If Arsenal want to use David Luiz, Pablo Mari, Dani Ceballos, Cedric Soares and reserve keeper Matt Macey after our trip to Brighton on Saturday week, we need to confirm short-term contract extensions that see them through until the end of the 2019/20 campaign.
The deadline for extensions, set by the Premier League, is 23 June.
While some Championship clubs have struggled on this front – Charlton’s Lyle Taylor has turned down an extension because he doesn’t want to risk an injury that could scupper a big-money move – the situation should be simple enough for the Gunners.
Kia Joorabchian has stated recently that David Luiz is open to extending his stay at the Emirates for another season even though the club failed to activate an option to keep him for a further 12-months. With Benfica stepping away from a deal citing the defender’s prohibitively high wages, we’re expected to announce an extension soon.
Pablo Mari has spoken openly about his desire to lay down roots at Arsenal after a nomadic few years that have seen him play in Holland, Spain and most recently Brazil. Pablo is currently on loan until 30 June but is expected to make his move permanent in a deal that will net Flamengo around £8 million.
Dani Ceballos nearly quit Arsenal in January as he panicked about his chances of making Spain’s European Championship squad. He then won over Mikel Arteta, forced his way back into the reckoning and was a mainstay in the first team prior to Covid-19. Given the price tag on his head, a permanent deal seems very unlikely but it’s understood an agreement for a short-term extension is in place.
Things are less clear for Soares and Macey. The Portugal international, 28, was a surprise loan signing from Southampton in January, arrived injured and still hasn’t played for the Gunners. He’s not even featured in the two most recent friendlies with Charlton and Brentford after a nasty knock to the face saw him forced to wear a non-Covid-19-related face mask.
With Hector Bellerin fit, Arteta liking Sokratis at right-back and Ainsley Maitland-Niles able to do a job there, we probably don’t need Soares but offering him a temporary extension feels like the gentlemanly thing to do.
When the season is over, you’d expect him to find another club. However, with Joorabchian involved in his arrival, it’s not quite as clear cut as that. Now that we’re in bed with super agents, you’re never quite sure what they are going to demand and pressure could be heaped on us to retain Soares. We’ll see.
Macey, 25, is the only player in and around the first team squad who is out of contract this summer. The club’s third-choice keeper was on the bench for a couple of League Cup games but otherwise has had to make do with minutes for the under-23s and in the EFL Trophy.
He’s been at the club for seven years and there’s been no hint of talks about a contract extension. While we expect he’ll be retained in the short-term until the end of the season, his Arsenal career could be coming to an end.
You get the feeling that Raul’s ‘intray’ must be stacked up at this moment.
More important than these five – even, is what is – or isn’t – going to be done about those now in the last year of their contract ; specifically Auba and less specifically Ozil.
But given the unprecedented nature of the global football situation, he’s probably as much in the dark as we are.
Bukayo Saka’s contract is running out next summer as well. I say we tie him up ASAP
Ideally tie him down, no? Unless you want to tie up Raul… until he ties down Saka?
I’m “knot” sure
If Mari becomes a permanent signing, Luiz extends and Saliba comes in, then Arsenal will now have: Holding, Chambers, Luiz, Sokratis, Mari, Mustafi, Saliba, Mavropanos. That is 8 centre backs, so surely at least two would be expected to leave. Mavropanos is an obvious one to exit, and I’d imagine Sokratis too, given his age profile and the fact that they could make a few quid on him. That still leaves 6, when Chambers returns to fitness. I can see them trying to cash in on one of Chambers or Holding, given that they would… Read more »
I’d give mavropanos one more chance. He was doing very well out on loan pre covid.
But having said that, we might get a good price for him now given his recent performances.
It does seem like Maitland-Niles is finished as a right back, and I really hope to never see Sokratis in that position again, so, yeah, I’d be okay with seeing Cedric in that position to spell Bellerin. At this rate, though, I can’t say I’m confident I will ever see that happen!
PSG has announced that they will not re-sign Thiago Silva. I think he was their most solid defender last season. What do you guys think about trying to pick him up ?
Also I really hope that Arteta is gonna work, otherwise I’ll be so sad we missed on Pochettino.
Lol, crazy shiis ??
Thiago Silva would be a great signing and upgrade for us from the average defenders we have. But the main issue at our club is that we play with fear, and always think oh no, we might not win or mess up. That killer winning mentality has to come back first. We must approach each game with confidence and play without fear. As far of Poch being our manager, it would be amazing if he won a cup with us in his first year. I would love to see what the spurs fans think of that. ??
Never understood the addition of Soares. As mentioned many times, we already had enough options covering. I think Arteta panicked. IMO it would have been more functional if we went in for Emre Can in midfield/Cback but of course that would be also an issue of whether he wanted to come to us on loan over Dortmund who are in CL position. In Defense we also have way too many players. Not sure why Sokratis is out at Rback. Against Brentford Friendly just saying, two of their goals from Holding not tight enough. Far… Read more »
thank god for the see more button.
but can we have a see less button blogs?
Didn’t read his shii but Don’t bully.
Interesting
OMG.We have endured a very difficult period in our lifetime yet Emre Can is still the name being thrown about as our saviour.!
We are so badly ran, it’s going to be hard to get back to the top with Raul and Edu running football side of things. For a broke club we are so wasteful. Spending huge outlays on average players recommended by raul’s agent buddies. We have a coach with huge potentials, would be sad if Raul and Edu let him fail with their mediocrity
Financial ly wound seem daft to sign both Mari and Luiz,… who ‘s agent is better friends with Raul. ! We will probably sign both
Having spent £5m loan on a player that has not kicked a ball for us, it would be pointless to release him if Arteta really did want Soares. Bellerin looks alright after 3 months rest, but will probably pick up strains after playing so little in more than a year.
‘on Saturday week’ ? Is that a new kind of week or did it mean a Saturday of a certain week, like this week?
Saturday week = one week from the coming Saturday
Jesus, we have a shit team
Guess it’s bye bye Cedric? He’ll go down in history with other legends like Kim Kallstrom, Takuma Asano and Yaya Sanogo.
Bellerin needs a specialist back up so we do need to keep your Cedric. He is not a bad player at all.
Luis, Socrates and mustafi are the ones that need to go.
We keep Mari, Holding, Chambers, Mavropanods and Saliba as our centre backs.
It’s the midfield shield that we need to seriously work on and creativity
Dude, if we start the season with that as our CB options!! I pray we get Upamencano. Probably dreaming, though.
3 Months without football and then this game.
Cannot think how it could have gone worse. Our defense went from bad to fucked. We created nothing. Auba is definitely going to leave and I don’t blame him.