Via Sport Witness comes news from Catalan daily Sport that Denis Suarez’s loan deal to Arsenal is almost complete – and the good news is that there will be no obligation for us to make the deal permanent.
One of the sticking points in negotiations has been Barcelona’s desire to sell the player, but with funds limited and earmarked for other targets this summer, the Gunners have held firm.
It’s likely that we’ll pay a loan fee for the midfielder, and we may well have an option to purchase if we like what we see, but if not we can send him back at the end of the season.
Now, it’s reported that just personal terms with Arsenal have to be agreed, something which really shouldn’t be an issue.
The 25 year old has been a peripheral figure at the Camp Nou this season, barely playing in La Liga, and with Unai Emery keen to bolster his squad this month, it’s a deal that suits all parties.
Speaking ahead of the Chelsea game, the head coach touched on possible transfers, saying, “The club is working.Transfers with something special can help us, and we are looking, with the possibility of one player and if we can take him to help us in one position on the field, maybe we can.”
Raul Sanllehi’s links with Barcelona, and the fact Emery knows the player from his time with Sevilla, should ensure the deal gets done, and while it might not be the most exciting transfer of all time, we need all hands on deck as we look to get our season back on track.
The new Kim Kallstrom
Well if he plays one game and that is the UL final and scores the winning penalty – who are to complain of the new Kallstrom
Turn up on loan in January, score penalty in FA Cup semi-final win, go down in history. Simple.
suarez has a key attribute that a most of other midfields don’t. Pace! Hopefully he can add some speed to the rather pedestrian stuff we have been seeing recently
No obligation???
“and the good news is that there will be obligation for us to make the deal permanent.”
Lets hope he’s like Julio Baptiste from the one time he played (well for us) all the time and averages 4 goals a game
Yep, kinda forgot the crucial word in that sentence: NO.
If it is just a loan with no obligation to buy, then this is a decent bit of business with Danny out for the season. We could do with more of course – notably a defender. But we are – like it or not – in the position of having to make the best of the very little we can afford.
Fair enough!
I watched Barca last night and he missed a shocker from 6 yards. Let’s hope he puts that all behind him and comes here with a point to prove.
Auba’s missed a few from 6, so he’s in good company!
No Poop?
There is always poop ?
When ozil doesn’t play against city: Emery – ‘we have suarez’.
In all seriousness though a loan deal makes sense, and this signing is more than I expected this jan to be honest. Let’s go for top 4 with what we have and support the team during these turbulent times.
He’s a winger. Has nothing to do with Ozil.
He’s a central midfielder not a winger
Emery will probably use him on the wing!
Or as defender
Can’t do worse than current defenders!
Was at the Barcelona game yesterday and he came on for 20 mins or so on the left wing. Seemed to have really quick feet and didn’t mind taking defenders on at all. I’m guessing that’s what emery wants to bring to this team as apart from Iwobi we don’t really have anyone who can do that. His end product needs work though. Missed a couple of chances including a glaring miss. Did always look to get into space off the ball to be open for passes in the final third though. Also worth noting it’s probably easier to play… Read more »
Quick feet, left wing, needs work on end product.
Now why does that ring a bell?
I hope the Spanish Iwobi (or the Iwobi Iwobi) can also perform on the right.
Players on the left or left biased:
Iwobi
Aubamayang
Ozil
Kolasinac as wingback
Right?
Hector
Mkhi (Crocked)
Riess Nelson (on loan)
Wele (crocked)
So, Hector.
Aubamayang and Ozil are not effective from the right. They’re both far stronger from the left.
Heh, that unintentionally sounded negative- I literally mean it when I say I hope one can bring us something on the right.
In my opinion its a great signing. Just what we need to help keep possession in midfield. He hasnt had the best time at Barcelona, but that doesnt necessarily mean he wont be good for us.
Andrew must know something we don’t as he’s been incredibly down on Denis Suarez from day 1.
I remember the day when signing a player from Barcelona’s first team was considered a success. Jesus you’d think we were getting a 35 year-old from Boreham wood. He’s just coming into his prime and has played for every Spainish age group. I can’t see a negative.
This actually makes a lot of sense. I am sure there will be a clause in the contract that will allow the purchase to be finalised at the end of the season if the loan works out and we thin out the squad a bit.
Is it going through now because we offered 1p more than the original fee?
Stop talking out of your Arseman.
This will be a good piece of business if we get it through. LANSbutnotLANS
Finally Emery getting to sign his own type of players and making the team his own
We had 22 unbeaten games with a team that wasn’t his then? Not that bad.
We did, but apparently that doesn’t count any more now we’ve lost a couple of games!
He will come good. Hope it works
Hmm Suarez will add to our midfield options, I wonder what it does to our existing hierarchy. If the reports are to be believed, this is one of Emery’s transfers rather than Mislintat’s. Also does this put more pressure on the already strained Ozil situation!
We were trying to move away from the model of Manager to Head Coach – this transfer window seems to like most others under Wenger!
Raul Sanllehi joined us from Barca. We should use any avenues available.
We needed a right sided forward, Emery knows exactly what he’s getting, he’s been over here before with City, so he should settle pretty quickly, he also knows the managers methods, so he’ll just need game time for match sharpness.
On the highlight reels on YouTube he looks absolutely rapid with a good first touch, this looks like a sensible piece of risk free business
Just in time for Man Utd in the FACup and he’ll know all about them having spent time at City.
Hopefully he rips it up and we complete the signing next summer.
Why do Barca and Arsenal insist on (for the most part) buying each other’s castoffs?
We usually get the better bargain
Still baffled that we sold the Vermaelen..
I’m baffled they bought him. Vermaelen was the best bit of business I’ve ever seen. He’d suffered constant injury and crisis of form for the previous 2 to 3 years straight.
Bollocks.. meant to write: “Still baffled that we sold THEM Vermaelen” – as in I can’t believe they were actually willing to that amount of money for him!
But yeah, I agree; possibly the only time Arsenal managed to sell a player and not hate the price he was sold for.
I love the enthusiasm this signing is generating. “Hooray, we don’t need to keep him next year, this is the best day ever!!!”
It’s actually a step in the right direction. Instead of being hung out to dry and forced to buy a player that might not work…we get to try before we buy!
I know I’m probably being optimistic here but if we had youtube and all the footy coverage we have now 20 years ago I doubt we’d be that chipper about a certain Thierry Henry who’d flopped at Juventus, or Milan’s reserve midfielder Patrick Vieira or that perennial crock Marc Overmars. And who the hell is this french bloke with a pony tail?
And some swedish bloke from Halmstads?! Who’s ever heard of him?!
can he play the santi role?
I believe he could from what I have seen.
Although, thinking about it, no one can replace Santi.
Haven’t seen a two-footed player like him in that position. The only one who is equally two-footed is Dembele.
Which Dembele? Seriously.
Sometimes the most unheralded signings turn out to be the best
Nacho Monreal springs to mind
a great signing for the club, a bad news for Mesut Özil
Given Emery has no inclination to play Elneny, got rid of Wilshere, wants to get rid of Ozil and Ramsey is leaving I think midfield will see at least two investments in the summer. I hope Suarez does well for us and earns a permanent move. If Barcelona wanted him before and given his still relatively young age, he could work out very well for us. Just hope we don’t lose out on him if he storms it. I also hope we stop the five at the back rubbish and start pressing in midfield more like we were before things… Read more »
Bears a slight resemblance to Ramsey too.
jw1
“the Gunners have held firm.” What is this madness?? 🙂
I’ve seen the future!
Going to hold off on calling this good until I see him holding up the shirt, a forced smile on his face as Raul stands next to him beaming like he’s solved all the club’s problems.
Sarcastically humorous.
Hopefully the club can get this over the line soon. Like many of you, I’ve been wondering what Suarez would bring to the team, and if there are any reasons Emery is keen on the signing, beyond the fact that Suarez has played under him before and is presumably familiar with UE’s tactical and stylistic requirements, instructions, etc (especially given that, as Blogs has noted, his career goal + assist numbers are a little underwhelming 9G + 16A in 110 league apps). Here’s one possible theory: Although there is still uncertainty at the moment about what kind of playing style… Read more »
This post isn’t long enough.
Very true. But not to worry – it’s just the first section of a 15 part post.
Are you Santori in disguise
Wow…just wow
TLDR
tl;dr maybe
Top post
Cmon Wrigglesworth, can’t you just spout some unfounded accusations? We hate facts!
@ Michael Ginty: Cheers!
@ Mpls: Don’t worry – I’ve got plenty of unfounded accusations and even more totally ungrounded generalizations in reserve for whenever Arsenal’s next loss occurs!
(I just hope I don’t need them today).
His YouTube reel looks good although not a patch on Ramsey’s.:-(
His natural position has been Attacking midfielder, whose skill set allowed him to operate on wings effectively, similar mould to Isco.
Barcelona training methods on him should insure we get a midfielder who can help us keep possession and break press with intelligent passing.
With our great forwards, he could be the guy Emery wants to play in the 10 role. Since he already uses double DMs.
Important signing.
If we keep the back 3 for reasons other than we do not have the best solution at the back at the moment even with Sokratis, then we will need someone who can play the channel between the main striker and the wingback.
This is where Dennis could find his work with his tight control.
He also has potential function for us deeper in midfield with Torreira and Granit (and Guendouzi). We need to ensure we can sustain the energy levels and the diligence in tracking players running in from midfield.
I certainly hope Raul can bring this one across the line. Suarez looks very useful both in our deep midfield and in the forward positions. His versatility will certainly come in handy plus his ability to get by his man on dribbling skills which we desperately need. CM to me is still an issue but maybe more one of sustainability. Granit is much improved but still prone to error without the right player next to him to cover his faults. Torreira nominally looks like the player we should play next to Granit but in recent games (Soton, BHA and Liverpool),… Read more »
Can’t help being cynical until this is announced.Looks very much like an Oil replacement.
Loan. Release.
Alberto mendez
When did Barcelona join the German 4th division to compare this with Alberto Mendez!?
Why don’t we just rehabilitate mezut Ozil?
Jesus how entitled have we become that a Barca player isn’t exciting? Deluded
Jesus how entitled have we become that a Barca fringe player isn’t exciting