Arsenal’s hunt for reinforcements up front has been going on for the best part of 18 months…and still, the wait continues.
There’s now only 24 days until the transfer window closes and for all the rumours and speculation we don’t appear to be any closer to signing someone to give big Ollie a hand leading the line.
As things stand, three rumours persist; Mauro Icardi, Alexandre Lacazette and Riyad Mahrez.
The first we’ve pretty much ignored all summer because we’re 99.99% certain it’s utter b*llocks driven by the player’s eccentric missus / agent. On the off chance you had been hoping we’d sign Icardi, you can pretty much give up now.
New Inter boss, Frank de Boer, has made clear that the 23-year-old Argentine will not be leaving the club this summer. Two days into the job, the Dutchman had this to say on his club captain, “We will keep the players who we do not want to sell. Icardi will remain.”
Let’s hope this rumour finally dies a gruesome death.
So what of Lacazette; a man who has at least been the subject of a formal approach from Arsenal. You’ll remember a statement from chairman Jean-Michel Aulas, posted on Twitter in July, that revealed a bid of €35 million from the Emirates had been rejected. The public nature of the leak obviously miffed Wenger even though it was predominantly aimed at a local newspaper peddling rumours of a bigger offer than it was at the Gunners.
The latest news seems to suggest nothing has changed. In an interview with France Football (translated by Sport Witness), boss Bruno Génésio maintains even a huge bid won’t prise the France international from Lyon’s grip. “That won’t happen,” he noted when asked if €70 million might do the trick.
There’s probably no chance we’d pay that much anyway.
Last but not least is Mahrez. Not a striker per se, but an exciting goal scoring option that would bring much-needed creativity to the right flank.
The Algerian has been pretty much silent on the matter of his own future although that hasn’t stopped a journalist at Eurosport France banging the drum on his behalf. According to @Ilyesramdani1 Mahrez has told all parties that he wants to sign for the Gunners, but won’t push the matter.
Last week Leicester’s chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha posted a jovial snap of Mahrez on Instagram with the caption: “You not for sale!!”
We can’t say we’re particularly confident on this front at the moment, particularly with Leicester not needing to sell.
So, the mission continues. What happens next is anyone’s guess.
Not looking that great at the moment. Let’s hope Wenger pulls a rabbit out the hat. On another note, what has happened to Ozil and Sanchez contracts. Pretty sure they will both have a year left at the end of season. Thought we had learnt lessons and were not gonna let these situations come about. Can only imagine damage done next summer if both leave. Doubt there will be shortage of takers too.
We are only keeping hold of Ozil and Sanchez if we win the league this year or have a serious crack at the Champions League I think. I can’t see either of them signing an extension if we are just coming 4th and continuously getting dicked on in Europe. They’re both hitting the peaks of their careers and to be fair to them, they do probably deserve to be at a club that actually has the ambition to win things.
I agree 100%. These guys came to Arsenal as they thought we would compete. If we don’t go for it in the transfer window again they will lose confidence, like the fans, but they might move on. We are not so lucky haha
Wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to leave either. Unless we become a bit more ambitious!
By this point any signing will (offensive) will be anti climatic and over priced. The club have dropped the ball big time this summer, and I fear for the season if we make a poor start .
The best thing that can happen to Arsenal is Wenger and Kroneke to leave. Both are the problem we have.
Kroneke won’t push an ambitiousless Wenger while we the fans suffer.
I expect we will end up signing Bony for about 15million and a mars bar.
In other news, looks like Ashley Williams is off to Everton for around 12million, can’t help but think we should try and scupper the deal with a bid of our own.
I doubt Icardi or Lacazette are worth anywhere near their clubs valuation and Wenger doesn’t appear to accept the current crazy transfer market. Sadly I think we will only buy a defender, as anyone better than we currently have are valued beyond what Wenger wants to pay.
Man we’re such cunts ??
Can we not pretend like we don’t know the most likely eventuality here. It’s a cruel joke.
We have enough players
If Chuba Akpom out of nowhere starts banging them in for the club and becomes our lead striker then I suppose we have enough players. However, leaving the fate of the club’ “top status” in the hands of inexperienced players is quite reckless on Wenger’s part especially at central defense.
We have the money, we need to spend some f**king money on a g’damn striker and experienced CB. In other words, NO, we don’t have enough EXPERIENCED players.
For a 5 month campaign in the championship maybe, as long as everyone is nice to us.
This is what happens when you leave it this late – nobody wants to sell because any club with any sense has everyone settled and in place by now! Typical transfer window for us and it’s so tiresome. Wenger banging on about how spending as if the money isn’t your own is dangerous because ‘…you leave yourself open to mistakes…’ or whatever – well, doing nothing at all about the glaring issues with the squad year on year is surely more dangerous, more irresponsible and more of a mistake. And it’s one he consistently makes. That textbook image of him… Read more »
Be honest, it Ozil was your brother and Sanchez was your cousin, will you advise them to renew when they can get more pay elsewhere plus better chances of winning stuffs? Be honest.
Yes, because I’m an Arsenal supporter.
Looks like only a defender at this point, unless Lyon are outwardly talking bollox and they accept approx 40M pound, I can’t see us offering more than that for Lacazette.
I can’t think of any other strikers that would move to us, Lewandoswki, nope, Griezemann, very much doubt it, Cavani, no..main man now at PSG, we certainly won’t stump up the cash for Lukaku either..boo
Players are worth what the MARKET thinks they are worth not what an arrogant deluded man living on past glories thinks they are worth.
Love fans who call Wenger arrogant. He is possibly the least arrogant man I can think of in the galaxy. Go look at other clubs if you think he’s bad!
We have enough players.
Just not good enough players to actually win the title.
Think we put all our eggs in Vardy’s basket and were stupefied to be rebuffed. As time ticks on, any potential selling club has the upper hand if we come looking for one of their forwards. The odds of us landing the fabled ‘world class striker’ (whoever that is) are at their slimmest. At the very least I’d hope that we could nab someone with a lot of potential (although a fair amount of those ships have sailed already). To be honest, given recent develpments, I’d be inclined to prioritise defensive reinforcement and hope that Akpom does an Iwobi. Of… Read more »
Completely agree with you, except the tense – ‘we should have’.
Dont waste your time/energy getting angry Abayomi
This is Arsene’s way and there’s nothing we can do about it, lets just hope this is the final year of this ineptitude
Aaaand mahrez was just pictured at the same hotel as conte
The last time Arsenal tried to scupper a deal, I was not born and I was born in the 80s.
Not happening. We have Chambers an Rob Holding.
Mustafi and Mahrez, and we are in good…er, better shape.
I can see him trying to make Alexis the next striker and find what he calls an “internal solution”. He might then buy a wide goal scorer and Mustafi.
Its been confusing to watch for me. We all were surprised when Wenger went for Vardy. He certainly has his qualities but I think what was most appealing to Wenger was a) the price tag b) his age and c) political capital amongst fans. He was cheap considering the market, at 29 he’s somewhat already got his foot out the door which meant Wenger can still blood his youngsters and pick his favourites and the fans would get off his back despite this cause he bought someone that appeases them without spending a fortune. Then the Lacazette bid (or bids).… Read more »
Despite our defensive concerns I still think a striker is the most important signing to make *cries*. At least the defensive issue is (relatively) temporary and is easier to help with tactical changes than missing a top forward is
Really can’t see who else we’re going to sign. Everybody who was going seems to have gone.
Fail.
I really doubt a striker is coming. Really doubt it.
The Vardy and Lazz bids never felt substantial to me. More about getting a body and appeasing fans.
If Welbz wasn’t injured, he wouldn’t even be after one
This season that’s about to start will be exactly like the last few ones: Arsenal getting a good run of 5-7 wins in a row only to fall short again due to lack of depth and enough quality. Walcott s been here for a while, Giroud is good but not a title winner, Ox has been good in friendlies, let’s see if this time he becomes good in the league, Ramsey had only one good season, Whilshere has glass bones…….. Regarding the defense, well we need to pray
Did we not swoop in at the last minute to gazump someone else’s deal for the mysterious Park Chu Young?! How can we forget that epic move?
18 months?
We’ve been looking for a top striker since 2012.
Oh well. When Per and Danny come back, they’ll be LANS’s, and 4th place is the new first place.
This is so poor. What do you think the odds are that Mahrez “isn’t for sale” for Chelsea money? Criminal if they get him.
If we don’t do something this summer I will officially join the crowd hoping Wenger doesn’t renew his contract.
Who knows whether our transfer “policy” comes from Stan or Wenger? No one, but I’m about willing to change the manager and find out.
You think we should pay +70 mill for Lacazette? Bearing in mind they refused to sell even for that much
Got to comment just to give some credit to whoever put the caption in wengers speech bubble… LOL
Problem is, if we aren’t good enough now I can’t see an 70mill Icardi/Lacazette changing that.
Bony? You wish.
By the transfer close, Wenger will have fulfilled his wish to sign the striker he’s been so close to signing before and coveted for years….
Kalou
Number 9 is still up for grab. Although I fancy Ramsey in the striker position. He’ll be relieved of defensive duties and will be able to express fully is creativity.
Would take Bony, could rotate with Giroud and can play the lone striker/target role. PL proven. This way we wouldn’t have to use Walcott if he isn’t in form.
Remember when arseblog comments sections were full of wit and good humour rather than the same sourness and bitching we hear in real life?
Unless there’s some miracle signing that no-one has identified, and that Arsenal have kept totally under wraps, I think we can safely conclude there will be no striker signing this summer. Frankly, this realization has taken me a long time to come to terms with. After falling short last season, when a couple of extra (talented) bodies might have done the trick, I never thought Arsenal would repeat the same scenario this year. And, I also didn’t believe Wenger would go into what may well be his last season so woefully unprepared. To say this will end badly is an… Read more »
Another complete shambles of a transfer window created by the ever dithering Lord Arsene of the Emerati.
Oh boy what a flamin mess!!! Nice one mr dilly dally drongo – should have sorted this at least a month ago!!!
His Legacy was tarnished years ago. Only nostalgia has kept the fans on his side, half of them anyway.
We have missed out on so many targets who would have clearly improved this squad. We were so close only a few jigsaw pieces required.
Yet again we await another top 4 scrap. Instead of making a statement this Summer we’ve made ourselves look like a midtable unambitious club.
TGSTEL it is then…
100% agree with this. I think he’s the most suited in our squad. If we played a system like France did where Ramsey or Alexis play off Giroud I think we will have more of an attacking threat
Pogba goes to United and Stones to City and we get Asano and Holding.
We get Asano and Holding and the highest ticket prices in Europe.
Arsenal and Wenger are a laughing stock
I’d be happy with Mahrez and Mustafi if we failed to get a CF
In fact, Arsenal are a FUCKING JOKE.
It’s blatantly obvious that it comes from Wenger. Just look at his quotes in yesterday’s media.
No Chief Executive would ever force his Manager to spend money on a player for over the asking price. This is a business at the end of the day.
Alexis as a striker remains an exciting prospect. I have no doubt that he would score more goals than Giroud.
Is there an intern at all these selling clubs that has strict instructions to ignore all calls from Wenger and co?
These endless waves of pessimism are draining. Our fans are getting a reputation for being such moaners .
Might this latest outpour of anger have something to do with Utd and City making big-name signings today???
Has Wenger not surprised us for the past 3 years with big-name signings? Have they not all turned out to be fantastic buys at great value??? Show some faith and wait until the transfer window closes.
Bony would fit the hungry criteria that AW is banging on about