters who are now bemoaning that loanees Marouane Chamakh and Johan Djourou aren't replaced are the very same who complained that 'deadwood' haven't been shipped out of the club fast enough.
You can't have it both ways. Not even in the January window.
This blog will now be hibernating for a short time. A spanking new rumour list for the summer window of 2013 will be up in due course.
Showing posts with label Santos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Santos. Show all posts
Friday, 1 February 2013
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Panic or bargains?
Deadline day brought an almost unprecedented number of new first team players to Arsenal. Others have left, primarily on loan.
As the formal deadline passed, manager Arsène Wenger had added André Santos, Per Mertesacker, Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun to the squad. The ubiquitous "long term deals for undisclosed fees" is out on the website. Arteta, Santos and Mertesacker have signed permanent deals, while the Israeli forward joins on loan from Chelsea.
This strengthening on the very last day of the Silly Season is not typical of Wenger at all. Several papers have called it "panic" today. It can't really be judged until the signings have settled in and played. However, the fact that Arteta at 29 now has signed for four seasons does imply that Arsenal haven't held the upper hand throughout the negotiations.
Several sources say that Everton turned down a bid of Nicklas Bendtner plus cash, holding out for the lump sum of £10m. After having a quick think about it, Wenger looks to have agreed.
Bendtner joins Sunderland on loan instead. After stating and repeating all summer that he wanted to leave for a top club, he ends up in the middle of the Premier League table. The biggest downer for anyone leaving Arsenal since Sol Campbell "went abroad" to Portsmouth.
Meanwhile, Joel Campbell is sent on loan to Lorient in Ligue 1 after failing to gain a British work permit. The Costa Rican is joined by Gilles Sunu, who leaves Arsenal permanently to join Lorient, where he impressed on loan last season.
Henri Lansbury has gone back to the Championship on loan, signed by - of all people! - Sam Allardyce of West Ham.
The rumour page is updated now, even if arsenal.com is down and I haven't read a proper confirmation of Arteta's transfer. I choose to believe the Press Association and Sky Sports, however, both having their hands on Arsenal's official press release.
I'll post a summary of this Silly Season in a day or two. Then the blog will go in hibernation again... until the January window approaches.
As the formal deadline passed, manager Arsène Wenger had added André Santos, Per Mertesacker, Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun to the squad. The ubiquitous "long term deals for undisclosed fees" is out on the website. Arteta, Santos and Mertesacker have signed permanent deals, while the Israeli forward joins on loan from Chelsea.
This strengthening on the very last day of the Silly Season is not typical of Wenger at all. Several papers have called it "panic" today. It can't really be judged until the signings have settled in and played. However, the fact that Arteta at 29 now has signed for four seasons does imply that Arsenal haven't held the upper hand throughout the negotiations.
Several sources say that Everton turned down a bid of Nicklas Bendtner plus cash, holding out for the lump sum of £10m. After having a quick think about it, Wenger looks to have agreed.
Bendtner joins Sunderland on loan instead. After stating and repeating all summer that he wanted to leave for a top club, he ends up in the middle of the Premier League table. The biggest downer for anyone leaving Arsenal since Sol Campbell "went abroad" to Portsmouth.
Meanwhile, Joel Campbell is sent on loan to Lorient in Ligue 1 after failing to gain a British work permit. The Costa Rican is joined by Gilles Sunu, who leaves Arsenal permanently to join Lorient, where he impressed on loan last season.
Henri Lansbury has gone back to the Championship on loan, signed by - of all people! - Sam Allardyce of West Ham.
The rumour page is updated now, even if arsenal.com is down and I haven't read a proper confirmation of Arteta's transfer. I choose to believe the Press Association and Sky Sports, however, both having their hands on Arsenal's official press release.
I'll post a summary of this Silly Season in a day or two. Then the blog will go in hibernation again... until the January window approaches.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Agents making a buck or Wenger making the moves?
As predicted, this awful Monday in Gooner history has thrown up a remarkable number of new transfer rumours.
The Arsenal squad is precariously thin, and the coffers are swelling. A typical reaction is from Bolton manager Owen Coyle, quoted in the Sun about Gary Cahill:
You can just about see the pound signs in Coyle's eyes. Bolton's position in the week old negotiations with Arsenal is way better than only 36 hours ago. As is every other club shedding over-paid players. Earlier rumours would bring Everton to mind, as Arsenal have been linked with half their starting XI since their financial troubles were made public a week or so ago.
But there are other Blues who look to sell, too: two of Chelsea's recent rejects have been linked with Arsenal today.
Yossi Benayoun is 31, has lost his shirt number to former Arsenal target Juan Mata, and has a bidding war going on for him between Liverpool, LOSC Lille and Arsenal. So say the BBC and Sky Sports, both claiming to have their own sources.
For the Arsenal defence, Brazilian international Alex is considered, looking surplus at Stamford Bridge. The Sun today repeats rumours from Saturday that Arsenal are to bring him to North London. That is, if Juventus can't bring him to Northern Italy. The two clubs might also compete for the services of Dutch international winger Eljero Elia, having his head turned from Hamburg SV towards whoever pays him better, it looks like.
ESPN and the BBC both run with Alex' international teammate André Santos leaving Fenerbahce for Arsenal. £6.2m or €7m, it would still be a steal to get Brazil's first choice left back. At least, it would look so.
How come all these names pop up now? Are there just agents, again, using no-comment Arsenal to gear up European clubs to act in the final, frantic moments of the transfer window? I believe that, but not only that. Gooners may well see that flurry of activity that they've wanted for so long.
Many commentators, Amy Lawrence of the Observer included, have criticised the set-up at Arsenal. The club's dealmaker Dick Law is singled out as too inexperienced. Are we now seeing the manager himself wading into the market? Has the international break given him time to act in the transfer market himself, pushing Law and Ivan Gazidis aside?
The reports of Park Cho-Young's path to Arsenal seemed out of character for Arsène Wenger. No meticulous scouting lay behind the bid, it seemed. It looks like a "smash and grab" deal: the South Korea captain grabbed, any cordiality left with LOSC Lille smashed.
Obviously, Park is a player Wenger knows well. With time of the essence, my guess is that he now brings out older shortlists, bidding for players he for some reason have kept away from earlier.
Wenger's knowledge of players is vast, it is said, and even if he surely has limitations, he might well be taking the reins at this crucial time himself, signing who he needs to do what he needs as he sees fit.
If I'm right about this, I've only two words of warning: Sebastién Squillaci. Almost exactly a year a go, Wenger signed the French international just a few days after learning of his availability. Even if his Arsenal career started well enough, he quickly became a synonym and symbol of Arsenal's defensive cock-ups.
The question not asked by Gooners at the time was: why would Sevilla move him on at the eve of their new season? His performances in the Premier League may have provided us with an answer to that, I'm afraid.
The Arsenal squad is precariously thin, and the coffers are swelling. A typical reaction is from Bolton manager Owen Coyle, quoted in the Sun about Gary Cahill:
"I'm fair-minded and if someone makes the right offer we can do business."
You can just about see the pound signs in Coyle's eyes. Bolton's position in the week old negotiations with Arsenal is way better than only 36 hours ago. As is every other club shedding over-paid players. Earlier rumours would bring Everton to mind, as Arsenal have been linked with half their starting XI since their financial troubles were made public a week or so ago.
But there are other Blues who look to sell, too: two of Chelsea's recent rejects have been linked with Arsenal today.
Yossi Benayoun is 31, has lost his shirt number to former Arsenal target Juan Mata, and has a bidding war going on for him between Liverpool, LOSC Lille and Arsenal. So say the BBC and Sky Sports, both claiming to have their own sources.
For the Arsenal defence, Brazilian international Alex is considered, looking surplus at Stamford Bridge. The Sun today repeats rumours from Saturday that Arsenal are to bring him to North London. That is, if Juventus can't bring him to Northern Italy. The two clubs might also compete for the services of Dutch international winger Eljero Elia, having his head turned from Hamburg SV towards whoever pays him better, it looks like.
ESPN and the BBC both run with Alex' international teammate André Santos leaving Fenerbahce for Arsenal. £6.2m or €7m, it would still be a steal to get Brazil's first choice left back. At least, it would look so.
How come all these names pop up now? Are there just agents, again, using no-comment Arsenal to gear up European clubs to act in the final, frantic moments of the transfer window? I believe that, but not only that. Gooners may well see that flurry of activity that they've wanted for so long.
Many commentators, Amy Lawrence of the Observer included, have criticised the set-up at Arsenal. The club's dealmaker Dick Law is singled out as too inexperienced. Are we now seeing the manager himself wading into the market? Has the international break given him time to act in the transfer market himself, pushing Law and Ivan Gazidis aside?
The reports of Park Cho-Young's path to Arsenal seemed out of character for Arsène Wenger. No meticulous scouting lay behind the bid, it seemed. It looks like a "smash and grab" deal: the South Korea captain grabbed, any cordiality left with LOSC Lille smashed.
Obviously, Park is a player Wenger knows well. With time of the essence, my guess is that he now brings out older shortlists, bidding for players he for some reason have kept away from earlier.
Wenger's knowledge of players is vast, it is said, and even if he surely has limitations, he might well be taking the reins at this crucial time himself, signing who he needs to do what he needs as he sees fit.
If I'm right about this, I've only two words of warning: Sebastién Squillaci. Almost exactly a year a go, Wenger signed the French international just a few days after learning of his availability. Even if his Arsenal career started well enough, he quickly became a synonym and symbol of Arsenal's defensive cock-ups.
The question not asked by Gooners at the time was: why would Sevilla move him on at the eve of their new season? His performances in the Premier League may have provided us with an answer to that, I'm afraid.
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