Morning all. Hope you had a good weekend.
Slow news today which is usually expected due to the international break.
Yesterday I wrote a little something about what players I expect will be heading off to the World Cup in November & December.
We may end up with as few as 6 players out in Qatar.
Whilst some might look at it negatively that so few players could be in Qatar, we should see it as a positive.
Those players that do not play for their country get a 6-week mid-season break. They will return in December stronger and fitter than the players that did go. And will have less miles on the clock come the business end of the season.
Key first team players Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Martinio Odergaard, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Magalhães missing out will leave them fully energised for the second half of the season.
We have some boring transfer speculation floating about (newspapers still need to fill those column inches!).
None of it is probably worth repeating.
Edu has shown in his time at the club that he has a plan when it comes to transfers. I imagine whoever we are looking to buy in January (if anyone) has already been established and negotiations taking place.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Danilo come in from Palmeries.
He is a player we have been watching for some time, and certainly fits the profile of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
The Brazilian season will be on its summer break, so it will be a natural time for us to sign the 21-year-old.
It would then give us 8 months of embedding him into a new country (and team) ahead of the 2022/23.
With Mohamed Elneny at the club, we will not need to rush Danilo if he is not ready to cover Thomas Partey. And then after the 6 months bedding in period he should be ready to go!
Ignore the Dusan Vlahovic rumours. It won’t happen.
England have another game tonight. Hopefully Gareth Southgate does not give Bukayo Saka a run out – give the boy a break!
Not much more than that happening!
Enjoy your Monday (and the game tonight).
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 