Arsene Wenger says he’s expecting the final days of the transfer window to very busy, after what he deemed a ‘strange’ summer market.
The Gunners are on the cusp of signing Lucas Perez and Shkodran Mustafi, to add to the previous arrivals of Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding and Takuma Asano, so it looks as if the inward business, at least, is done.
But the Arsenal manger reckons that as the deadline approaches, and with clubs still flush with cash, things could heat up, and once more had a little pop at how much even average players are costing in this current climate.
“It was a strange transfer market,” he said. “I expected it to be easier than ever but it was more difficult than ever.
“Not a lot has happened. It looks like when you meet other clubs and you have an English passport, you hit these prices which are very difficult to understand compared to the quality of the players.
“It looks like it will be frenetic for me in the last three days. Everybody has sat on their pounds until now. We know they will all splash out now.
“I expect the next three days to be very, very busy, so be on alert!”
It would be a surprise if anyone else came in, as Wenger spoke specifically about having just the right amount of players in the squad for Premier League rules, but some departures would not be a shock.
Calum Chambers is tipped for a spell on loan, following Joel Campbell’s move to Sporting Lisbon earlier in the week, while Chuba Akpom and Mathieu Debuchy could also leave before 11pm on Wednesday night.
Specialist in transfers 😉
Why do never seem to get a slice of all this money going around and only ever seem to do loan deals?
I agree look at how much measly cash we got for fabregas £25m ???
Transfer League says we got £35m for him, but yes it was below what we should have got for him. However when a player goes ‘On Strike’ to get his move to his boyhood club, there’s not much room for negotiation.
Madrid wanted to pay more but Cesc didn’t want to go there. I believe he ended up having to use some (or all) of his loyalty bonus as makeweight on the deal because Barcelona didn’t even want to pay the initial £25M.
Total bullshit, the way this all went down.
Obviously Barca were butthurt over shelling out a then near record sum for a player they lost for free .
And well it was quite humiliating really losing a gem for nothing like that .
Then they made it worse in the way they acted trying get him back.. classless.
United breaking the world transfer record for a player they educated and lost for free is hella funny too. Pogba is class but If we can keep keeping them outta the CL .. hiring that checkbook overhyped manger of their might be the final nail in their coffin.
It was nowhere near a record sum for them even then, but everything else is spot on.
Still, these days, I bet he wishes he went to Madrid instead…then he at least wouldnt have had his heart (or whatever he has that resembles it) crushed by his boyhood dream club.
Whatever way you look at it, screw Barca and screw Fabregas.
He wouldn’t have gone to RM.
But yes, despite some silverware, I’m sure he doesn’t look back on his 1st team spell at Barca with any affection.
The reason is the inflation is not only on the transfer fees, it also bloats wages. Effectively the only way for English clubs to offload players anywhere else is to loan them out (and as part of the loan agreement pay some or all of their wages)
Never stopped Real and Barca getting what they needed to get done in the last decade
A few other reasons players like to go to those 2 teams, rather than pure money.
Don’t you think?
Campbell signed his deal years ago. The wages were not inflated.
Yeah, but of all the players listed, he’s the one I wish we were hanging on to. I don’t believe Wenger’s statement that Campbell will be back at Arsenal next season, but I hope it comes true.
Yes and he didn’t want to sell Campbell.
Why the fuck are we even talking about Cesc.
Griezmann? Jaja a mano can dream
You really are Mexican, Cheers! Don’t think Griezmann is even being considered with this prices.
Don’t think its Griezmann but there is something else brewing I think. I seen on Twitter that one of the ITK’s had asked Ornstein if the near £100 million spent as part of the ‘budget’ included this ‘madness’ that other ITKs have been talking about. He replied that £60 million was available for ‘madness’ if and when that player became available. Now I am not saying that this is going to happen, and the above should be taken with the appropriate pinch of salt, but its interesting that Ornstein has said there is still money left for a superstar. Stan… Read more »
Just noticed that Debuchy is off the kit-builder on Arsenal Direct. Must mean he is on his way out. Maybe Mustafi will get the number two shirt!
Didn’t see Debuchy in the pre-Watford training pictures either. So he really might be on his way out.
So if Debuchy goes, and Chambers goes on loan, who the fuck is our right-side backup?
Does that mean we’d multipurpose Mustafi or Holding there? I’d much rather have a purpose-built backup.
Most likely mustafi would be back up, and/or one of the kiddos.
When is Jenks back?
About 6 weeks time, which is a season in our term?
Surely we can find some halfwits to buy Walcott for £20m – West Ham or Palace. Can you believe including wages he has cost us in excess of £50m.
I don’t think it’d be James, and I’m not hugely fussed about him either, but I agree I have a feeling something else could happen. Arsene was saying at the beginning of this transfer window we were short up front, and all that’s happened is that we’ve swapped Campbell for Perez. I suspect he’ll keep his ears very much to the ground from today onwards about any potential movements at the big boys. I was pretty angry at him this time a week ago, but am now pretty satisfied. One more surprise signing could seriously pick up the mood at… Read more »
£60m *was* greizemans buyout clause, and it sounds like arsenal really tried to buy him, but whatever happened, he signed a new deal and the buyout clause is now £86m, so i guess mr greizman decided he wasn’t interested in moving to arsenal. maybe if we had done the business for mustafi and perez in early july we could be adding greizman to the list, as well as extensions for Ozil and alexis. who knows though. there is more to getting business done early than just preparation for the season ahead, it sends a message about the intent of the… Read more »
IMO There’s a couple players AW has the real hots for and we’re finally in a position where we can find the money if one of those players becomes available, but only if they become available
so why can’t we offload Theo for 30 plus million in this strange market?
Cos of his wages.
That’s undoubtedly right. And which muppets on the board gave him his current overpaid deal. He held our feet to the fire when RVP left – we should have tossed him off then – he never delivers.
Surely the ridiculous contract we gave him was enough, no need to toss him off as well.
It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it.
And who pays for the dry cleaning?
I don’t agree at all. He has undoubtedly been inconsistent, and this past season fairly useless, but there have been times these past five years when he has been indispensable.
Sure, we could have improved upon him at any point for enough money, but the squad we had minus Theo would have missed out on the top 4 at least once or twice, and we’d be in a much worse financial position now.
Cos nobody is that stupid
You judge him too harshly. Wait till he finds (and wears) one of his consistency patches and he’ll blow us all away.
Mexican Bob, you’re crazy man..
Mexican Bob’s loco. He drinks whiskey, Pancho’s drinking wine.
Even taking a hit because of his wages we should be able to get at least 15-20 million for him (England international, lots of pace, 10 years experience at an elite club but still not too old, decent goals record), which is 15-20 million we could add to our transfer budget (now or in the future, but I don’t want to see that money going to any of Stan’s ranches!).
When you put it that way… I think we should sign him.
His wages are costing us 6 million quid a year. From the save alone we could buy ourselves 4 Holdings.
The teams that would see him as a genuine improvement wouldn’t pay 30m.
Give Theo a break. Every fan who lacks ideas for meaningful comments just denigrates Walcott. This is becoming quite ridiculous.
Because he’s shit
People’s heads are going to explode when Arsene drops £70mil on Troy Deeney on deadline day.
Particularly Lucas’ and Welbeck’s I’d imagine.
Joking aside, there could be movement in the market with Theo going. His sale would be very tricky because of his long association with the club and his high wages. I could see him leaving in the last days of the window, with Lucas as his ready made replacement (similar fee to that which we’d get from Walcott, plays very similar position). In this scenario Gnabry would take Campbell’s position in the squad meaning we still have space for that striker if the opportunity surfaces. I’m not sure who it would be be, but I could imagine Theo’s sale being… Read more »
Well that’s how it is Arsene. Epl is awash with cash, of course they’ll try get as much as they can. Im glad we’re getting mustafi and Perez. Whethrr that would be enough to convince Alexis and Ozil to sign on is another question. It would be horrible to lose both. Worse than losing cesc and nasri.
My gut tells me Arsene is still trying to bring in a “top, top” player, but my head says our business is done.
Just can’t see us having another £50 – £70m spare.
Unless we sell…
I have a really bad feeling Sanchez might try and force a move through. A lot of word on the grape vine saying he’s not happy and wants out, and apparently he was more then open to the Juve move when they bid for him.
So I think to keep Ozil and Sanchez happy, I still think a world class striker is needed.
Feel the same way although I think shelling out the money was Mustafi was not in the plan before both Per and Gab got injured. I’d say he was a player they had their eye on for next year. But needs must. I think the whole reason we have this large cash reserve is to he able to buy a biggie if the opportunity arises and I think the board and Arsene were prepared for an inflation in fees and wages. But just not by the amount it has. 75mill for Higuain is not realistic but only happened because Juve… Read more »
I’m hoping for a Rodriguez shaped crumble falling from Madrid’s silver plate.
Feels like a case of “if someone becomes available” to me, otherwise I think we’re done for transfers in. The only top player I can think of who may become unsettled before the end of this window is James Rodriguez.
We can do things that will excite you!
Signed
I. Gazidis
Well.. only if Wenger had signed Sasha Grey
I don’t see Debuchy leaving if Calum does. Wouldn’t that leave us with only one right back? I know Mustafi has played there but that would be spreading the numbers very thin. I assume if Jenkinson is fit by January, Debuchy will leave in that window.
How very logical. I hope you’re right.
A senior CF and CB, a young CF and CB, a senior DMF and a young hot prospect for around $100m… it’s actually a bloody good summer by our standards!
Only thing missing is shipping Walcott to Barcenloa for $35m.
£££ not $$$
Our keyboards over here only have $ symbols.
Shock twist: we sell Walcott and replace him with James Rodriguez on deadline day.
Come on, a man can dream.
I think he was banking on Costa going back to Atleti and us getting Griezmann. I honestly believe that if a top winger or striker comes up because his club has splashed out on someone else then we’d do the business. Even with Lucas coming in as well.
That is exactly how transfer windows work. A few pre-arranged biggies get done early on, plus a bunch of minor deals, but most buyers, sellers, and players sit tight and watch for movement. Nobody wants to commit to a deal and then see everybody else getting better ones, so they all play their deals like they were poker hands. As the end of the window approaches fingers start getting itchy, and a few people crack and do the deal out of fear that they’ll end up with nothing. Those deals trigger more deals and for the last couple of days… Read more »
Do it Arsene. Just splash out the cash for James Rodriguez. We, loyal Arsenal fans deserve to see him play in the red and white. The Colombian DB10
Nah! Not Wenger!! He already said Campbell was a victim of squad size. It was pressure that forced the Perez & Mustafi deals – as he earlier claimed Welbeck will come back sooner than expected.
But truth is that Perez was not the ‘top quality’ (to borrow Wenger annual mantra) he originally wanted.
Pressure from who? We already know Wenger wanted a striker from the beginning of the window because he bid for Vardy, and later for Lacazette.
Pressure from results and performances of Alexis up front
If Alexis had scored in both prem games, i honestly doubt we would be getting a striker and honestly even though it would have been wrong, i would have understood he’s thinking.
So Wenger never wants to sign anybody and the results of the first couple of games always force his hand. Yep. Heard this same argument every year for a decade.
That does explain why we bought all those players last year after our first game….
Here is hoping that, ” It looks like it will be frenetic for me in the last three days.” is referring to the last three days being busy for Arsene. The currently having the right amount of players for the rules comment does not make me think he is announcing he has closed shop.
The players signed for the money spent seen reasonable and hopefully will seem like great steals three years from now. It does feel like a sale of two players and a major purchase would cap the window off nicely
I think he said “next three days” and I take it to mean these two new players. Sorry!
I take it to mean he will be busy watching for one of those 30 minute window of opportunity potential deals, like the one when he bought Ozil. Sorry!
I just don’t think the cash is there but I bloody hope you are right!
I understood his comments the same way – the next 3 days he’ll be busy with signing perez and mustafi.
Seems everyone here is setting themselves up for disappointment holding on to the hope of a mega signing. I would love to see that too but as it stands I’m satisfied with our transfer dealings.
From your keyboard to [insert powerful deity here] ear, Curious!
Excited! Excited for Saturday. Hoping that Ozil and Santi play at the same time for a good chunk of the game. Think that will give Alixis and Theo a much better chance of showing their abilities up front. Excited for the season as these new signings play a bigger role. New striker may prove to be be backup. Even so, biggest issue with Giruid is exhaustion and / or periods of dysfunctional midfield. We have better midfield depth and some one to spell him. Excited that silly season is (almost) over. Only moderately pissed that it may have cost us… Read more »
On the contrary, I don’t hate the guy, but the biggest issue with Giroud is that he’s below top quality (slow as a snail, one-footed, no ability to turn and dribble at defender, little to no ability to pick his head up while dribbling and spot a pass, good finisher but still misses quite a few chances, goes through periods where even his hold up play is below par, etc), and therefore will never help us make the step up in competitiveness in terms of actually challenging for the league for the whole 38 games.
We are seen as a below top quality team by all the top quality players out there, so we rarely if ever get a genuine chance to buy one (Doesn’t stop the press routinely linking us with them though). Top players just don’t see us as their preferred destination. We only got Ozil because Wenger is well respected amongst Eurpean players and reacted quicker than anyone else. Top players go to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester Utd, Bayern Munich, Juventus, and in the last decade the nouveau riche clubs such as Citeh, Chelsea and PSG. We have never got top players… Read more »
I think you may be exaggerated a little mate, we were certainly a top European club and consideted as one in the early 2000’s. Agree though we’re no at that level these days which is a shame as we have the resources, fan base and stadium to go toe to toe at the very top. Only the mindset of those in charge prevent it happening.
We won’t make the step up to the ‘Elite’ level until we get some more European silverware, but we’re top of the level below even now.
what about sanchez? he’s not a top player? You’re plain bitterness.
Bergkamp?
Ozil?
Oddly Sanchez wasn’t rated by everyone (only Liverpoo after him) and Bergkamp had a poor time at Inter. Ozil came because we moved quickest and Wenger openly had the hots for him for many seasons.
Eboue?
Get Eboue to 27 likes and all will be right in the world
TGSEL?
David Price?
Utter Rubbish. What a load of nonsense you have just spouted.
Well I saw his press conference. He said our transfer dealings are pretty much done as there is no place left in the squad so I don’t think we should expect anything apart from these 2. He meant its going to crazy for other teams who still haven’t spent much
Not really, in my opinion he only said that the numbers in the squad balance out. He certainly didn’t rule out last minute loans or sales opening spots for last minute new arrivals, and lets face it, that is where a lot of our players (and everybody else’s too) tend to come from. Wenger always watches the market on the last days of the summer window very carefully, and sometimes it pays off big time.
so when we sign Mustafi it will mean AFC have made 4 of the 20 most expensive signings ever by BPL clubs, and will bring the clubs spending on transfers to over £350M since Kroenke became the clubs largest shareholder in 2011.
That’s quite a lot seeing as we were skint for half that period.
Whilst we are all waiting have a listen to what Graham Hunter said in this podcast about our new signings (hopefully) especially about Barca wanting Lucas as their fourth striker!
http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/arsenal-beat-off-barcelona-sign-lucas-perez-graham-hunter-audio/
I’d take a lot of what he says with a pinch of salt.
Oh blx!
Why’s that (I’m genuinely curious)? Think Hunter is a bit of a fool, or has some kind of agenda?
he’s full of shit and makes up half of what he says
We all know one of those…:-)
What, just one?
Debuchy is no longer an option on arsenal kit builder, it may be that Mustafi is getting the no.2, or MD is leaving
£90m spent!!
At least this puts to bed any bullshite conspiracy theories that Kroenke doesn’t allow Wenger to spend money. The one thing he is guilty of is not demanding more success from an underachieving manager.
If you’re going to make assumptions then it also puts to bed any bullshite conspiracy theories that Wenger will never spend money for the reinforcements we need, eh?
I think this is a little harsh on Wenger although I can see where it is coming from. I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel a little underwhelmed with how little the team has improved after having spent £90 million though….
I hope I’m wrong
Don’t get this to be honest. We’ve got 5 solid additions in the last 12 months if these two pan out, including 3 who will probably go straight into the first team.
We’re much stronger than we were this time last year, in terms of depth if nothing else.
A Griezmann type of signing would have been nice but i guess you can’t have everything … maybe next year …
Yes I agree we have more depth. But at the beginning of summer if you had told me we would have spent 90 million I would have expected more than just having more depth. I would have expected a significant upgrade to the starting lineup too (not neccessarily in the strikers department). Mustafi is hopefully an upgrade to Mertesacker. I wonder if Xhaka is an upgrade to Coquelin/Cazorla/Elneny/Ramsey though or if Lucas is an upgrade to Campbell, Iwobi or Giroud. This isn’t necessarily meant as a criticism, on one hand it might be that we are not very good at… Read more »
These new signings mean we should be better than Liverpool, Spurs, Everton and Leicester. We’re now in pole position once again for that famous old 4the place trophy ?.
Someone on here said we have finished in 3rd 2nd and 1st more times than we finished fourth.
Is this true? ..and if it is, should we forget the “4th place trophy” thing? Just asking.
Look errr……..ten thumbs for you Paul!
Technically not fully true. Since Arsene joined:
First: 3 times
Second: 6 times
Third: 5 times
Fourth: 6 times
Since we last won the league 12 years ago:
Second: 2 times
Third: 4 times
Fourth: 6 times
Now that’s facts
So 4th was the worst we did when we were broke and didn’t really deserve to be in the top ten…
Not at all: we’ve always known the club will spend some money, but I’m willing to bet Kroenke keeps a pretty tight lid on it not going beyond a certain point, e.g. 100 million this summer, which for a club of our resources and supposed ambitions, (to say nothing of his personal wealth, should he ever choose to share some of it with us), is not really all that much in this market. We have 250 million just in the bank, after all. Make no mistake: Kroenke’s obsession with the bottom line, and determination that we spend only a fraction… Read more »
How do you know that it’s Kronke stopping us from spending?
He doesn’t. It an assumption which may be right or may be wrong.
The Glazers seem to be a bunch of money grabbing yanks too. But they have just allowed their new cunt manager to splash out £100m on one player.
An assumption (e.g. in a deductive argument) is a premise for which one offers no further argument (i.e. further premises and rules of inference) in support. In that sense, yes, my claim was an assumption. But there IS plenty of evidence out there (e.g. the US media, quotes from Kroenke himself, his past track record) to support the belief that Kroenke is only in it for the money not the footballing glory (as with all his sports teams), and as such will not spend nearly as much as the club could safely afford to spend if they were only intent… Read more »
The Glazers know they’re losing far more by failing to play in the CL which is the biggest exposure for their marketing team.
COYG. Vicarage road, here we come.
If only we had an electronic web chatroom forum thingy that we could all discuss all the events that have been going on. Such as the Arses maybe?
…it’s broken and dead. Praise be.
As I had mentioned : 1) The Euros was always going to be a factor. Did not expect many of the deals to be concluded till late in window. Those done early had to be before Euros (Surprise Wenger concluded Granit so early) Those that came mid window tended to be hiked in price. We cannot afford to be paying 50-80m a player if we want to spread risk and capability across three positions plus there is a substantial risk to resale should the player not live up (ala Falcao or Mangala) 2) The Chinese entry into the market was… Read more »
Epic. Ranks alongside War & Peace.
With regard Walcott: I feel he lacks composure where Perez (from what little I’ve seen keeps his head and options up, possibly because of better technical level/confidence) However I see why Wenger would retain Walcott. He is still very quick and if he can spark, could go on a scoring streak. Has value out wide albeit amidst competition (and frankly Wenger must not show preference) Welbeck is still out and Perez (or whoever) must still transition into league. Meanwhile effectively, our best option (and a good one) is Giroud. But it would be risky to not have Walcott as an… Read more »
Not sure who the back up for Bellerin will be.
If Debuchy is no longer in the picture, does not make sense to have Mustafi as back up because with Per and Gabriel out, he has to be in contention for the central role with Koscielny (Holding as a back up)
Plus with Calum out, our options seem a bit tight at Rback (and we haven’t even seen Jenkinson)
Curious one that. Would have thought Wenger would persist with Debuchy as back up for one season as Calum goes out for regular footy but maybe Debuchy has other ideas again.
Jesus Christ man, start a blog or something. Nobody comes here to read your drivel for 8 pages. It’s arseblog, not Santori’s bulkshit hour.
If you say more words it seems like you know what you’re talking about.
Waffle waffle.
Coquelin can cover as a FB if necessary.
Chambers out on loan and yet Walcott stays.
Wrong, wrong and wrong again.
“When you meet these clubs and you have an English passport” …. Wenger use your French passport then! I thought he was supposed to be clever…
Where did he get an English passport from?
Was it the same place he bought his pet unicorn?
Don’t think Perez is first choice by any means but he has good attributes which Wenger feels he can work with : 1) Quick burst of pace and he tends to play off shoulder of defender currently plus preys on mistakes. 2) He is a tidy player (as are most Spaniards) and the technical ability may allow him to also develop into a fox in the box. 3) Composure. He keeps his head up to last moment assessing best option where Walcott tends not to. 4) He has a striker’s instinct. He’s had one (very productive and successful) season converted… Read more »
Again?
Lucas starts most games.
Put a Monkey on it.
If we sell Walcott and sign a top top top quality player, this transfer window would be perfect.
Nah, the window has been the usual nightmare but it might brighten up a bit when N17 sign Rangers’ No. 14. Joe Dodoo.
Griezmann would make all the barren years worth it imo.
Absolutely right Santori.people don’t understand the market
Top marks for the photoshop job of Arsene onto 011, blogs.