Willian
In an era where players seem to put what they earn above how much they play, we have to say fair play to Willian for agreeing to cancel his contract; costing him around £20million.
The 33-year-old is off back to his home team club Corinthians.
The criticism Willian has got for what he earns is often unfair. It is not his fault that Arsenal offered such a high wage and a 3-year contract.
He probably feels that he was sold a lie (which feels like a common theme at Arsenal at the moment) and that what he was promised never materialised.
Likewise I do not think anyone could have predicted just how poor he would be following a very good season the year before.
Older players can “fall off a cliff” performance wise and it looks like that is what happened to Willian.
He has shown he still has a desire to play football, even if it does hit him in the pocket, and for that we must give credit.
Hector Bellerin
It might end up being the biggest piece of transfer drama for Arsenal on deadline day. Hector Bellerin.
Despite him wanting to leave and Arsenal wanting to sell, there has been very little interest in the Spaniard this window.
There were reports late at night that both Real Betis and Barcelona were looking at him, but neither would have the cash to make it a permanent deal.
If he joins Barcelona it will feel like Arsenal have missed a trick – we should have been in for Tottenham bound Emerson Royal.
The worry is that neither Cedric Soares or Calum Chambers have looked particularly good at right back this season. And if Bellerin goes our options to replace him will be thin. Which leaves Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Firstly, I do not condone AMN’s behaviour on Instagram.
It was a petulant action in an attempt to force a move out of the club. But it was an action he was perhaps forced into due to the clubs behaviour towards him.
Last summer he was on the verge of joining Wolves where he would have instantly gone in to replace Matt Doherty at right back.
At that stage he was on the fringes of the England squad with an outside chance of making it.
Someone at Arsenal decided late on that he would not be leaving the club and the deal fell through.
He would start just 5 league games before being loaned out to relegation-bound WBA; killing any chances he had of making the Euro’s squad.
You can appreciate his 12 months of frustration.
On the verge of leaving and then kept at the club. Whatever he was promised to remain did not materialise.
And now we are in the same situation.
He has played just 19 minutes of Premier League football this season and there is an offer from Everton on the table. But Edu and Mikel Arteta have decided that they do nit want to let him go again.
Yes, Bellerin could be leaving. But if AMN was next in line he would have started the 4 games we have had so far. He has not.
I have always been of the belief that if a fringe player wishes to leave us to play regular footballer elsewhere, we should never stand in their way.
If we force AMN to stay for the 2nd summer in a row, it could have huge ramifications on squad moral and future transfers.
The whole situation really paints the club in poor light.
More…
Eddie Nketiah – Looks like Crystal Palace have gone elsewhere. They offered £10m, we wanted £20m. The same people moaning we have not sold him probably also moan that we under sell players. It is easy to say “we should sell Nketiah for £15million” but you can only do that if a £15million offer comes in for him.
Reiss Nelson – A new 2-year contract with a loan deal attached to it feels sensible. I still do not feel he is the quality to make the grade at Arsenal, but a new deal at least secures a future transfer fee. He hits Donyell Malen figures whilst on loan in Holland and his value shoots up.
Tariq Lamptey – People still calling for Arsenal to sign him despite him having been injured since the middle of December 2020.
Houssem Auoar – The fact he has been available all summer yet no club has gone in for him highlights just why Arsenal are right to stay clear. There is a problem player there.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
John Cross reporting that AMN has been told to train with the unwanted loanees, such as Dinzeyi, Akinola, Alebiouso after his petulant rant on Instagram.
Ashley has always been a bit of a disruptive figure, especially when his mother was around as a teenager, perhaps she is back on the scene?
LikeLike
Good write up
Willian – good riddance! Signing made no sense. Only benefit was that Pepe kicked up a gear. Debatable if Willian was responsible. Edu/Arteta to blame for £10m/yr contract. fair play to him for ripping it up. I personally wouldn’t. Considering sticking my gold season ticket on a credit card so you can imagine…
Bellerin – real shame, what a quality RB, he was. Hope he hits and surpasses those heights again. Know very little about Tomiyasu. Hopefully not another Chambers.
AMN – no excuses. He deserves his spell in reserves. There is a right and wrong way, and this is wrong. No ifs, no buts. Everton are looking at a loan, club want a sale. Deal has to work for all 3 parties. Ask Harry Kane – if it doesn’t work, you don’t throw your toys out the pram. He goes on a one year loan with 2 years left on his contract, he’d be sold undervalue next summer. If Everton are serious, they should agree to Obligation/Option to buy. Same as Forentina did with Torreirra.
Nketiah – Less a year left on his contract? Should have snapped up the £10m! He can talk to other clubs in 4 months, and leave for nothing in 10 months.
LikeLike