Unai Emery says the transfer window closing for Premier League clubs before the season starts is a positive, even though clubs elsewhere in the world will be able to sign England-based players for an additional three weeks.
Premier League clubs agreed earlier this year to close the window at 5pm on Thursday, 9 August, a full 22 days before lower league clubs and Europe’s biggest leagues call time on their own transfer business.
Coming off the back of a busy World Cup summer, it has put the pressure on clubs in England’s top division to get their business done early.
It also leaves them vulnerable to ‘contract rebels’ forcing moves at a time when new arrivals are off the table. In Arsenal’s case, they have to weigh up the possibility of pre-emptively replacing Aaron Ramsey even though the Welshman, who has only one year on his contract, could still sign a new deal at the club.
Despite the complications, Emery is fine with the situation. Speaking from Singapore, he said: “For us, the decision to close the transfer market on August 9 is good because we start the Premier League and it is better to close the window when the competition starts.
“They haven’t done it in Spain, or Italy or Germany, but for us I think it is good.”
Emery added that he does still have one eye in the market, should a player take his eye.
“I am very happy with how the club is working and we are working every day on how we can improve.
“I am with the players and those who have arrived this week, I am very happy with and I said at the last press conference that if there is an opportunity to try to sign one player, then we are looking.” ”
On a separate note, the head coach also underlined how pleased he’s been with his squad’s efforts since pre-season began three weeks ago.
The Gunners step-up their preparations for the new season tomorrow when they face Atletico Madrid in the International Champions Cup tomorrow. That’s then followed, on Saturday, by a showdown with his former club Paris Saint Germain.
“We are settling in very well, working and doing preparation for the two games, against Atletico Madrid and PSG,” said Emery.
We worked hard yesterday and Monday and today we reduce a little ahead of tomorrow’s match. The thinking is for continuous hard preparation.
“Each match is different, with Atletico Madrid and PSG the level is bigger [than against Boreham Wood] and it is clear these two clubs don’t have at the moment every player who was at the World Cup.
“The level is still big and we play with our capacity today, but we are still waiting on some players who played in the World Cup too.
“But I am very happy with the work every day and with the performance of the players and tomorrow we are going to prepare to play against Atletico. We are three weeks into our work.”
I can’t wait for this season to kick off. I feel it every year, even felt that the past few years, but this time it’s with a refreshing optimism and excitement that had definitely waned. Man, it amazes me how much passion erupts from this tribal following of a football team.
COYG
well said! I’m especially pumped to see Aubameyang for the whole season. I think he was our player of the year last year despite only joining in Jan. A healthy Laca looked great at the end of last year as well.
Good times ahead!! I think even a draw against City in the first game is a great result, obviously I’d rather win 🙂
Its all about details. IF Emery can sort out and improve current players, we may see different results to last season where Wenger did not intervene sufficiently from bench. I think what is sorely lacking IMO though is a player to complement the 2 up top with a bit more pace and trickery on the flanks. This particularly as BOTH Granit and Torreira possess quick release passes from deep. We need someone to hit out wide who can carry the ball quickly and engage with speed to catch the opponents out before they can retreat and assemble. Case in point… Read more »
Aubameyang in full flight is genuinely one of the most exciting things I’ve seen at the Emirates since Thierry. (Though that one Ramsey wonder season was pretty special as well)
Remember the talk of there being 50 million for us to buy new players with at the end of last season? How much have we actually spent so far? Must be way more than that.
Not an awful lot more, around £70m but Torreira’s fee is over the next few seasons so probably more around £60m overall.
Most of the fees are paid in installments, but clubs don’t look on transfer spending like fans wrongly do anyway. So the talk of any net figures spent in a transfer window is basically pointless.
My research throw up:
Leno £22 million
Torreira £27 million
Sokratis £14 million
Guendouzi £7 million
£70 million so far with potential for one more.
We signed Torreira for €30m over 3 years rather than paying his €25m release clause, so in terms of this season our spend has been almost £50m exactly
Like Red Wing says above, players are paid for in installments but I’d think the 50 million still counts for what the club can afford on player for the season.
Seeing as we’re theb pretty much on the dot for what was said we haven’t done badly rransfer wise, have we? I’m excited about seeing the new players in the coming season.
And I don’t understand where the thumbs down come from for the question asked and the answers provides regarding the club’s spending so far.
When we start selling that amount will come down to 10 millions.
What could we get for Welbeck? I would think it’s either him or Perez going. Ospina must be worth a decent amount as far as goalkeepers go. Ramsey obviously. Anyone else worth any money?
Chopping block – Ospina, Jenkinson, Campbell
Possibly either Perez or Welbeck. Of the two Welbz will fetch substantially more.
Prob all 4 about 60m
There’s also Akpom who may make up remaining 10m to our 70m outlay.
So one more player potentially still OK considering we have some give in the coffers from years of frugality.
It makes a change from the “massive war chest” we used to hear about every summer transfer which then amounted to a 29 year old moving across on a freebie, a 17 year old from azkekistan showing promise in their Lokomotiv League 2 and a hurried splashing of 40 mil on an underachiever from one of the big 4 very late in the window.
only if ramsey goes
I don’t think we should be selling Ramsey just yet.
BOTH Ozil and Mhki are close to 30yrs.
There’s plenty of upside keeping Ramsey particularly as he thrives in the Ozil position higher up where he has been wrongly used as a box to box largely bc of deficiencies in midfield Wenger failed to address following Santi’s injury.
A disciplined Ramsey is a yes from me. The other one, the one that comes bombing through and hoofs it wide, I’ve had enough of.
Haven’t we forgotten Arsene already! Go Unai!
We Arsenal fans haven’t
He sounds confident (more than Mourinho at the moment…).
Mourinho makes Eeyore sound confident and positive.
Mourinho is a cunt!
Having zero expectations for the club for the following season is something that I have had for over a decade. That hasn’t changed with the appointment of Emery as I don’t expect him to work miracles overnight. But the fact that we can hopefully expect something different for the 18/19 season is genuinely exciting. Although, in the end, it’s always the hope that kills you.
Too true.
Best to keep expectations low.
I haven’t seen too much in market to suggest any different from Wenger era.
Only improvements will be how Emery manages details (particularly defensive) and get the best out of some players clearly not performing to potential but in many ways also victims of systemic neglect by Arsene’s laissez faire approach.
As long as Stan is owner nothing will really change. Arsene was never the problem. Insistence by club owner not to match investment of other top clubs is the real issue.
obviously thinking about ramsey
Team as it is is not good enough to make the top 4. Infact the only edge we’d have over Chelsea is the probability of their team taking time to get used to Sarri methods and of course the probability of Kante leaving. Torreira is the closest we’ve signed to a clear first 11 upgrade. Leno too but isn’t that great. Guendouzi is potential and the less said about the others, the better. We’ve seen this play out a couple of seasons before. 14/15 season where Wenger thought it was a great idea to go into the season with only… Read more »
Completely ignores the arrival of Aubameyang (13 prem appearances 17/18) and Mkhitaryan (11 prem appearances), both of whom had a full summers rest and will complete a full preseason. The same should also be mentioned in any discussion of our transfer “budget” for the summer window, as many seem quick to forget the £56m shipped off to Dortmund to sign P-EA.
We may be able to catch one of Chelsea (with new gaffer) or United (mourinho effect) or Liverpool (should they lose a key component), ineed maybe even Spurs (bc they are who they are)
But City will be a tough ask.
Still if we can set our sights at being back in top 4, it will be a plus for Emery’s first season. Anythingelse is bonus (Oh I dunno say europa or FA)
Auba is the only player I feel is truly exceptional in the squad.
The rest will depend on how much Emery can improve them.
In terms of buys this summer, only Torreira looks a decent buy, maybe Leno. Papas is another Squillaci signing, Lichsteiner is stop gap although both are in there for depth I suppose.
We have not as yet signed an exceptional talent this summer.
yeah, its pretty much the same team as last season, except we have a new manager, so not expecting much this season
If Arsenal has got an ounce of sense they will offload Ramsey for as much as possible. He is just a dead weight now, pretty good 2/3 seasons ago but just a rather large headed individual with an overgrown sense of his own importance.
I don’t think he is dead weight. He hasn’t been played in the best position by Wenger IMO. He has the lungs for box to box but he is MOST lethal just behind the strikers which is Ozil’s position. Much depends on where Ozil may see himself in a season down. Mesut is 29yrs going on 30yrs. Probably in long term better to keep Ramsey. Also Mhkitaryan was signed for a reason to hedge against an Ozil departure but he is also 29yrs ++ There is plenty of give for Ramsey (or indeed the Jeff) in the advance role behind… Read more »
Ahem…..shhhhhh…….Dembele.
I would love to see us bring him in, but I have no idea how we would manage to pay that fee. I fear if a player like Martial leaves united he might end up there. Or maby as a replacement for William or Hazard In Chelsea ?
Zaha?!
no way, dives too much.
Tooo expensive.
Better off with Lozano or Thauvin.
David Neres at Ajax also worth a look into.
Lastly Carasco who is only 24yrs and IMO wasting his time in China (ableit well heeled)
not good enough for arsenal
Any news on Ramsey Bloggs? 🙂
I should hope we keep Ramsey.
But if he leaves, hopefully we strengthen on the flanks.
We have players to play 4-3-3 but to execute better (transition from the back into attack before the opponents drop and set up stall in front of the box), we need a quick tricky wide player.
Someone tricky like Thauvin or Lozano or indeed young David Neres at Ajax with bags of potential… or maybe out of left field Yannick Carrasco (who is a waste in China at 24yrs)
Might Dembele from Barca be a surprise late move ? Ther seems to be a bit of chat on Instagram about it . . . ?
Maybe it would depend on the Ramsey situation, though, if it is a reliable rumour, of course.
Milinko Savic not dusted yet.
Many players will be moving which will give us indication who is left on the shelf for our late move.