Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wenger on Xhaka: We work on a list of players

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that his scouting team are working on a list of transfer targets for the summer as media speculation continues to link Arsenal with a move for Borussia Moenchengladbach’s midfielder, Granit Xhaka.

Reports this week have claimed the Gunners have watched the 23-year-old Swiss more than 30 times over the course of the season and could be preparing a £30 million offer when the window opens.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the Armenian midfielder providing the grease in Borussia Dortmund’s midfield, has also been mooted as a possible target.

Asked in his pre-Watford press conference about the link with Xhaka, Wenger said: “At the moment, we start to analyse, work and to get little lists of names. It’s not the moment to come out with names.

Asked specifically by the Evening Standard’s James Olley if Xhaka is on that list, the boss laughed before joking: “I’ll send you the list if you want.”

Whether Granny Chuka or Ricky Mickytarzan (seriously we’re not spending the next 5 years looking up how to spell those names) are on the list or not, it’s clear that with Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini all out of contract, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain often injured and Mohamed Elneny off to the African Cup of Nations in January, we’re going to need reinforcements in midfield.

That little list had better have a lot of names on it.

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Gooniegoogoo

Listy McListface

remember the invincible

If I were Wenger I would totes send a list of legit players that we’re not after just to mess with the media.

dominic

Christopher Wreh

assistantref

It’s April 1, it’s the perfect opportunity. Send in a list with Emmanuel Eboue listed 13 times, interspersed with a list of ex-Sp*rs players.

Pharbo

And make sure that list has a couple of little known French players from ligue 2.

Woolwich Peripatetic

Too risky Pharbo, we might actually sign them in a few years (I’m thinking of two ex-Ligue 2 players in particular we did sign).

Arctic Marauder

Actually Newcastle or Sp*dz might sign them. Great idea!

Penguin

But you just know that if we sign anyone we’ll only sign one and leave us short, when injury and departure wise we probably need at least 2, perhaps 3.

Keith

Love the optimism!

thespursmirage

Love the sarcasm!

Ivan Drago

I don’t really follow much of the Bundesliga, anyone able to enlighten me on what they’re like?

GoonerOfPuppets

He did not deny it, maybe there’s something in… Aah fuck it, I’m not going to get drawn on transfers this early. Let’s finish this season first.

BillyBatts

Depends also on whether AW sees potential in Toral, Zelalem and/or Crowley for the first team. If not, decisions will need to be made on their futures relatively soon.

Andy Mack

I’d guess the list is more likely to be one or two of A M-N, Toral and Hayden in MF plus a couple of new faces.

And Wellington, Gnabry and Akpom up front.

Simon

I’m not so sure we are signing all that many midfielders this summer: despite injury led appearances I think we are well stacked and comparitively light elsewhere.

Flamini, Arteta and Rosicky are out but we have already added Elneny and Iwobi has already stood in for Ozil furher forward. I suspect we will add just one player who can provide security with good passing ability and that is it: Kroos or Xhaka ideally.

Our pressing need for goals up front and gap filling at back means resources will be stretched too.

Xxxrob

I created a new season on fifa16 and sold arteta,rosicky,flamini, Walcott and Gibbs
I bought xhaka, lukaku and jetro Willems

Going great guns!

Glenn Helder

Brilliant. Thanks for letting us know.

Xxxrob

Yeah no worries Glenn. Any time. If you like I’ll keep you posted on any future transfers I make in FIFA land

steve

But what did you have for breakfast?

bestie

Seems unusually close to positive affirmation by Arsene’s standards. Maybe there is something to it.

Simon

Agreed.

Simon

I just took a look at the video and Wenger’s face is hilarious: he is working over time to avoid letting on. If I am right, I’m happy!

Kinghenrythe14th

List my foot! We’ll buy 1 player, promote 1 (Iwobi) then receive 2 LANS (Wilshere and Santi). We’d then release Arteta, Rosicky and Flam, possibly Scz. A week after the window closes, we discover that the slight knock Kos got at the Euros was actually a hairline fracture which will rule him out till December 30th; just in time to be a LANS. In the meantime we are unlucky to receive news of Ozil and Welbeck being knackered. A resurgent Walcott will start scoring every match from April to deceive us into another contract extension. Gibbs finally gets tired of… Read more »

Andy Mack

Iwobi has already been ‘promoted’ to the 1st team squad.

kwamegunner

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. But I can tell you I burst into laughter at this very “groundhog day” scenario and immediately cried afterwards(just like they do in the movies). Sigh!!!!

Gooner

‘Sigh’ with that many exclamation marks after it gives me a somewhat amusing image.

thespursmirage

Nastradamus is back to life!

Growler

April fools! We don’t really have a list.

Simon

I don’t think the list will be long at all. We’ll buy a single midfielder. Two main reasons: 1. Needs elsewhere and budget. Midfield will cost us no less than £30m. We need to address the lack of goals upfront (maybe 2 in) and back up’s in the back line (probably 2 in also). 2. We are better fixed in midfield than it appears with injuries. If we believe injuries will continue then we will sell oft injured players, not overstock. We won’t. We have a need for someone who can play central and defensive mid – Xhaka or maybe… Read more »

lonsdale

Henrikh Mk-hit-a-ryan. Not too hard, just remember to hit a Ryan (preferably Shawcross).

ben

Watched a video of Xhaka the other day – compilation of his performance vs Schalke recently. He turned his back when closing down a shot on goal and it went in. Don’t want him anymore, sick of our little scared players. Take one in the gonads!!

Indiegooner

Everyman has the right to protect his gonads. Don’t you ever be asking a man to take one on his gonads. Ever.

Glenn Helder

Oooh he ran away from a 50mph+ shot, he must be bollocks. Fuck off. You get up there and take one square in the gonads. Let us know how you get on.

iyodo

Do we even have a list? a list is only required when the items are many right?… i hope we do have a list

Paul

Don’t tell him Pike!

Man Manny

“At the moment, we start to analyse, work and to get little LISTS of names…”
Really? More than one list? Arsene means business. Watch out Pep, Arsene is waiting for you.

Deano

I think the only Dortmund player that will be available is Gundogan. They’ve stuck together in the Europa league and now they are back in the champs league.

Gundogan is a fine player if available we should certainly think about an offer.

Arsenalnut

Gundogan is injured so often already that he’s honorary Arsenal. No thanks. We, of all teams, should not be purchasing players with a tendency to get injured. Plus there is is the magnifying effect. A broken leg in the Bundesliga mean an amputated leg in the cauldron of the EPL

David

I want wenger to purchase Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Andy Mack

We have enough players that only play when they feel like it (even if he would be more effective on the few days he ‘turns up’). And how many years contract would you offer a 34 year old who expects to earn a enormous salary?

Arsepedant

And why would Wenger purchase Zlatan when he’s available on a free transfer?

Dominant as Zlatan has been in the second rate French league, I wouldn’t want him here even on a free. He won’t be able to duplicate his French success in the PL, not at the age of 34, not when every team’s back line is better than any in France. Plus he apparently wants 600K per week. That works out to just a shade under a pound per SECOND. Or nearly 60 quid to go take a leak. No-one is worth 60 quid to take a leak.

midgunner

Dunno, maybe Messi?

He pisses on us every time we play Barcelona…

Thierry Bergkamp

Here we go again. The PL is so superior. Zlatan is a special talent who’s done it everywhere he’s been throughout his career and still has it in him. So why wouldn’t he do it in England? Because the defences here are so superior? Don’t make me laugh

Woolwich Peripatetic

To give him some credit, he’s a big guy who is a skilled ball player – if he doesn’t beat his man with skill he normally goes through them.
That won’t work in the PL at his age, he’ll spend most of the match on the floor complaining to the ref because he got flattened AGAIN.
There are some good interviews with Klopp where he reveals how shocked he was by the physicality of the PL (and the German league is much rougher than Spain & France).

Thierry Bergkamp

Fast forward to September 2nd 2016. Arsene’s interview.

“Look errrr, I didn’t feel the need to sign another midfielder because we still have Wilshire to come back from injury and Chamberlain too. We musn’t forget that Walcott can play wide and he is close to returning. The 3 of them will be like a new signing”.

GH

Seen some reports of Ibra wanting £600000 a week before tax at his next club. Out of interest, who’d take him if that was the case?

arseblog

Not Arsene Wenger. That’s for sure.

assistantref

Beijing Moneymoney will have to fight it out with Huangzhou Cashfactory.

leon

Mr Blogs how many players do you actually think Wenger will buy in the summer? I say one if we are lucky.

arseblog

5

midgunner

Blimey feeling optimistic today blogs, or still on an April fools trip?

Thierry Bergkamp

4 of those being kids for the future who probably won’t make it

Btw

April fools!

Arsenalnut

From your lips to Arsene’s pen.

voldermort

Here we go again. As greenday said wake me up when September ends
Usual bolox that we heard last year.
Why do people think we are going to buy more than last year. We have eleney and Arsene will tell you that’s yet another midfielder to replace arteta then we have jack back a lans if ever their was one.
And he has full confidence in giroud , Walcott etc as he said last season.
Fuck all big will happen because the man is stubborn and answers to no one. Especially not the fans

Xxxrob

My transfer speculation tolerance meter peaks and troughs. Right now it’s back to “nah we’re going to sign people, as if we won’t”
I’ll let you know how I’m feeling in mid August

Arsefull

Just looking at senior players alone that Wenger bought over the last three years, the list includes: Ospina, Chambers, Debuchy, Ozil, Welbeck, Sanchez, Gabriel, Cech, and Elneny. That is an average of 3 per year with one major world class player added annually (Ozil, Sanchez, Cech) over this period. We could also include youth prospects such as the Jeff, Fortune and Belik as well as others. In addition, whether by design or because his hand was forced somewhat, Wenger has also promoted Coquelin, Bellerin and Iwobi, all of which seem to have worked out, or look like they are working… Read more »

santori

As per usual 3 positions need to be looked at : 1) Striker. This depends on availability as the top strikers can be counted on one hand (mainly South American) and all engaged at present. However should Wenger decide to take a punt on an up and coming player in this position, I should think Walcott is a candidate to be moved on. He has been erratic so far and at 27, his pace will wear in a season or two. Could be sold for a decent price and free up the wage bill. What we really need is a… Read more »

MT

retiring role for Mertesacker? He is only 31. He has still at least 5 years at top level as he doesn’t rely on speed. Koscielny is only a year younger but I never see comments about him being to old.

Gooners & Roses

I buy Granit Xhaka simply for the name alone.

Much awesome than Kylo Ren or whatever.

Matt

The truth of things is that this season, again, is over for Arsenal with this guy in charge. I’d love to see a list of MANAGERS instead, Wenger Out.

Arsenalnut

You’ll likely be institutionalized when the first four post-Wenger years are 6th, 5th, 8th, and 5th places, respectively. Hey, you’ll be able to travel to exotic away matches in the Europa League. I bet you’ve always wanted to see Eastern Russia. The good news is that we will be able to grow organically with the reduced pressure to achieve. Lots of kids coming through the ranks. Even Brits.

Now that I think about it nobody has mentioned The Jeff for next year. How soon we forget.

Stewart Robson's therapist

My proposed squad for next season (new signings in capitals):

GK: Čech/Ospina
RB: Bellerín/CARVAJAL
CB: Chambers/Mertesacker
CB: LAPORTE/Koscielny
LB: Monreal/Gibbs
CM: XHAKA/Coquelin
CM: Elneny/Wilshere/Ramsey
CAM: Özil/Cazorla
LW: Welbeck/Campbell
RW: Alexis/Iwobi
ST: LUKAKU/Giroud

A left winger would be great too – Griezmann comes to mind, in which case we’d probably have to sell Campbell (with regret). Depends on the funds we have, though we could raise a bit of money from selling Szczesny, Walcott and the Ox (all with homegrown premiums).

Neil

how much would that cost, 200mil at least. Nice thought, but not going to happen, I’m afraid. (Though I too would be happy with 3-4 quality signings.)

JArghS

Who can make Arsene’s list?

Xhaka, Khan.

sorry.

Jim

I’d love Kante tbh. He’s looked so good all year. Oh yeah and he’s French Wenger!

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