How to spend £110million – Zinchenko, Vieira & Jesus v Martinez & Raphinha

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Morning all.

Everyone make it into work OK today? Coolest place to probably be is the air conditioned office. I can handle 40 minutes on the Central Line to be in a 22°C office today.

Peak of the weather is around 5pm so I will just go to a pub on the river until about 10pm – should be cooling down by then.

Last night Manchester United confirmed the signing of Lisandro Martínez for £55million.

Earlier in the transfer window we were linked with him, but the price got a little too hot.

Even if we were looking to bring in a first choice full back to replace Kieran Tierney, £55million feels a bit heavy.

As we were actually looking for someone to compete with and cover the Scotsman, it would have been negligent spending that sort of money.

Martinez could have covered left sides centre back as well, but at 5 9 you wonder if he has the physicality to do that in the Premier League.

Statisticians will point to his positive aerial duel figures. But it has to be remembered this is in Holland.

It is very different playing week in, week out against some part-time clog maker in comparison to having a Harry Kane or Chris Wood battling against you.

Another we have “missed out” on is Raphinha as his £55million deal to Barcelona has been confirmed.

The path of both Raphinha and Martinez has been very similar this summer.

Both were targeted by Arsenal to add squad depth. Neither were guaranteed a start. We walked away from both when the price became too high.

It shows we have real clarity of thinking this summer.

Had we signed both, it would have meant £110m+ spent on two players that would not necessarily be regular starters.

Raphinha last season was no better than Gabriel Martinelli, let alone anywhere near Bukayo Saka. Whilst Martinez is probably just about on the same level as Tierney.

Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira have cost us around £75 million. Reports are that a deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko will be made for around £30-35million.

If we take Zinchenko at the highest price, it is then £110million spent on the Ukrainian, Jesus and Vieira. That is shrewd business.

Jesus, Vieira & Zinchenko or Raphinha and Martinez? I know which group I would rather have signed.

We still have money left in the bank after Zinchenko. I expect that to go on an attacking player that can play both outside and inside.

I do not think Youri Tielemans is an option unless Granit Xhaka leaves – we now have Partey, Xhaka, Odergaard, Vieira, Zinchenko, Elneny and Lokonga as central midfield options.

Seven players for 6 positions is probably already one too many (although Zinchenko covers left back and Vieira covers outwide as well). It makes no sense to sign Tielemans and make it 8 for 3 unless we see departures.

More likely is we got for someone who primarily plays out wide, but can drop inside if needed.

Lucas Paquetá could be that man – although my thoughts is it will be someone we have not even been linked with yet.

Enjoy the sunshine.

Stay safe. Stay hydrated.

Keenos

Arsenal kick off US tour with midnight win

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Last (or this morning) we kicked off our pre-season tour with a win against Everton in Baltimore.

For those long-term followers of the blog, you will all know my disdain for these international tours. They just highlight clubs for the hypocrites they are.

They preach to fans about sustainability, net-zero and carbon footprint – then fly players thousands of miles round the globe to play teams that are just 6 miles away (in the case of our friendly against Chelsea in a weeks time).

Like many (Gary Lineker), football clubs are happy to lecture fans but soon forget their morals when there is a bit of coin to be made.

At some point this season every Premier League manager will bemoan scheduling. Claiming players are tired. Exhausted. In need of a rest. It will be louder this year as we have the corrupt winter World Cup.

Maybe if they were that concerned with player welfare, they should set the example and have pre-season friendlies closer to home? Not fly to numerous different countries to play teams based round the corner?

This season we play in 3 different countries (England, Germany & USA). In 2019 it was 4. 2018 it was 5!

Considering we are in the era of marginal gains, surely a sports scientist has pointed out that by not flying round the globe for pre-season, players will be much more prepared?

Anyway, political rant over.

The Everton game kicked off at midnight. I did not watch it. Will probably try and catch some highlights today. But I am not overly concerned.

Friendlies mean very little.

We saw Manchester United go OTT with their victory over Liverpool a week or so ago. Ignoring that whilst they had out a very strong XI, Liverpool played mainly kids.

You never know what stage of training a team is at during pre-season.

Often teams will run a full training session before a friendly. If the opponents have not done this then that impacts the fitness.

Might blog tomorrow on the game. But then I will have to pretend I watched it. Or care.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Keenos

Omari Hutchinson will find life is not better away from Arsenal – Just ask Mavididi and McGuane

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Omari Hutchinson has been on most of our radar since a video of him as a 12-year-old went viral in 2016.

Usually these sort of players disappear off the map without a sniff. But in Hutchinson’s case it was looking like he might have a chance to make it.

Now 18, there was talk that he might get an opportunity in the Europa League and League Cup during the first half of the season. That would be followed by a second half of the season loan to “complete his education”.

But instead it looks like he is off to Chelsea.

Now many will bemoan Arsenal losing a bright young talent to a rival.

Some have already blamed Mikel Arteta for “not giving youngsters a chance” despite him consistently fielding the youngest team in the Premier League last season.

We have seen Hale End graduates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe become first team regulars under his tutorage. Whilst Eddie Nketiah has done enough to earn himself a new contract.

I have always been of the option that you “can not develop them all”.

Senior game time is limited at clubs like Arsenal. We have to choose who we will back.

That will always lead to some moaning that one player has lacked game time whilst others get it.

Henri Lansbury “never got a fair crack of the whip” at Arsenal because a certain Jack Wilshere was given the minutes.

Likewise Reiss Nelson’s game time evaporated whilst Saka exploded onto the scene.

The majority of Arsenal youngsters will leave us before ever getting a chance. And very few, if any, have proved the club wrong over the years.

Two of the most “high profile” departures in recent years were Stephen Mavididi and Marcus McGuane.

Mavididi found himself in competition with Nketiah and, with a Florian Balogun also coming up the ranks behind, his game time was limited.

Mavididi opted to join Juventus. He wod make one league appearance for the Old Lady before joining Montpellier in France.

A big deal was made of McGuane joining Barcelona. An even bigger deal was made when he played for them in a friendly – the British media wrongly claiming that he had made his senior debut.

Four years after leaving Arsenal, McGuane is back in England plying for Oxford United.

Another to recently leave is was Sam Greenwood.

He left for Leeds United in the summer of 2020 to get more senior game time. One league start in two seasons for the Yorkshire club.

Hutchinson departure is certainly not a blow to Arsenal.

The winger, born in 2003, has found himself buying Saka and Martinelli (both 2001 born) and Smith Rowe (2000).

These three men kept Nicolas Pepe out the team last season. You will have to be very special to get a chance ahead of them.

This summer Arsenal also recruited Brazilian starlet Marquinhos.

Marquinhos was out straight into the first team squad and is on the plan to the USA. He is just 6 months older than Hutchinson.

Now some might complain as to why we signed Marquinhos rather than giving Hutchinson a go.

Let’s remember Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Edu and their teams know much more about the talents of both players then any of us.

If they have the combined belief that Marquinhos is a better talent than Hutchinson then so be it!

Likewise, I imagine Hutchinson will be very disappointed to see someone of a same age, in the same position, be bought and get a chance ahead of him. But that is football.

Like Akpom led to Afobe leaving and Nketiah led to Akpom departing, you move on if a better player is available.

The only thing I do not really get is if Hutchinson has moved due to lack of game time, why join Chelsea? If he is not good enough for us he is certainly not good enough for them.

I imagine by the time he leaves Chelsea, he would have had more loan clubs than senior starts for them.

I wish Hutchinson luck on the future. But I am not going to lose any sleep over his departure.

Keenos