Yossi Benayoun has given an interview to Israeli radio about his immediate future and his time at Arsenal.
Thanks to @Snir_Geuli for the transcript of the Arsenal related bits, which goes as follows:
Q: Why are you on the bench in deciding moments?
A: I didn’t get a lot of chances at first, but something changed in the last few games and it’s very significant. It is because I’ve been patient, and proved myself. It doesn’t mean anything regarding my future, I’ve got one last game until my contract is up and I return to Chelsea, and will decide my future.
Q: Do you want to go back there?
A: I’m not planning anything for next season as of now. I’ll decide what’s best for my career.
Q: How would you sum up your Arsenal stint?
A: You can divide it to two parts. Extremely unhappy from the earlier months, I could have given up, but I didn’t. Gladly, I started playing and scoring goals again, which for me is the most important thing.
Q: What’s your next move?
A: We’ll have to wait and see. My agents are working, and there are offers, but right now I’m focusing solely on Arsenal and finishing on a high.
Q: Would you want to stay at Arsenal?
A: I don’t know, but there is a chance. At Liverpool I couldn’t stay for a minute longer (because of his rift with Rafa).
Q: Did Arsene Wenger contact Chelsea regarding a permanent transfer?
A: We haven’t discussed it yet. Everyone will decide what’s best for them. Gladly, I’m finishing my stint at Arsenal in a nice manner.
Q: Why is Arsenal struggling?
A: It’s true that Arsenal hasn’t won a trophy for the past 6-7 years, but before that they won everything. They tried to promote youngsters and to invest less and win trophies. But they already signed a player like Podolski who is a massive signing. Apart from that, they need to keep the good players they have, and only that way they’ll succeed.
Sign him up Arsene, sign him up!
I’d love if he stayed, he’s been a very valuable squad player this season. Whether or not he wants to be a squad player will decide matters I suppose.
I really want to see him stay at Arsenal. He’s a good player with good attitude and manner. He also can contribute something for Arsenal.
Yossi: “At Liverpool I couldn’t stay for a minute longer .”
Ha ha. No one can blame you Yossi. I like him even more now. If he’s willing, he would be a brilliant squad player. If Arshavin had half his work ethic and professionalism…
Agreed re AA and therein lies the difference
Would love to see Benny stay with us, but could understand if he didn’t, frankly – he’s too good to be just a squad player. He’d do brilliantly at a team like Everton or Fulham, where he’d play every game and become an integral part of the team – with us, I fear he’d only be a bit part player.
Whatever happens, thank you for your commitment, and thank you for the goals. Most appreciated.
Yes please. A 12 month deal will keep him motivated and give us what he’s given us this year: experience and determination and fight.
Yossi has been a positive force for us this year. I’d love to see him around next year, if nothing other than to impress professionalism and work ethic on our younger players.
I think we’d all love to see him next season, but he is in the twilight of his career and will want to get as much playing time as possible. With the likes of Jack, Ox, Arteta, Song, Walcott and any other new signings, I don’t think he’ll be provided the playing time he’s looking for.
But, if he does sign, I’ll be the first one to thank him for staying. He’s been fantastic and we need more people with his heart and work ethic
With our injury record he’d still get quite a good run out. Would love to see him stay at the club. We need more squad players who work hard for the club and be professional about it.
Good little player works hard, but he’s at the stage in his career where he wants to play regularly. I can’t see him get much game time next season especially with Podolski in the squad and I don’t think he’d enjoy a bit part role. I think a move would be better for his career, we should go in for Dempsey as he’s also a fighter but a goal scorer and a match winner. They’re similar but Dempsey’s a lot more potent in the final third and strong in the air. Another plus is Dempsey is 29 whereas Benayoun is… Read more »
I do not understand the thumbs down at all… I agree totally with Med. Consider also that the playing squad would be improved by lowering wages, reducing average age, and opening more opportunities for the young talents in the first team if Arsenal brought in Dempsey while shedding Arshavin, Benayoun, and Park this summer. CD23 can himself replace each of those players in the squad, albeit with some trade-offs. Arshavin possesses more creativity, Benayoun is a better dribbler, Park–meh… I haven’t seen enough of him to know! (tongue firmly in cheek, there). However, Dempsey is a more positionally versatile attacker… Read more »
Thanks fella, appreciated. I agree I feel Dempsey would suit Arsenal well and he’s another winner added to the team. To be fair at international level it’s a lot harder to keep consistency, Messi and Ronaldo also suffer from the same thing. He’d be a welcome addition!
He has 2 years left on his £75k a week deal at chelsea plus they want 5m for him. at 32 years of age that represents an outlay of about 13m with no sell on value when he is 34. sorry for the 15-20 appearances per season that you might get that is terrible business
He won’t stay because he isn’t a first choice and never will/should be at arsenal. Don’t get me wrong he has been good for us but only coz alot of others have been bad. But he’s on the cusp of being first team and I would imagine he could walk into other premiership teams. Then again, it all depends if we finish 3rd, if we don’t and we get Europa league, he’s prob the best we can wish for.
“They need to keep the good players they have, and only that way they’ll succeed.”
Sounds like he’s trying to persuade the club to keep him.
There are only so many 30+ players you can have in a team with van persie and sagna nearing that mark and arteta rosicky almunia arshavin squillaci benayoun already there i would be looking to cut 4 of those for slightly younger players. yossi has pretty much played as one of the front 3 this year and when you look at how many we have you can see that he is surplus. our current list of attackers looks like this and needs to be reduced in quantity but increased in quality. walcott rvp podolski gervinho chamakh benayoun arshavin park bendtner… Read more »
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Transfer/signing stories are 90% gas and so I’m taking this with a grain of salt. Having said that, I hope he does stay. Today’s been a positive addition to Arsenal, especially in the latter part of the season.
AFC to sign Bennyawn? City must be shitting their pants!….thanks Bennyawn, now on your way son, on your way….
A few posters here seem to have no clue how difficult it is to sit out most of a season, and then actually perform well (often spectacularly) when called upon. Benayoun can do this, and, more importantly, can do this without whingeing about it. He’s got great character and bucketloads of experience playing effectively at club and international levels, and how often have we heard in recent years that Arsenal are lacking in such areas? I know some will cite Ox as making Yossi redundant, but I’d be wary of demanding too much of the Ox. We’ve seen many times… Read more »
spot on!!!if you all love him then why not keep him.we know we are on the verge of completion of our rebuilding process.it’s time to test it and if yossi has done good enough this term im sure he’ll be great next season.we could switch between him and little mozart.
We have looked better with him on the field than off it,so its pretty clear we should sign him,imo.
He brings energy and enthusiasm,something we’ve lacked at times this season.
HES MY TOP ARSENAL PLAYER .. STAY BE..AT ARSENAL
It’s refreshing to see Yossi start games recently, put in a solid effort and score goals. It shows that if you fight for your place in the starting line-up you will be rewarded. Hopefully this helps wake up the other wide players (Gerviho, Wolcott, Chamberlain, etc.) and makes them train harder to compete for a place. We need motivated squad players!
Yossi would be a great squad player for the Arsenal but it’s too bad it doesn’t seem that he wants to be one (understandably so).
We definately need Yossi next season.
Adam
May 8, 2012 at 5:08 am – leave the kid alone…..you should be ashamed of yourself.
Blogger – Adam first needs to be reported and then removed.
He’s banned.
Blogger – Adam first needs to be reported and then removed.
if we sing hoilet or get back mayachi then Benny will not be here next season… he is a good player perfect winger in a 433 formation …
this is how our mid filed would be next season :
Rosick back up: wilshare
arteta back up: coquellen
song back up: M’villa
ramsay should get a loan spell and lansbury should get his chance.
in defence we need a leader at the back vertongen may b.
Just sign the guy up already. if we use the money from the sale of Arshavin to buy Benayoun then i have no problems at all with that. He will do wonders in the dressing room for people like Miyaichi and co.
Whatever the outcome, Arsenal FC thanks you for your service Yossi. Outstanding professional.
[…] yet know what his future holds but Arsenal was a possibility. And of his stint at the club, he said: You can divide it to two parts. Extremely unhappy from the earlier months, I could have given up, […]
What rift with Rafa? He lft Liverpool after Rafa!!!!! (I can read Hebrew as well and it just says he had to leave but no reason or person mentioned)
Gooner_IL
I added that.
It’s rather well documented that he wanted to leave Liverpool because of the way he was treated, mainly by Rafa.
Try and look for interviews with him from a couple of years ago, you’ll see it.
I’m pretty sure both ONE and Sport5 had interviews with him on that issue.
I have my own mugsmasher he knows nothing about this. All I do know is that all Israeli sport press is tabloid. Only Avi Mellor knows what he talking about.
Here are the quotes.
http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2011/08/benayoun-left-because-of-benitez-but.html
Yossi is better than Foreheadchamakh,,walcott and a player such as Rambo should be fuckin offloaded.Bench makes a team.For instance against ACmilan we needed fresh legs in the second half.Please sign Yossi
Cunt detected: Red Alert.
load the cannon
Great squad player, but for the age vs money reasons mentioned I dont think he would be a good transfer signing. Pretty sure he isnt in the chavs plans, a years loan deal works for everyone, surely. I think he could help bring Ramsey and The Ox on, he has played everywhere and has lots of experience.
Someone also mentioned Clint Dempsey, he may have done wonders in my dream team, but with Pod & RVP up front, and an abundance of attacking midfielders I think we would struggle to fit him in.
I’d be happy for him to stay. He’s proved his worth and probably has another good season left in him.
I must say I had rated him in the past but felt he might struggle to pick it up again after his shit time at Chelsea, who just wouldn’t play him. He’s surprised me a little with how good he’s been. His work rate is phenomenal.
He’s an intelligent player and can adapt his game well. He’s also got a bit of an eye for a goal as well. I think we would do well to give him another go.
total pro. hardly plays, scores smashing goal.
sorry, why wouldn’t we want him to stay?
[…] on, Yossi Benayoun revealed on Israeli radio, that there is a minor chance he could stay with Arsenal for next season. I am not too sure, […]
[…] on, Yossi Benayoun revealed on Israeli radio, that there is a minor chance he could stay with Arsenal for next season. I am not too sure, […]