Arsene Wenger says any further signings before the transfer deadline are unlikely, but that you can never say never if something exceptional presents itself.
Speaking at his press conference today, the Arsenal manager said he was a bit surprised at how quiet the window had been, but pointed to the capture of Mohamed Elneny as evidence of his involvement in the business done so far.
“The whole period was much quieter than I expected,” he said. “The fact that we are all here means it is still quiet.
“I told you we’d do at least one transfer. I would have been open to do one more, but there’s rarity on the market at the moment.”
And when asked if he envisaged any further arrivals, he said, “At the moment it’s 99% no, but if Messi knocks on my door at ten to six I won’t tell him to go back to Barcelona!”
As for departures, Wenger confirmed that Mathieu Debuchy could leave on loan to another Premier League club, while the club have yet to decide the destination for Serge Gnabry.
The young German will be going on loan to the Championship, and a decision has to be made today between two interested clubs.
Good for Gnabry to go on loan. I hope it helps his fitness and confidence.
Love Iwobi’s style, much love for the low socks, old school.
reminds me of a young badboy totti
Arsenal needed to buy a spine last summer and only bought a keeper. They still need a commanding physical centre back, cover for Francis Coquelin and a striker. So Mats Hummels, Victor Wanyama and Romelu Lukaku would fit the bill nicely. The club could afford them, but the ambition is lacking and Arsene Wenger is obsessed by his concept of value. So no-one is expecting any further arrivals. Without re-enforcements down the centre of the line-up, the feeling is that this season will go down as a missed opportunity. Is money in the bank better than options on the field?… Read more »
I just want more LANS please!!! The squad is good enough to win the League if everyone is fit.
Alex Iwobi.
very impressed with this guy! he’s so calm on the ball and I love his low socks.
Santi Cazorla?
Danny Welbeck? Jack Wilshere?? Please Jack, I really wish you can fulfil your immense potential. If he overcomes his injuries he could be like Roy Batty – the light that burns twice as bright burns half as long..
I don’t understand how Debuchy could be allowed NOW without cover. I’d rather have Debuchy than Chambers at the moment.
Chamaldo***
So you would prefer someone who is not interested in playing for the team and shows it every time he played this season to an enthusiastic learner who can score with the outside of his right foot? Incroyable!
Just get him away from that crazy pulis
Then BOOM Marcos Reus.
Don’t get me excited now!
No doubt Arsene’s joke will end up in all quality online sports websites as “Arsenal line up sensational deadline day bid for Messi”
Now Stan will be monitoring all planes to prevent Messi from knocking Wenger’s door.
Obviously It won’t happen but out of curiosity, Why wouldn’t Stan want one of the worlds biggest marketing ‘Brands’ working for him?
As a side issue, he may even help us to more silverware which would boost Stans asset even more.
Because it would cost more than our entire squad put together..
If we signed Messi, we would basically make back all of his signing on fee with shirt sales and merchandise.
Every Arsenal fan would buy a shirt, or something Messi related if we signed him, I know I would grab a shirt.
It will never happen in a bazillion years, but imagine the scenario for just one second, the best player to ever of played the game, signs for Arsenal..
Messi is good and I am a big fan. Barcelona have not won continuously all the years. They had to go and get TRex and Neymar. The team needs to be good.
Its fineeee, all the players we have returning will be like new signings. Wel(come)beck, Danny.
What about the Nigerian lads? Any news on them?
They sent Wenger an email telling him to send them some money first and that they have a massive sum of unclaimed cash that they’d then send to the club.
Here everyone, another “fan” trying to teach us all a warm way of welcoming our new lads! Only here, stupid is as stupid writes!!
Where’s you sense of humour?
I thought the post was hilarious.
I second that motion!
Oh don’t be so sore I’m sure they’ll send an email to you soon enough, I already get plenty on a daily basis
We are not all like that
Stereotyping. . Not cool.
They look pretty good against their age group, hopefully Iwobi will inspire them to work their holes off if they want a first team chance in the next couple of years
Knowing Wenger he probably has something special to pull out of his sleeve come 1755hrs. Remember the Ozil,Arteta deals nobody knew. Won’t be surprised at 6pm Arsenal announces the arrival of Paul Pogba and Hugain for an undisclosed fee. Keeping fingers crossed
I don’t know whether to laugh, or just let you down gently. It’s all good to keep your fingers crossed and all but Higuain AND Pogba?
Of course we don’t need any new signings: we are a nice average side. This squad of players will do everything that’s expected of them, i.e. finish in a strong runners-up place, qualifying for the un-winnable Champions’ League. And if we’re really lucky we might even win the FA Cup again. Why actually show any ambition and try to win the title? Or the Champions’ League? Remember: the most important thing at Arsenal Football Club is making a healthy profit. That way Mr Kroenke can have his three million quid “fee” to help him pay the costs of running his… Read more »
You are back! Where have you been and who the hell posted under your glorious name and figure?
Anyway, we can disagree on what average means. Also almost on all the other things you type on above. But it doesn’t matter. Because you are back!
The definition of insanity: Fattys comments
The definition of insanity: Fattys comments
The definition of insanity: Fattys comments
The definition of insanity: Fattys comments
The definition of insanity: Fattys comments
Average = Finish 2nd. Noted. Will inform all the Olympic Bronze medalists…
Fat Gooner, you are depressing.
Why so sad about an almost-fit squad?
Why so sad that Wenger hasn’t made the incredibly stupid 50m bid for the striker of your choice?
There’s a reason he’s being payed 12m a season to make these decisions and we are sitting here commenting on it – and it’s not because it sounds sexier to say “no” in a French accent than an English one.
Ok, but what do Santori and Paul think?
Where have you been? Figured you show up sooner during the dry spell.
The boss’remarks about Messi, shows how relaxed he is and tels me that he is well pleased with the squad and they are all ready for a title charge.
And rightly so, this is the best squad we’ve had in a very long time. If not ever.
Couldn’t agree more elbows. This squad has been hugely underrated all season by media and pundits. With the amount of injuries we have had this season it is remarkable we are in this position. Both FA cup and CL and well in there with a shout at the league too. Past squads would not have been able to cope. Just to think the only new signing was Cech, excluding Elneny of course. Just shows the faith Arsene has in the club’s upcoming talents. Campbell is now a regular first team player and Iwobi is clearly looking like he will have… Read more »
Delusion…the 2010-2011 was much better allround. Heck the first 11 of the 08-09 team is just as good if not even better(we had Adebayor, RVP plus Eduardo as strikers)
Why doesn’t he just say no and that’s it?
It doesn’t take much for the dumbasses in the media to have a go at us and have a good laugh when we fail. Him saying “you can never say never if something exceptional presents itself” is utter dross, he hasno intention whatsoever. How do I know? History.
If he said ‘No’ but then one of the few players he really wants actually became available then he’d look like a liar. He’s said very clearly that he doesn’t think we’ll do anymore business.
The media very rarely actually know when we try to get a player.
They just make stuff up for the gullible to get annoyed about.
Dude, seriously.
He enjoys playing with the media trolls and a little baiting when it’s something harmless like this and not under screaming mad lunatic criticism.
Go home Messi you’re drunk.
With the emergence of Iwobi of late, Coquelin’s early return and finally getting to see Elneny in action I feel much better in our depth now to handle the stretch ahead. Would be nice to see Walcott work back in at striker to spell Giroud now that Sanchez is back and we also have the ability to play Ramsey wide right if need be with Coquelin back and Elneny on board. Of course there are Campbell and Chamberlin there too. The ability to have rotated so many players on Saturday vs Burnley shows that our depth has returned. Of course… Read more »
I agree. I think at this point center striker is the only appropriate place for Theo, again in the ‘right kind of game’. We just need more rounded players who are better on the ball on the wings now that we’ve gotten used to the likes of Alexis, Ramsey, Campbell, and Ox (on form). With what we’ve got right now for form and players, I like Campbell best on the right given his defensive awareness with Bellerin rocketing from corner flag to corner flag. They seem to have the best chemistry. It’ll be very interesting to see how Welbeck’s form… Read more »
Sanchez and Theo worked very, very well together while Theo was striker at the beginning of the season. ?
We better win this league this season. Having seen Guardiola is coming to City it looks like we may be in for a one horse race for the next three years. Depressing but inevitable.
If we do win it this year at least we’d go into next season with the winning mentality and stand more of a chance of competing.
Then again, everyone was desperate for Klopp yet he’s not doing anything particularly special with Liverpool. At least not yet anyway. 7th place and a possible league cup sounds very… Dalglish.
Guardiola will be great for the league. I’m happy with our slow uptick. We’re getting better over the course of a few seasons. League is very doable this year.
Pep just wants a title in each of the top European leagues. He picks the easiest teams to do it with. If he really wanted to show his mettle but still be at a ‘big club’ he’d have gone for ‘Pool or Untied because they’re far more broken and more of a project at the moment. But he didn’t.
If we win it back to back, and give him one his second term, he’ll tip his hat and be on his merry way again. Off to PSG or Juve, whoever’s looking first.
Here’s hoping.
Don’t worry mate. Gardiola will soon find out that this is premiership and no one is unbeatable. There is no supremacy and Watford can go to etihad and beat the shit out of them. Remember when Van Gaal was new he was talking like he was managing a Dutch team and Brenda (remember him?) Told to the press that he is in for a nasty surprise. This is not Spain or Germany where there are hierarchy with 2 teams on top. Here we have 4 sometimes 5 and see where the Fox’s are? Make that 6 this year. He will… Read more »
Guardiola will fail. He’s going to discover the definition of competition.
Le Prof must be laughing his head off. Talk about City shooting themselves in the foot! Why on earth didn’t they just tell keep everybody, including their players and Pellegrini, in the dark until the end of the season? How is the Chilean going to motivate his players when they know he’s about to walk out the door? Utter madness! If we don’t win it now then we never will. And I feel sorry for Pellegrini: he’s a decent bloke who’s been treated with a maximum amount of disrespect. I don’t buy into this Guardiola hype. He has only ever… Read more »
I second the Guardiola hype comment. I’m always reminded of Ibrahimovic saying how Guardiola benched half a billion euros worth of top flite players during his time with Barcelona. Is that a great manager? Not in my book it isn’t . He’ll find out what the PL is about on occasions when ruffiants like Allardyce and Pulis show him up for the champagne manager he is.
Pep took a barca team that was poor for 2 seasons and turned it into one of the greatest of all time. He also pushed Messi’s game to another level. Say what you want about Pep, but he’s not overrated. Mou is overrated, not pep.
The only reason he didn’t win the champs league last year was because of injuries(and of course MSN).
I’d take him at Arsenal in a heartbeat.
Citeh is the right club for him. He’s probably the right manager for them too. Shame about Pellegrini. He seems a decent man and he’s done well by them but people are rarely happy with what they have.
if Debuchy leaves and Rosicky is out sicky again for the remainder on the session then that leaves 2 free spaces in the squad that Wenger said he had the 25. why are we not trying to replace them cause both will never play again. if Wenger thinks for one moment that we will win the league this year with Ramsey in the middle of the MF and Theo out wide or even up front then he really has lost it. Theo was 1 on 1 again at the weekend and took another nose bleed and bulls it up again.… Read more »
Call your GP and explain him all this and he may refer you to a psychologist. You can get some diazepam. Free on NHS
mmmm…you may be right.
This might be petty and irrelevant but it made me smile:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35465521
I’m going to nip round the corner to the Ground, and at ten to six knock on Arsene’s door, just for the crack….
Is anyone Scared We Signed elneny to replace Ramsey??
Like in a buying more milk just before the last one runs out kinda way??
Does anyone have Arsene’s number por favor? I’m infront of his door and no one answers! It’s cold and dark por favor??
Transfer Spoiler:
My mate down at the vet, local to the Emirates, said they got a call to register a dog today.
Tyson Gundogan. Yikes !
How is a dog going to play for The Arsenal???
I call shenanigans on this one.
The next ono on one Theo should have is with Denis Bergkamp who might tell him how to score
We just need another striker. I say get Yarmolenko. Top top player and not too pricey.
Arsenal needed to buy a spine last summer and only bought a keeper. They still need a commanding physical centre back, cover for Francis Coquelin and a striker. So Mats Hummels, Victor Wanyama and Romelu Lukaku would fit the bill nicely. The club could afford them, but the ambition is lacking and Arsene Wenger is obsessed by his concept of value. So no-one is expecting any further arrivals. Without re-enforcements down the centre of the line-up, the feeling is that this season will go down as a missed opportunity. Is money in the bank better than options on the field?… Read more »
Wenger got what he wanted a ‘Defensive Midfielder’ and then shut his chequebook or is it ‘contactless’ these days, who knows?….. Anyway, we just need to keep the faith and go on our usual ‘February onwards run’ of smashing the points towards the end of the season and finish top. For me ‘Citeh’ are still the main title threat and they may well be extra motivated to win the league for Pellegrini whilst proving themselves for the new man…. So assuming we have a injury free squad (I know, I know), my starting 11 would be: Cech Bellerin Merts Kos… Read more »