Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wenger rules out Ba move, provides transfer update

With January approaching and the transfer window about to open, the media and Internet frenzy regarding Arsenal transfers is beginning to heat up.

After a problematic season, there’s a real expecation (and some amount of hope), that Arsene Wenger will boost the squad to give it a good chance to finish in the top four, at least, and do something in one of the cup competitions.

As ever, he was in typically guarded form at his press conference this morning, and when asked if he could provide any update on potential targets, in particular Barcelona striker, David Villa, he said, “Any interest we have in any player has to be kept secret so I cannot come out with any names.”

He was then pressed about interest in Newcastle striker Demba Ba. “I like Demba Ba, yes,” he said, “but it is not right to speak about him because he plays against us tomorrow. If you ask ‘do we sign him?’ I say no.”

And of course there are the inevitable links with Thierry Henry. A few weeks ago it looked like it was going to happen, now the whispers are that his return last season will be his final Arsenal swansong. Arseblog News thinks this is probably for the best, but never one to close any door completely, Wenger said, ” I have not lost interest in him, he is still coming today to practise with us. I have not ruled out a move completely.”

Of course this is really just the start of it, the next month is going to speculation central, but we’ll do our best here to filter some wheat from the chaff.

Updates via @arsenal and @johncrossmirror

Related articles

Comments

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

121 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
nishanth

I fear that we won’t signing. Maybe a striker if we get lucky and as usual a teenager. Someone like Zaha maybe.

Fairly recent Gooner

Wenger’s quote doesn’t actually say he’s got going to sign Ba, just that he’d answer no to the question then, we may get a striker after all. It’s all double speak and poker faces until the deal is actually done. Reading transfer gossip is awful, wastes time, gets you nowhere, raises hopes or makes you plain angry. You know you shouldn’t, but then you read it anyway, and to top off your self loathing for once again giving in to the general transfer drivel you write a comment about it on Arseblog. It’s not even January yet and my head… Read more »

Glory Hunter

We’re not signing anyone, no point getting our hopes up!
And if we do, it’ll be a lovely surprise but no point speculating if you ask me!

Witoldo

Chin up, Gooners! Last transfer period Wenger bought top, top talent in the form of 16-year-old Macedonian goalkeeper Dejan Iliev just as the window slammed shut. So, there’s hope after all.

Cygan's Magical Left Foot

Don’t be ungrateful, we already sign Diaby!!!!. To Only be told on the 31st of Jan that they just found out he is going to be out for the season and if he knew that he would have signed someone.

Remember TV and Jack??????

Oh, and the super “koalidy” like Gerv, Ramsey, Sheeshaman and Squad not easy to find or to even find koalidy better than what we have!!!.

Subeyr

Someone should of asked if he found the so called “exceptionable player(s)” he was talking about earlier.

matt senior

Probably some undiscovered (shit) left winger from the untapped and mystical resource known only to some as the…. eredivisie! *gasps*

Assshavin

That is actually not a bad idea. A left winger is jus

Assshavin

t what we need.

Maximus

There are two Belgian left wingers in the Eredivisie I’d absolutely love to see in an arsenal shirt, especially Dries Mertens. Nacer Chadli could be a great option as well.

Anon

And magically there could appear *gasps* a talented teenager plying his trade in the eredivisie playing on the left

Remember *gasps* Robin van Stapleton?

Domhuail

Yah Mutt senior moment….must be the ONLY explanation!

matt senior

Can you tell me.. where does this policy of not stating public interest in a player get us? Doesn’t seem like an aspect of the business where being nice is appreciated anyway.

S

Why don’t you think about it for a minute and you might come up with a reason

Mark

Fergie said a month before he signed RVP that he had him in the bag

stynyr

lol @ blogs

Glory Hunter

I’m guessing its the same 4 people that gave Marks comment, thumbs up are the same 4 that gave blogs comment thumbs down.

I know, I’m very clever 🙂

Anon

I worry for Matt Junior.

Nero

stupid question, come back when you learn how the sport works

Domhuail

Are you having a senior moment or are you seriously wondering why Wenger plays his cards close to his vest? Being nice has nothing to do with it mate, its being savy about other lazy Clubs coming in and profiting from all the recruitment and scouting work AFC do, only to have a potential star tapped up and sucked away into the money vacuum-cleaner the oilygarch’s and richer Clubs can call on when they want to deny a competitor a player. Why are so many top class players languishing on Real, AC Milan, City, Chelsea, Barca and PSG’s benches or… Read more »

Gibir

do not forget Sp’rs the club without idea just watching Arsenal news..

InTheArse

That picture is just so funny

Vokes

If we signed David Villa my heart would probably explode, thus rendering me unable to watch the Arsenal anymore. Please don’t sign Villa for this reason alone.

Cazorla Want Fro Christmas Is You

I think its obvious that the squad is short a dynamic forward. However, to write Walcott off centrally already is a bit harsh. He was a bit weak holding up the ball against Wigan, but I also he felt he found a lot of space in the box when congested. (For example when the Ox was breaking in behind in the second half). He also looks stronger on the ball, and has obviously spent a lot of time bulking up. That said, a squad with ambitions to challenge for the premier league cannot compete with only two viable striking options.… Read more »

InTheArse

What a name!

Miranda

Walcott has scored 4 goals in the 4 chances he’s been given to play centrally, 5 if you count winning the penalty v. Wigan – can’t really ask for better than that, though I agree he’s probably not the answer to our problems (especially as he looks to be off). Snag is, proven strikers come very, very expensive, particularly at this time of year, and they’re likely to be cup-tied for Europe, but I heard someone on the radio today saying that there’s a wealth of talent to be had for pennies in the Spanish leagues if you’ve got clever… Read more »

Domhuail

Miranda, three questions: 1) How much were Senderos, Bendtner, Denilson, and Fabianski actually earning? 2) How many new, British kids did Wenger just resign? 3) How many loanees and youth, reserve players do we have right now who are very close to first team positions? Here are some hints: 1) Nobody knows…and surely NOT you. 2) 5 3) 4 at least If you can add, that makes 9 players who are all under 23! I guess you forgot about them when you wrote that idiot statement ¨ This new policy of focusing on second-class 28-year-olds¨….he’s actually mixing his youth policy… Read more »

Norwad

Any thoughts of the Arda Turan rumours?

Or is it just a load of bullshit as usual?

Geoffrey

If no signing then forget top 4

Dr Baptiste

Weren’t we 4th just before this last round of games? Only dropping down due to our game being postponed. That tells me that 4th is our to lose and not gain.

adebayoridwan

Do nt depnd on a match, we must sign new player in january especially strikers nd wingers to gain victory frm beyarn.IT IS A MUST WE SIGN ND WELCOM NEW FACES IN JANUARY.yea it is a must

Domhuail

Thanks for your input Mr.G, now back to your closet and keep sucking them sour grapes.

donteatthecrabdip

I feel we may be surprised with Wenger this jan, if the emirates money is real this will be the first window with an actual excess of funds available. Every other ‘warchest’ has been a bargaining tool for the market and wage negotiations.

S

Still though, what clubs are going to want to let decent players leave in Jan?

Mooro

Us?

Frog

If we’ve got it, it’s for sale!! January, July, Tuesday, fuck it!!! You want it, make us an offer.

Rocket Diary

donteatthecrabdip, how long have you been supporting Arsenal. Last season we were out of fullbacks. AW hinted he’ll go for them in Jan. What happenned – Nothing.
One season before that Van Per$ie was out for 90% of the season after that Chiellini tackle and we were playing up top with Arshavin. We were supposedly most definitely in for another striker what happened – Nothing.

Wish all you like, but do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands.

Dick Swiveller

We were never in the market for a fullback.I don’t think Wenger ever said anything about it, except that we have plenty but they’re injured.

The striker thing though was true, Wenger had misplaced his faith in Bedtner and there was a definite need for cover.

Anon

You are misinforming. Wenger never said he would go for a fullback in January. He said at worst he would look for a loan, which never happened and was fully expected to not happen since there are rarely good young fullbacks available on loan in January.

Chukwuma

I never expected any thing from this presser in terms of transfer prospect one thing that is likely though is that Ba is certainly on our radar along with two or three other prospects in Spain and Germany.

Rocket Diary

Arsene said he would sign exceptional players this January.
I say,
Exceptional = Top,Top,Top
Stop fucking with us Wenger.

Qui

“We’re not signing demba ba”
“We’re not selling rvp, song.”
“Cazorla is a good player, but nothing is close”

So judging by this we are just about to complete a deal for BA.

Miranda

I’d worry about Ba’s dodgy knee which seems 100 percent certain to splinter into a thousand small bits the day he signs a ten-year contract with us. Still, we’ve got that nice new medical centre strangely standing quite empty (Diaby having vacated it for a fortnight) which we need to put to some use. Dodgy knee apart, Ba’s good, I think, probably as good as we can afford.

Anon

MIKEL ARTETA BEGS TO DIFFER.

Andy Mack

Gooner ingury luck = Ba signes for us then his knee goes in his 1st training session and career over. 7.5m is too much for that gamble.I hope we don’t get him.
I think AW would rather spend 25m if he thought it was good value.

TheChosenOne

I actually have a good feeling about this window. I dunno why but I do. We won’t sign 3-4 players but I think we’ll bring in two good players that will help the team. They might not be big names but we might see a couple of guys in the Sagna, Verm, Arteta mold of decently priced guys but solid guys that will help us. Let’s hope.

InTheArse

That’s all we require mate, 2 players but both have to be world-class. Direct entry or at least a competition to the playing 11.

Wheelz

Personally, I’d like to see a left winger come in so we can utilize Pod in the middle. So far Walcott’s only being criticised for not holding the ball up well. I don’t see us having the same problem with Pod there and we all know he’s got good pace and a cracking shot as well.

Exceptional Players

Park, Santos, Squillaci, Chamakh 🙂 …offlate exceptional players signed..

Earlier, I agreed the record is good for Wenger

GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking

Arsenal should’ve signed some forwards in the summer…oh, we did.

GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking

I think Wenger is waiting for another forward about to leave on a free transfer, save the club some money and all that. Never mind we have nearly ZERO world class players on the pitch.

Seriously, apart from Wilshere and Carziola, who else in the current squad would get into any of the Manchester sides?

Mark

I would say only Jack and Sagna would get in the United team.And it does help that they have a great manager who signs great players

GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking

Signing RVP has transformed their season. Losing him has ruined ours.

ClockEndRider

And who runs the FA.

A Yank

@GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking:

I know it’s heretical to say anything but ‘Fuck that c*nt’ around here, but the ‘transformed’ comment is exactly right. For all the bad decisions made in the last 5-7 years, not keeping RvP this season—even knowing he could (and probably would) walk on a free—was the worst.

Dude

Seeing as he was sold for over 24M, keeping Rotten Man Pussy would have been equivalent to paying him 24M/52weeks = in addition to the salary he was already on. So essentially it would have been like he cost us 550K/week or so. As much as I hated to see him go, keeping him simply was not an option, in principal or financial terms. The only better option might have been to try and offload him to another country. Of which case, if the ManPussy is unwilling to sign a contract for that team knowing he can go wherever he… Read more »

A Yank

@ Dude: Any money forgone from keeping RvP isn’t a cost. But if you want to play loose with the accounting you should factor in all the numbers. First Arsene eventually intimated that both Giroud and Podolski (not Carzola) were replacements for RvP. So deduct their costs—which was, what, ballpark 18M?—from the proceeds of the sale. Moreover, you should factor in the potential loss of around 30M if Arsenal fail to make the CL (of course that also assumes RvP would have helped us secure qualification). Granted, the more honest way to look at it would be to say there’s,… Read more »

Frog

Nevermind Rvp. Where’s the money from the cesc, Nasri, adabayor, toure, song and clichy sales? Where’s the hleb and Eduardo money?

Miranda

A Yank I agree to an extent about Van Persie but agree wholeheartedly with your points when it comes to selling Walcott in this window. Unless someone – Chelsea? – offers us a ridiculous price for him, I’d keep him till the summer. If any player could be the difference between CL qualification (worth a minimum of 25m) it’s going to be him. He’s barely played this season yet he’s almost our top scorer. No one has a better strike right per hours on the pitch than him. He might even give us a chance of getting past Bayern (albeit… Read more »

Dude

@ a Yank: I’m sorry, but my points had nothing to do with the accounting of these deals, but rather than financial analysis. Though they complement each other, they are not the same thing. And opportunity cost is absolutely to be considered when comparing between decisions, or you would be ignoring details (obvious ones in this case). Sure, we can compare what was gained on RVP with that spent on Giroud + Poldi since they are more of a direct replacement, however I simply used Cazorla as my example as he was closer to the same value and was announced… Read more »

Dude

Excuse me, that should read “very little doubt that we will qualify” for the CL. And “a Yank” I share your passion for Arsenal and the desire for them to win, it’s just sometimes us as fans are too “emotional” to see what is the logical decision. I’m not saying that Arsene always makes the logical decision, or at least that I see them as logical, but regarding RVP, I believe he did.

Anon

“who else in the current squad would get into any of the Manchester sides?” Arteta is incredibly influential in Arsenal’s current style of play (system), if he plays the exact same role in Arsenal for either Manchester clubs, it would not create as much impact anyway due to less emphasis on passing tempo. Koscielny and Mertesacker have been excellent, and it’s not easy displacing defenders like Kompany who has always been good. Sagna, as said before, is an easy candidate. Add that with Cazorla and Wilshere. That’s a good list of candidates for midfield and defence (where we pretty much… Read more »

GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking

Dream on Anon. This squad is shite.

Domhuail

I don’t know what Wenger is smokin’ but I know that GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking is eating sour grapes, drinking AAA whine and topping up with gloomy shite. The only shite thing is GiveMeWhatWengersSmoking’s crappy,gloomy, moany, anti-Wenger,anti-Arsenal posts….I think he’s either a Spud coward OR more likely one of the rats from LeGrove bitching squad…either way he’s NOT an Arsenal supporter.

IamsterdamGooner

Claims in Turkish media by Arda Turan’s agent claiming he will leave Atletico & go to England. Heavily linked with Arsenal ( i know, so are 100 other players) but this seems realistic to me. Although i’d rather see a beefy CM/DM like Fellaini, midfield already drips technical ability.
And personally i don’t know what to think about Ba, he is a proven PL goal scorer but just to much similar to Giroud in terms of playing style. But for that 7mil buy-out…
Wenger also keen on Nani?

Miranda

Turan won’t leave this window and when he does he’lll cost over 20m. Besides, he and/or his agent have said he wants to play for a club that can win the CL. Don’t think he’ll think that is us.

Merlin's Panini

So judging by Wenger “not being interested” in or “close” to signing Arteta or Cazorla just before they joined I would assume the Ba interest is real and should we trigger the release clause then Newcastle literally can’t say no.
My only concern with Ba is that last season he started very well then faded after Christmas. He’s started very well this season too. Hope this isn’t a pattern.

Merlin's Panini

I reckon Szczesny would easily get into the United side. They don’t even seem to know who their number one is!
Also Gibbs is better than Evra now in my opinion.

Frog

And Rvp is better than…… O ya, shit.

Frog

And per is better than any centre back they have, bar a fit vidic.

Lifetime Gooner

Give the man a break.
Signing a player must be much harder than it actually sounds, and to be fair I trust him to do what is in Arsenals best interest this window.

Anura

I’d love to get Fellani and Villa in Jan, maybe a solid GK as a good back up to SZ. That’ll do me.

Arseshavin

David Villa just turned 31…i dont really see Wenger going for him, unless he can get him for pennies and nickels.
I would love it if he did, i think he’ll be good for another few years.

Mooro

So all that stuff in the papers about us signing Demba is just Ba Humbug then.

Biscuit

My guess is that he will sign nobody. Can he go through from unambitious skin flint to remotely ambitious overnight? Me thinks not !

Alf

We can all speculate and there are a number of bandwagons that people like to jump on but I bet there is nobody on this forum that REALLY knows how much money AW has had at his disposal each transfer window since the move to the Grove.
So ‘unambitious skinflint’ could easily really be ‘forced to work on a shoestring budget’

Craig Hale

I think you might be right on the money (mind the pun) with the sales of nasri fab and vp over the last two seasons I see alot more money in through transfers than out on players

Lasagna

Atleast he didn’t kill all our hope yet…

srbistuta

“I like Demba Ba, yes,” he said, “but it is not right to speak about him because he plays against us tomorrow. If you ask ‘do we sign him?’ I say no.”

Oooooohhhh, we are sooooooo signing him!

loop a hole

Knowing Arsene, I have only one thing to say.
Welcome to Arsenal, Ba.
COYG

Great Arse

Diaby=LANS (again)

Just in time for the transfer window.

Harish

Whats is LANS?

GM

Its short for Henri Lansbury. Why everyone keeps comparing Diaby to him I don’t know.

Moo moo toure

LANS = Like a new signing.

Harish

Lol GM

Thanks Moo Moo!

Dial square

Isn’t Villa 31 ? We will never pay the wages he wants for someone that age, world class or not.

jim top gooner

i feel in this current climate money talks, with all the stash this board is sitting on theo’s contract should be the top priority, him singing on (and yes based on him playing up top, i believe he can do some real damage with that pace) would geniunely feel like a new signing and not just that sensation but we wouldnt spend a transfer fee (good business), With the actual transfer budget a holding midfielder of the highest but realistic quality needs to be purchased, for all our technical flair we lack that dominating,35 games a season ball winner, fellaini… Read more »

Dial square

Why would Everton sell their best player to one of their rivals ? Any club would be pretty fucking stupid to do that!!!

Frog

Heh. So true. Thank god we support a club that would never sell our best player to our biggest rival.

TANNED ARSE

When has felliani ever been a “ball winner”? He plays high up the pitch & not in a defensive role.

THEREISBEARCUM

Except he hasn’t always.

Los Polandos

Yes, this season he does. He’s been around longer than half a year, do you realise that?

TANNED ARSE

That’s right, he played center of the park as an all-around midfielder not as a ball winner and he was no where near as effective or as good as he is playing in a more advanced position now(which is probably why he got moved).

Harish

I really don’t feel Theo has earned the right to be the highest earner at the club, when he is only just doing his best. Would you pay out of your budget (remember, budgeting is necessary for any business, no matter what is said to be stored in cash reserves) to someone who worked 7 years for you and only for 6 months has looked like he could be better than expected? Be realistic. I also think Theo should be realistic, and look at this sliding contract like what Ox has, so as he improves he earns the right to… Read more »

Solomon alexander

I think wenger should sign a beter DM/TRKER,this january to boast our squard also to conpiete with TOP4.

GM

Pete is also easily conned by the prospect of Champions League football.

garyfootscrayaustralia

Here we go with the Football Manager talk again. About as thrilling as the white lads at school who thought they could ragga chat on the mic

Domhuail

Its called freedom of speech and includes ignorant,stupid, irrational, illogical, ill thought-out, fantasizing that all the ¨experts¨on all the AFC blogs consider their God given right to excrete. That’s the price we pay for democracy….even the most illiterate can anonymously spew their vile rancour across cyberspace.

[…] 来源:[Arseblog News] […]

weedwacker

Ba, Villa, Holtby and M’villa. All available on the first of January and relatively cheap. Do a little gambling add a little bit of spice some muscle and a little packet of top top top shake it all about and see where you end up

Frog

M’villa sucks.

Dick Swiveller

Looked good the few times I’ve seen him; calm. strong, disciplined, able to tackle and uses the ball intelligently, if not always particularly adventurously.

Obviously, I’d need to see a player a few more times to truly judge but he’d be very useful in this team imo.

mike

ur talking 40 plus mill. in jan. plus wages. ur off ur rocker

weedwacker

40 mill sounds about the price. 4 quality player at average 10mill each sounds like a bargain to me

Awub40

Wenger will buy no one and end up getting himself fired before the end of the season.

Frog

Funny thing is, I bet your correct about the first part and wrong about the second part.

Domhuail

Back to your hovel mate….you got the wrong sport.

Aamir

I just want a fast striker and a holding midfielder (the one we have needed since 2008)… A proper winger would be nice too.
I have a feeling Arsene will surprise us, like he did with Arshavin(I know, wasted talent, but still.)
I will (try to) not look at any of the transfer speculation this window unless Arseblog news posts it, or it is officially announced.

gooner odst

If we do buy someone, i hope he isn’t dog shite garbage. Alternatively, if we don’t get anyone i hope we empty our FULL bins.

Wenger Burger

If walcott signs the damn thing he can be our january new signing.

garyfootscrayaustralia

I can’t work out if the picture accompanying the article is from one of the Wall Street films. or Monopoly The Musical – any ideas?

Gooner16

Exceptional players come at exceptional prices. So we won’t sign anyone exceptional. It’s that simple.

lordgunner

without malaga problem carzola should have cost easily 30-40M, we were lucky to get him for the price we pay

Gooner16

That was an exceptional case.

Frog

You know who I think we should sign? Well, I don’t have the slightest idea. But I do know we need to sign a striker.and most likely a winger to replace theo. and most likely a midfielder to replace diaby. and most likely a winger to replace gervinho. And most likely an pact sub to replace arshavin/ Ramsey. And most likely a centre back to replace suid and jdj. And most likely a cuddly little cute guy to replace arshavin/santos.

Domhuail

Frog…….. ¨Well, I don’t have the slightest idea¨…….truer words have never been written! And that applies to your Football knowledge in general.

[…] said at his press conference that he wasn’t going to sign Demba Ba, but the question was loaded given the fact we play them today. There wasn’t much else he […]

[…] said at his press conference that he wasn’t going to sign Demba Ba, but the question was loaded given the fact we play them today. There wasn’t much else he […]

[…] 此前教授在新闻发布会上说,他不会签下登巴巴。但这个问题提出来的时候正好咱们今晚就要对阵他们,所以也不好多说什么。看看那条七百万的解约条款吧,傻子才不会眼馋呢,而且登巴巴是个通过了英超试炼的合格射手。这也正是今晚咱们需要当心的地方。后防线必须秩序井然,不犯低级错误,要能做到这点的话我认为球队具备了今晚取胜的一切。 […]

Share article

Featured on NewsNow

Support Arseblog

Latest posts

Latest Arsecast

121
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x