In a move that will shock nobody, Johan Djourou has joined Hamburg on a full transfer.
He moved there on loan last season and back in April there was confusion when it was reported that he’d reached an appearance clause to make his move permanent. However, he remained a fixture on the Arsenal website as well as having a profile on theirs.
The explanation was that the intricacies and paperwork of the deal had not been completed by the Bundesliga club, but it seems that they’ve finally got that sorted and got their man.
Djourou joined Arsenal as a teenager and was so highly rated by Arsene Wenger he refused to name him in interviews lest he draw too much spotlight and expectation on him.
Having broken through into the team it looked for a time like he was going to be a big player for us, but a loss of confidence and form saw him loaned out to Hannover 96 and subsequently to Hamburg.
For some reason he doesn’t appear on the Arsenal Player Database on the official site so we can’t give you his official appearance figures, but good luck to him in the Bundesliga.
Finally! Good luck to JD, shame it didn’t work out for him and us
Indeed, it’s a real shame, I really thought he was going to be a beast for us but I think confidence and being in and out of the team were big issues for the lad, he’s one of the few ex-arsenal players that I will keep an eye out for and I hope he does well
Well that has got to be the worst kept transfer secret of all times. Anyhow, wish him all well in the future. Was a loyal and decent player but even better of a host on Arsenal player.
It feels like you’re a year late publishing this article! I wasn’t aware he was ours all last year. Good luck Johan.
How did this one go wrong? He seemed so much what this team was crying out for in the barren years. Ah well.
Does anyone have any idea what centre backs we’re looking to bring in? The only half serious names I’ve heard are Nastasic and any one of Manchester United’s creche. And ‘half’ is doing those rumours a favour.
I think he might have suffered little bit Squillaci Association Syndrome, Koscielny was only saved after a heavy dose of the BFG vaccine.
Correct.
That didn’t help the public opinion, but I doubt he can blame his actual footballing deficiencies on anyone else.
For my money, he simply had the physical attributes but nothing more…when his mind was in the right place for those 3 or 4 months a few years back, he looked brilliant but then reverted to type and became unusable.
Seems like a nice guy though, and one hell of a filmmaker. Good luck to him.
3 or 4 months?, people have very poor memories……..
He briefly formed a pretty decent partnership with Kos back in 2010/11 but I think the 4-4 at Newcastle put paid to the idea that he was a player Wenger could count on. The following season killed him. He seemed to create his own definition of the offside law at Old Trafford in the 8-2 and at San Siro he made arguably the stupidest tackle I’ve ever seen to put us down 4-0 in the first leg. Seems like a decent guy and I’m not sure he’s that bad a player when he has a reliable partner next to him… Read more »
“For some reason he doesn’t appear on the Arsenal Player Database…”
But he does.
http://www.arsenal.com/history/arsenal-player-database?letter=d&page=3
Well, the thing is it links to this rather than his stats – http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/johan-djourou
Jesus that smile is huge. Looks like something out of an Aphex Twin music video.
Good luck DJ! I’ll never forget the time when you were our best defender!
The only JD I could think of right now is jack Daniels. See how long ago he played for the arsenal.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO who will we turn to for expert financial opinion and analysis in the corporatist environs of football’s corridors of power now? *sobs* Much as I love Per, he’s still only at the “I collect the players’ fines hurrr hurrr” level – clearly we need to sign a CB who understands markets, currencies, financial movements and trends, securitisation and how bubbles form, and we need to do it before Palace trundle into the Grove. Apparently Miguel has a degree in tertiary bonds and hedge finance, but he’s still too raw to be commenting on the intricacies of Usmanov’s long game.… Read more »
Miquel
I was using the traditional Galician “q” which is rendered “g” after it’s been put through a Walthamstow grinder. Or something
heh, that’ll do
We went through a run of something like 20-30 games unbeaten when Djourou was playing, was a very under rated player for us. Always felt his time with Arsenal was up after getting sent off against Fulham at a crucial time a few years ago.
For anyone who thinks this lad was never good, go back to about the 55th minute at St.James Park and look what happened after JD came off injured in 2011.
Or for a happier time, the time he kept Messi quiet in the best night at the Emirates still to this day.
Putting him in as a full back should have never happened and hopefully that was a painful lesson learned.
I kinda liked him they was a point a few years ago he was our best cb.
but he has moved now . . . SO . .
now hes a cunt. FACT.
bit harsh.
Think theres only one cunt here, and it aint Djourou
You seem to be confusing your subjective opinion with the word “fact”. Stop being silly. You’re wrong.
Completely unnecessary…
How’s he a ‘cunt’?
Played for badge, was an effective CB and got better after a decent run of games. Didn’t kick up a fuss when he was out of the team and has moved on without disrespecting the club.
Has more class because of that, than a lot of ex players I could mention
Good luck JD..Hope he realizes his potential.
I feel for the lad. In the early Emirates years I think he was our best centre half. But in true Arsenal style he then spent more time injured than fit and when he finally came back he was the victim of the fact that we had no cover for the injured S$gna.I seem to remember Wenger getting in his head that Johan was a defensive midfielder at some stage too. He’s not, he’s a traditional man marking centre back. I wish JD well, I hope he gets things back on track. And I can honestly say that advert thing… Read more »
He always reminded me of Groucho Marx, I think it’s the eyebrows.
Good luck as a Hamburger, give Robben a kick from me.
and Van De Faart (even though he’s your team mate), the Spud cunt.
I liked him, thought he could’ve been a great CB for us a few years ago. Playing him at right back made him lose confidence.
A little birdy tells me he had 144 appearances for Arsenal and scored 1 goal.
Anybody know who that goal was against?
The man who suffered the most out of the “Great Fullback Crisis 2011-2012”. He was a good player, then lost his form and confidence almost overnight playing as a RB. I think the low point was being replaced at HT against Man United, by Yanerris.
Sadly the only 2 memories of him are not of his playing. Giroud’s goal against Reading in the CoCup, where the director focused on Johann and not Olivier, and Arseblogs theme music he wrote back in the day…
Interesting fact about him. He has a brother called Olivier…
@Goonerestgunner, think it was a headed goal against Newcastle when we drew 4-4
bye bye djouro
Best wishes, Johann, too bad it didn’t work out. At a time you were our best and brightest centre back. Hope it goes well for you at Hamburg.
@eiregun, cheers mate, I can sleep soundly tonight now 😉
The link to Djourou’s stats does appear on the official website:
http://www.arsenal.com/history/profiles/192/johan-djourou
Remember the assist for Theo in the 4-4 draw against Newcastle, playing left back he played a fantastic through ball to Theo who sprinted on to it and placed a beautiful finish to the far post….
Djourou’d Awakening
Definitely no Giroud-Djourou combination, then… 🙁
Any links to getting out bed advert video sound weird and interesting. Thought he played well when watching at nou camp in match bentner missed last minute chance. Jd made a no of last ditch tackles