This afternoon a member of Granit Xhaka’s entourage posted pictures of the Swiss being photographed at London Colney ahead of Arsenal officially confirming his signing.
The noises from his camp now suggest the 23-year-old has been given Francis Coquelin’s number 34 shirt by the Gunners – the number he’s worn at both Basel and Borussia Moenchengladbach.
It’s a development that Xhaka actually hinted at as far back as January. Speaking to German publication Tor Fabrik, the midfielder joked:
“That [34] was my first professional number at Basel. It’s even tattooed on my back. I would also like to wear it in the future.”
“It was also here in Gladbach, with Amin Younes [who had the number before Xhaka]. And at Arsenal Coquelin has it. I’ve spoken with him, he would like to take another number!”
So what number will Coquelin take? Well, according to a tweet from the same chap who posted this morning’s leaked pics, Le Coq will inherit Mikel Arteta’s number 8 shirt.
Cech – 1
Alexis – 7
Coquelin – 8
Granit Xhaka – 34— Valon Demiri (@CheValon1) May 21, 2016
And there are other changes as well. Petr Cech’s status as first choice keeper will be consolidated by the Czech taking the number 1 shirt from Wojciech Szczesny and Alexis Sanchez will wear 7, the number held by Tomas Rosicky for a decade.
We can’t vouch for the leak, but there’s little reason to lie about such a thing. All the same, we’ll go with a 4 on the poo-o-meter.
4 is too high.
I think this should be the first ever zero turd rating.
Zero on the poo-o-meter is already implied by those articles with nothing at the bottom, and which are fact rather than conjecture.
I wonder who’ll take the coveted number 9….Jeffers, Reyes, Podolski, Eduardo….maybe we should just retire it.
we all are kindda hoping someone new will come take it, who is really like a number 9 🙂
He really talked about speaking to Coquelin back in January? Dang, no wonder this one is happening so quickly.
There were a couple of rumors going around fairly recently that we’d started discussions in December/January. Wasn’t sure how credible they were, but if he’s talked to Coquelin in January then that would make sense.
In all seriousness. Bayern Munich normally snap up the top talent in Germany. So if he is so good, why have they not been sniffing about?
They were supposedly looking at him to replace xabi, but I’m bot sure what happened with that.
I thought the journalist asked him if he would ever like to play at arsenal (there were links back then too) and xhaka replied “jokingly” that Coq had the # 34 already but maybe there had been talks :O
Coq at 8? Sorry but my OCD is having a mare with that thought.
please god no..
I hate to be the one to say this but it has nothing to do with OCD.
Well. Sanchez at 7 and Cech at 1 is a shoo in. Bellerin should take up 2, new striker coming in at 9. Cazorla should take up 8, Wilshere should give 10 to Ozil and take up 20, and new winger to replace Theo should take up 11. It may not be OCD but I sure as hell spend a lot of time on this kinda shit on FIFA, and I have the same expectancy of it in real life.
Wilsh won’t give up 10. ozil could have 8? he uses that number in the national team
Of course Wilshere won’t. But just to reiterate my point, squad numbering really gets on my nerves at times. Like the time Gallas had number 10? Fucking hell, the absolute bugger. And again Wilshere realistically is no longer our starting XI and in my weird little mind the number 10 really belongs to someone who is.
There was a pretty good reason to give 10 to Gallas, that had been Bergkamp’s number and can you imagine the pressure on whoever had gotten to wear 10 right after Bergkamp? This way you could think “I might not be a better 10 than Bergkamp but I’m a damn sight better than Gallas.”
is no one superstitious? You don’t see guys changing numbers too often in North American sports. But I guess this dates back to the lower numbers in footie meaning you’re part of the first team right?
I agree, i feel much the same. except, i like Wilshere at 10 and Ozil at 11. I would also like cazorla wilshere ramsey ozil to (wearing 4, 10, 8 11) to play together in midfield in a diamond formation 😀
If all these number changes are real then let’s have Bellerin take #2 and buy a #9 and I think we’ll just about be set.
Yeah might as well give Moreal #3 while we have a go at it…..
Ah well 34 works, it’s two numerical didgits back to back, good enough for me.
I was hoping someone like Marco Reus, Heinrich Mkhitaryan or Hakan Calhanoglu would take the no 7 shirt. But Alexis will do.
Ramsey will have that 8 (whether you like it or not) it also fits his game. Hector 2. Cech 1. and I really hope Sanchez wears our 14.
oh I forgot 13 for Francis
13 for Joel? 🙁
@thumbdowners
Have we moved on from feeling Joel has been unlucky?
Yeah cuz 13 isn’t taken…
While we’re at it, why don’t we give mertesacker number 12 and give number 6 to Ozil and how about giving number 5 to wilshere?
I thought the poo-meter was for transfer rumors. Not for squad number rumors or others.
Oy Arseblogger, would appreciate the heads up in the future.
Tough at 6ft 1 skillful playmaker in front of back four finally sorted.But wenger also require world class CB and striker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why 25 exclamation marks instead of, say, 24, or 27?
Off topic
The day has just become bad – not that ManU won the FA Cup but they are looking to reestablish themselves as the biggest Cunt by making the Special Cunt their manager!
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36351371
All the cnts in one place!
Lovely…..COYG!
Within minutes of LvG winning the FA Cup, either Mendes or the club leaked to the press that the deal was done. They couldn’t even let him enjoy the victory. Complete lack of respect for the outgoing manager and the the Cup as well. The only way they could rub any more shit in van Gaal’s face would be to let Jose lift the Cup at the parade.
I’m of the mind it was Mendes, because it is timed to completely overshadow the Cup win. It just reeks of Jose.
His reunion with Mata will be hilarious though.
‘uhhhh remember that time I sold you to this club because I thought you were shit? Just kidding bro’
Wenger. Guardiola. Klopp. Conte. Mourinho. Ranieri.
EPL now becoming a who’s who of coaching. World class players are gonna want to be playing in it, regardless of Champions League football or not.
Next season is going to be full of drama.
But who will take 52? That’s the big question.
My Gran unless we get a striker…:-)
Yaya Sanogo
Bendtner was a good second choice striker for us. He scored about 47 goals for us, many of them as substitute. I remember gooners calling him super sub then. He was a class above Sanogo.
In an ideal world:
Cech: 1
Hector: 2
Monreal:3
Per/New Defender:4
Kos:5
Coq: 6
Santi: 7
Ozil: 8
Alexis: 9
New Striker: 11
Giroud: 12
New Winger/Walcott: 14
Ox: 15
Ram: 16
Elneny:17
Welbeck:18
Campbell: 19
Gabriel: 20
Backup right-back/Gibbs: 21
Backup left-back: 22
New Defender/Per:24
Xhaka: 34 (He’s got a tattoo with that number, wtf, he get’s what he wants)
Then the kids.
Hope I’m not missing someone.
Backup Keeper: 23
CB should be 6 (unless we retired Tony’s shirt)?
JW10
Özil is not a 8, mate…
He’s number 8 for Germany tho
What ever happened to:
1 GK
2 RB
3 LB
4 CDM
5 CB
6 CB
7 M
8 W
9 S
10 M or S
11 W
was so much easier back in the day…
Oh we need that 9, 5/6 badly mate
That Number 7
*Sob sob
**Sob some more
Liam Brady?
Özil as n°10. Wilshere has never done anything to justify to wear this prestigious number.
Jose at UTD……….THEYRE WELCOME.
Fuckwits will be a totally fragmented outfit within two years.
We keep Arsene, a man of Class.
(nice signing by the way)
Classless is right
I am absolutely thrilled that MUd have signed Moronho. They’ll be in League One within three years, unless their supporters groups assassinate the Special Needs One sooner.
Van Gaal was sacked because he played turgid, uber-defensive football. MUd have replaced him with the king of turgid, uber-defensive football. You couldn’t write a better story. It’s like some 5000/1 shot winning the league, or some crap club losing 5-1 to a relegated team with 10 men to allow us into second place. You just can’t write this stuff.
By the way, new website layout look shite on Safari, is it just me or am I late reporting this?
Hit “refresh” mate…
We have so many CM options now. Its just crazy. Does it mean we’re going to sell someone? Wouldnt be the worse move selling Ramsey now, just doesn’t work for me. Also I hope we sell Theo anyhow and sign a Proper No 9 striker. Been linked to Morata alot recently. Also this guy Gianluka Lapudala who’s been heavily linked to Leicester looks pretty good (basing it on the few videos I’ve seen but the type of goals scored is impressive, do have a look). Has a very good scoring record and will be cheaper than Morata, we should def… Read more »
Off topic but I have to share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1ej47kkywM
Thank you!
I don’t care about numbers but Xhaka’s shirt should go with his first name GRANIT. Solid Granit. We’ve been soft in midfield in possession and holding the ball particularly closing out matches. Elneny as mentioned was never a DM and against City he was caught high up the field 3 times which had it been Flamini there would have been plenty of complains.Alas such is the bias of certain fans. Granit will come in to add a solid rock in midfield and allow us to hold the ball better. Particularly currently, Santi/Coquelin are a great partnership. But Coquelin has struggled… Read more »
Again for striker, if MOrata deal is true, he isn’t a bad option. He is creative, has strength in the air and tidy feet, something we need up top. Those decrying Giroud for not being “World Class’ should be aware the French man scores consistently 20 goals + a season where Morata who is proclaimed world class less than half that. That said, the real focus of our deficiency up top is not Giroud but Walcott and to some extent Welbeck. They have not been putting it in the net that much either. As far as timing of these deals… Read more »
We don’t need more “not bad” options, we need “woah, he’s FACKING amazing” options.
I’d love it if he turned around and showed that he had a massive Leicester City tattoo like that fat bloke they keep showing in the media.
coquelin at #34 and elneny at #35 gave our defensive midfield pairing a sum of 69. coquelin taking up a new number has fucked up thap pairing. was that a pun? coat on
Morata not a bad idea but I would prefer an Higuain or a Suaraz if Barca can be tempted. We need a big name killer instinct Striker because we are also a big club.