Lyon like talking, that much is clear. They’re fairly forthright when it comes to their transfer business too, as Arsenal found out last week.
The Ligue Un side released a statement revealing they’d rejected an Arsenal bid for striker Alexandre Lacazette, saying it fell below their valuation of the player.
Reports this week, in various French publications like L’Equipe and France Football, have said that Arsenal are going to return with a bigger, more tempting offer, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas is not expecting to hear anything further from North London.
Speaking about that initial offer, he told L’Equipe, “”Arsenal have not come back, and they will not come back.”
Now, whether that’s because we’ve told him to stick it up his bum, or if he just knows the way Arsene Wenger operates and isn’t expecting the Arsenal manager to go above his perceived value of Lacazette we can’t be sure.
He does sound quite definitive though. Wenger has been speaking about the need for a new forward, saying, “At the moment, I do not have too many attacking options.
“We still look outside to find one more.”
Is Lacazette now off the menu? Are our sights set elsewhere? Find out in the next exciting installment of ‘Arsenal Transfer News’*
* it’s not that exciting. And there’s basically no news. But still.
He said in the past weeks that we haven’t made contact with the player or him. He just likes to talk.
Come on Sanogo!!
He’ll go to PSG and we’ll end up with Troy fucking Deeney on deadline day…
I even heard a rumour about Balotelli ffs I hope that’s a lot of ?
??????????
???????????
This one, my friend, definitely goes to 11.
The poo meter should go to 11
Or Wilfried fucking Bony
I’d take Bony in a heartbeat. Could probably get him for sub-£20m, leaving enough leftover for Mahrez (getting more and more sceptical with every passing day but surely there’s not this much smoke without a touch of fire?) and a centre back. On an aside, don’t fancy Mustafi for the prices being quoted. £25m plus a potential £8m in add-ons seems vastly too high, that’d sign you almost any centre back in the world.
Bony is terrible, would be a downgrade on Giroud and he isn’t what we are after which is an alternative
His touch and link up is still there, he’s clearly just very low on confidence. I watched their friendly with Dortmund due to boredom at work and thought he was really good- surprised how roundly everyone disagrees! Quick to forget how good he was for Swansea, and wouldn’t be the first player whose career stagnates due to the wrong transfer at the wrong time and recovers elsewhere- he’s only 27 still. It’s all academic anyway as it’s never going to happen, but I’d rather him that someone like Ben Yedder who the admittedly few times I’ve watched him has been… Read more »
…Arsenal are passing the ball and the commentator says “Bony, Granit, Coq…” Get him in just for the bantz?:-)
@MC1892
I call your bluff…you have never seen Ben Yedder play a full game have you?
Imho; Bony is better than Giroud. He just needs the right team and a good stretch of games. I think he is a viable option.
@Goonslinger, Bony better than Giroud ? Not a chance. Bony is too heavy not even faster than Giroud.
I disagree, on both of your points.
So if Bony just needs the right team around him then we’d have to buy him and ten of his mates?
What do you guys think about Dzeko or Hernandez?
I will definitely take Hernandez. Based on what he is doing in Germany, he can score lot of goals for us. Dzeko is done or has lost his sharpness like Torres did. Chelsea and City can destroy great players.
Agreed! And the fact that he has played, and understands the demands of the PL won’t hurt either.
Yet another frustrating transfer window. And this was supposed to be the one where Arsene went all out, so he could end on a high.
Sadly, it seems that our constant dithering won’t change until there’s a change in management. There’s many aspects in which Arsene has been stuck in his ways, the transfer window is definitely one of them.
But do you really want Lacazette? I mean, he looks like Aaron Lennon.
Got my foil cap on again,
I don’t think it’s Wenger this time. I think it’s from above him.
He’s made his bed, the ownership liked it, and now they’ve strapped him to it.
If that’s the case, I don’t think we’ll see him renew.
We either get rid of Wenger and get a manager that can coach the team as it to the title or we have to spend bigger than we are in the hope that Wenger can win the title that way.
With the same manager and the squad as it stands at the moment we have no chance and a top four place at best is all we can look forward to.
Not sure it’s necessarily going to change that much when Wenger leaves. Apart from his stubborn frugality, there’s obviously also a dictate from above about keep spending to a minimum.
Bring back Eduardo
I was thinking something similar. Are there really no Eduardo like players who just know how to score?
Forget link up play, forget passing accuracy, Just find some one who can run quickly and twat the ball into the next from all angles.
Eduardo had link up play and good passing.
I just rang Arsene and told him we’ve got it all sorted for him:
‘Just find someone who can run quickly and twat the ball in the net from all angles.’
luvvit
It’s not rocket science mate.
Ah what could have been : (
If Arsene isn’t going to find *that* striker that fits his ‘value’ or budget – he better just buy Mahrez ffs.
With him, Alexis, Ozil, Cazorla, Wilshere – surely even Giroud can’t have another goal drought like he did last season.
Oh, and just pay the going rate for Mustafi too.
No mucking about, please!
The going rate for Mustafi will rise with each bid. What is the going rate for a Mustafi, and what will it be by September?
Mahrez it is then! ……hopefully! I agree with Blogs about adding a wide man on the right who can add goals and assists. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like a striker too but, with Sanchez, Mahrez and Ozil buzzing around behind him, I think we will see the true potential of Giroud and Wenger’s vision. Add the likes of Xhaka, Cazorla, Ramsey and Wiltshire behind them, that is a team that I will be REALLY excited to see.
I’d say wenger’s “vision” involves having a much more mobile striker than giroud, seeing as over the last 3 years we have attempted to sign Higuain, Suarez, Benzema, and vardy. We will sign a striker this window simply because we have to, buying mahrez wouldn’t solve the problem that we only have one fit striker.
I know everyone speaks about a wide man on the right, but I think it’s been forgotten quickly that Sanchez was moved to the right and played the latter half of last season on the right for a reason; it gives him more option than he does on the left, where he usually just cuts in to his right foot, and fullbacks had sussed it out. I suspect Sanchez will stay on the right. As for a wide man? Possible that he does want one, but I have a sneaking suspicion Wenger is gonna try Jack on the Left to… Read more »
I think if Ox finds his form and fitness he’d like to go back to those two on the wings if we don’t get another in. He tried to a fault last season to get that one to work, but Ox’s two F’s acted up.
I reckon the Hal Robson-Kanu rumour has a whiff of truth behind it.
First time I’ve heard that rumour and hopefully the last!!
I started it a few posts ago.
We’re more likely to resign Kanu.
Kanu’s still only 27. Or so his passport says…
I also reckon it stinks.
Don’t worry the fans aren’t expecting one either.
Just pay the €60millfor Draxler before he goes from a €36mill player to a €60mill player to a €100mill player who plays for United or City in the space of three summers.
Where does that figure come from? Last thing I heard was they would under no circumstances let him go this season.
Yes, but the accumulated wisdom of this site is that if you pay the “going rate” you’ll always get your man.
Wenger “I bid…. the going rate”
Them “Fuck, now we have to sell him. I wonder if Lacazette is available?”
Looks like Mahrez deal might be on
Because it’s 6 hours since the last time Leicester said it wasn’t?
Think he knows Wenger won’t come back with a bid although all this posturing does sound like an antique dealer trying to flog some tut by making out its way too important to let go!!!
Sounds like they need to keep the news in the press to remind Wenger Lac is still available. Bidding war they hoped for never materialized obviously.
Guess if we went back with an improved bid, they will sell. Just dont seem too keen on the bloke. Need to be convinced.
They can get more than Wenger offered from other teams easily.
Ok so say Lacazette deal is off. Any realistic striker targets that are available that would improve this squad?
My picks are still Ben Yedder or Yarmolenko.
Don’t know why you’re getting thumbed down, both are better finishers than Giroud. Not world class, I’d take them.
Better than nothing
I am Ukrainian and used to be a Dynamo Kyiv season ticket holder back in the day when Yarmolenko got introduced to the first-team football. in a nutshell, the guy plays more of a Mahrezesque role – also lefty, deployed primarily on the right, but loves to shift centre-way and take a shot. Definitely not as technically gifted, but quite strong physically. Doesn’t show his pedigree in big games on regular basis (latest Euro being a fresh example). Verdict: Don’t even think about it. At best he’d suit [last-season] Everton to oust Mirallas. Alas, Everton lost interest in him after… Read more »
An Italian news outlet yesterday was saying Mandzukic might be available, with the arrival of Higuain, as he has fallen down the pecking order at Juve. Don’t know how true this is, but with the way the Striker market is, if he is there for a decent price, I think we should go for him. Prolific goal-scorer and also works heard defensively from set-pieces. My criticism of this would be that style-wise he is similar to Giroud. He wouldn’t offer us pace like a Lacazette type signing would.
I stopped reading right after the “Italian news outlet” part.
Jese Rodriguez perhaps
Especially with Madrid having Morata back
Although Zidane is allegedly a big fun of his
You’re a big fun!
2 weeks to go and no other signings. Hope Gunnersaurus knows how to kick a ball.
Nothing more than grandstanding. They responded in exactly the same way when Tottenham went in for Lloris – and look how that worked out. Lyon would absolutely sell Lacazette for the right price. Whether Arsenal will meet their valuation is another matter.
It’s well known that, contrary to some belief, the Lyon president and Wenger talk quite often on a friendship basis. After all, some of their previous managers (and possibly current one I think, though I may be wrong) were from Wenger recommendations. They’re quite close even though thy have to deal with each other professionally. The Lyon president can also be very frank. For that reason, I believe he’s not engaging in PR warfare but is simply giving an honest assessment on Wenger based on his experience and relationship with him, and he doesn’t believe a second offer is forthcoming.… Read more »
And I have to say I’m fine by it. I haven’t seen a lot of Lacazette, but from what I have seen I don’t think he’s all that, and certainly isn’t worth the £40+mil asking price. I’m no Wengerite, but I’m pretty confident he will get a striker. There are still a few unknowns out there, such as the aforementioned Ben Yedder (most probably imo, ticks too many Wenger boxes) or Yarmolenko (my pick, but I have no basis for thinking Arsenal are interested) that he will get someone. The real question is…why is he taking so long? Is he… Read more »
He’s a bit busy at the moment.
I wouldn’t pay those prices either I don’t care how much I needed that player. There are exception for one off talents like a Suarez or a Messi etc but fork out a fortune for a regular Joe just because an old fart blabs about how they couldn’t let him go for a penni less than a Billion. You get mugged once then you get mugged for life. You want to pay City prices? £25 mil for Bony and then gets tossed aside. £74 mil for Higiuan?? When the crazy games begin you don’t just join in the stupidity, sit… Read more »
Part of me agrees with you but the new TV deal has essentially introduced hyperinflation on the entire league in the course of a year- our money is now worth a fraction of what it was. Sadly we’re in a world where £30m+ is the norm for a halfway decent player for an English club. Not that I want us to go and spend like City etc but a happy medium has to be found, and found bloody quick.
Dont we get the same tv deal money, if not more, than other clubs?
And thats on top of what we have from before…so to me, we can still afford more than 90% of the PL clubs.
Prices have gone up, yes. But when the other clubs can afford to spend more with these new tv money, then so can we!
Yeah that’s what I’m saying, I just don’t want to see us descend into Football Manager-style signings and ignoring our youth.
Guess what. That’s what the market dictates. And guess what else, it’s not our money so need to care how much we pay
Another rumour going around is Mandzukic. Hopefully that’s not remotely true.
Mahrez lol. One good season in his whole career. I wouldn’t touch anyone from Leicester. Worked together wonderfully as a team, but individually a huge risk to throw money at. The whole balance is wrong at Arsenal, because the manager has no plan/vision. Please god, this is Wenger’s last season.
“The whole balance is wrong at Arsenal, because the manager has no plan/vision”
Please break this down for the less enlightened.
He just seems to buy players willy nilly. Sanchez and Ozil because their clubs wanted rid and needed to get money back, Cech cos he’s free. Everything he does is reactive. So many players seem to play out of position, Ramsey on the right, Cazorla on the left, Ox in the middle, Walcott god knows where. Wilshere nobody knows. It’s just a big mess. No forward planning, no tactical structure, it’s like he’s making it up as he goes along.
Sorry, cheap not free.
I agree with you on the second part. Also, he does buy in a reactive way, however looking now on Ozil/Sanchez buys, they were a bargain compared to what they would be worth now. Especially as us being a lesser club than Real Madrid and Barca, it would be impossible for us to buy them if they were not deemed surplus at those clubs. They would just stay there as these are the top clubs, there is not a bigger club to go to. I agree with the fact that we play so many players out of position, and it… Read more »
Everybody here is advocating buying players willy nilly. As soon as the Press come up with a name everybody here jumps on it like it was always the perfect and obvious fit, and starts moaning that Wenger won’t spend enough money to snag whoever it is. Then every name we didn’t sign, no matter how daft the suggestion, goes down as another perfect deal Wenger failed to clinch.
It looks like you aren’t aware that Cazorla was a winger until he joined us as AW made him a CM. OK he did play there occasionally before but it was rare.
For reasons I’m not entirely sure of, I keep track of transfer betting odds to get a sense of the plausibility of rumours. The most likely forward signings for Arsenal appear to be:
Mahrez: 11/10; Lacazette: 7/4; Lukaku: 5/2; Draxler: 7/2
(Longer odds on Benzema, Costa, and Sturridge (?!), at around 7/1)
For better or worse, the bookies seem convinced that we’ll keep hold of both Ox and Walcott this summer (odds of around 1/6).
Wow : I know that some folk will bet on some weird shit, but football transfers? Do people seriously rush to see ‘Paddy’ when they hear rumors of Messi spotted in a hire car near London Colney?
I’m not convinced Theo will stay. I think he’s being held simply as a contingency in case we don’t get a striker (which I think is pointless. If he’s not good enough, then sell him and id rather give the chance to Akpom). But if we do get a striker, and I believe we will, he’ll be off, either this window or the next one. Even if he stays and plays on the wings, as Wenger claimed he would, I don’t see it. With the promotion of The Jeff and Gnabry to return, let alone possible rare opportunities for Willock,… Read more »
Interestingly enough, the odds on Mahrez leaving for Arsenal are lower (11/10) than those for staying at Leicester (11/8). Make of that what you will…
Not good enough… Like Vardy. Ok on counter but useless when it comes to face packed Defences ( and the PL this year going to suck on that point .Twats like Mou, Conte, and anybody under tenth is going to play with 9 behind at all times) Not good enough.
Saw a little fella not many know about called Lionel Messi who could be worth a punt.
Nah, he’s a bloody crook. They did him for fraud. I reckon they found out he’s not nearly as good at football as he told them he was 🙂
Everyone needs to calm down a bit…damobot has the right idea. Let Wenger just do his job-he can only bring in what is available and also want to even play for Arsenal. 2 weeks to go….I fucking cannot wait for this season to start.
But if we sign a player it will “kill” you and we’ll be left with an empty snood.
Get Ben Yedder, third highest scorer past 4 L1 seasons after Ibr and Lacazette. And that’s for a team that are always facing relegation. So imagine his goal scoring rate with our creative powers. Read this article (Pain In The Arsenal) on Jese from Real Madrid. He may very well leave, would be a good signing for us. Younger than Mahrez. Jese contributed to a goal every 75 minutes last season. Mahrez contributed to a goal every 109 minutes. Jese has played only 2400 minutes, but he has contributed to 27 goals. Therefore, for his career he averages a goal… Read more »
Lyon wants to keep Lacazette and they know how secretive Wenger want to be about transfers so them being as outspoken and public as possible is likely a strategy.
Let’s just accept the fact that we are not signing Lacazette and move on to the next target.
I.d quite like Kalinic from.Fiorentina
It’s finally happening…. Football is eating itself
The latest rumour says Wenger will make a final bid for Lacazzette of around £33m, like Chelsea’s bid for Bathsuhay. Who knows what’s true and what’s not by now.
Actually i.m not gonna lose my shit this summer. Everyone knows the prices are crazy and the quality mediocre mostly. Prepared to trust Wenger on this one. Gazidis cud do with shutting up tho
Arsene knows best. Whoever wears the club jersey I will support. I will not critise any of our players. If they are struggling, I support them just like when they are on top form. Football is an art. Arsene Wenger made modern Arsenal. In years to come, ppl will look back and see how much he has giving to the club. To the fans that are constantly negative, please take a chill pill and do yourself a favour.
That’s good talk. Try to remember this next summer with Alexis and Mesut leaving for more ambitious-ch.league contender clubs while we play with Yaya Sanogo upfront.
You going to eat humble pie next summer if it all comes good, or will you have found something else to criticise Wenger for by then?
I am coming to believe that never being happy is a state of mind that some people thoroughly deserve.
What the hell takes our club so long to sign players. Every other club seems to get there business done when it’s needed but every single transfer for us just drags out and then falls flat on it’s feet because we’re a bunch of tight pocketed bastards
These statement by Lyon is more like inviting improved offer than saying Lacazette will stay.
Cannt see much else happening. Maybe next summer. New manager, new methods.
Mahrez in Theo out and Ben Yedder for 8 million
Someone pay me Ivan’s wages!
We have them right where we want them lads – no-one expects the Wenger imposition
…until it’s too late.
Boom!
Pogba ditches Man untd in the last minute to sign for Madrid, who pay over the odds for him as they always do. This leaves Mourinho absolutely pissed off and embarrassed, so he does the most cuntish thing he can think of, and hijacks our move for Lacazette, spending over 80 mil on him, and two games into the season realizes Lacazette is rather shit at football. Meanwhile, Madrid try and make some money back from their Pogba buy by selling Benzema to Arsenal, and with Mahrez and the Mustafi already signed up, we go on to win the league… Read more »
I love this plan 🙂
Excellent! Love it all except – who would be a main striker at RM if they sell us Benzema? Buying Pogba does not solve that, even if they would need to recuperate a bit of the crazy fee for him 🙂
I have to say, it truly is a master plan!
Blogs, you’re a legend. I love Arseblog and my wife knows that my Mondays and Fridays are dedicated to the podcast.
Wenger’s valuation on any player is comparative to who he might feel may also be on market or come on market. Prices on some of these other options may cool off toward end of market should potential peer rivals take alternate routes. So when he feels Lacazette is not worth say 33m, he may feel someone-else who may be a better fit for the team could come down in pricing or come available. Naturally there is a risk to waiting which is why he may elect to throw in a punt early (as with our friend from Leicester City) In… Read more »
Simply put many people do not know how a market works. There are 3 chief parties. Aside from the buying club and the selling club, the player/and agent must also be convinced to accept the price. They will be swayed by other potential options/offers. Thereby it isn’t as simple as many think. A lot of it is out of our hands. That we could land an asset like Granit ahead of potential other competitors is largely due to Wenger’s acumen and influence plus reputation as a developmental manager. But the player is also motivated to come over to us much… Read more »
“In the over 20m price range, Arsenal and Wenger have to be careful. A miscalculation and you are saddled with a player you may find more difficult to get rid of and who is taking up your wage bill. Think Aguero.”
lol, you come out with some weird stuff, but this is a classic
I wonder if a trade is in the works, Mahrez for Walcott + cash. That will be sweet.
Is that Championship Mahrez, or PL-winning Mahrez?
If Ranieri truly made the Leicester team better than their constituent parts by instilling genuine belief and togetherness into them then what will Wenger manage? He says the team is mentally strong, but he’s not really convinced them of it in the last decade. If Mahrez doesn’t feel the togetherness he had at Leicester how much poorer will he play? We could easily end up with “Championship Mahrez” playing for us. That may be what Ranieri is busy telling him right now.
Think it’s pretty obvious the Lacazette trade is off – if it was ever seriously on. Likewise, I am convinced Wenger has never been serious about going after Mahrez (otherwise it would be done by now). As per previous seasons, he’s holding out for the chance of scoring a bargain on deadline day. I am not confident it’s going to happen.
Arsenal are the “tyre kickers” of the transfer market. Always trying to get something on the cheap, offering £5-£10M less than the asking price. I just wish other clubs to tell Wenger unless he has a sensible/serious offer to sod off when he comes calling. Another also ran season for us in the offering. Away games only for me I will not put another penny in Kronke’s pocket!
If you’re referring to Lacazettes price.
1) He said he’d only leave to play CL football and we have that so we have less competition (The West ham bid wasn’t considered for that reason alone).
2) Unless you know the payment terms then you’ll never know which deal is best.
Which suits you, 10m paid in 5 annual instalments of 2m, or 8m in 1 upfront instalment… ?
Everybody’s an expert on how Arsenal work behind the scenes on financial deals that they never give details about even when they succeed. Do other Clubs have so many transfer experts in their fan ranks?
Didn’t we leave Highbury in order to be able to “compete for the best” when it came to bringing in players. Wilfred Bony does not match that mission statement. Bony is not what you’d expect from a club with money to invest and a club that ‘claims’ to want to win things. We need a striker, a good striker too. We’ve got some money ready to go- now has to be the time to invest. We came up short year after year, we have to strengthen at the back and up top. I just hope Arsene goes for it. But… Read more »