Yesterday was a busy day for the Arsenal transfer rumour mill.

There were reports of a failed bid for Brighton’s Ben White, whilst Aston Villa targeted Emile Smith Rowe – Villa are clearly looking to splash the cash ahead of recouping their expenditure by selling Jack Grealish.

Late in the day Arsenal were heavily linked to Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale.

23-year-old Ramsdale has recently been called into the England Euro 2021 squad as a replacement for the injured Dean Henderson.

Replacing Henderson for England mirrors his club career where he also replaced his compatriot at Sheffield United following the latters return to Manchester United.

Ramsdale, like Sheffield United, had a tough season last year.

For the first 4 months of the season he got nowhere near any shot on target.

However he showed signs of becoming a really good keeper in the last third of the season.

Sheffield United fans are still split as to whether he has the quality to make it at the very top, but he is apparently a “top kid”.

The links to Ramsdale are interesting because it seemed Arsenal were on the verge of signing Andre Onana depending on the outcome of his doping case.

He has had his suspension reduced meaning that he can play from the 4th of November.

Talk was the Onana was going to come in to replace Bernd Leno – who could be on his way back to Germany.

There is a lot of logic behind Arsenal signing both Ramsdale and Onana.

If Leno leaves, and with no established number 2, Arsenal would need 2 new goal keepers.

If Onana is available for as little as £7million and is our primary target, we should be signing him regardless of his suspension.

That means we need a number 2 who can come in and do a job for 3 months until Onana has returned.

Ramsdale is reportedly available for £20million, is just 23 and is home grown.

With 2 years Premier League experience under his belt (one at Bournemouth, one at Sheffield United), he is a man that could come in and do that job until Onana is off his ban.

The pair would cost Arsenal in the region of £27million combined – the price tag would be somewhat offset with the sale of Leno.

That would leave Arsenal with Onana and Ramsdale as the two goal keeper options. I am happy with that.

Arsenal have also been linked with Ramsdale’s team mate Sander Berge.

The puzzle for Berge is where will he fit in.

He has played central midfield his entire career but some feel he could end up at centre back.

His problem is despite his height, he is one of those that’s smaller in the air when he jumps and defensively questionable.

He’s also slow accelerating and takes a while to reach his top speed.

Berge is a player that would get better with better players around him and has undoubted potential. But you would want to see him have another 12 months Premier League football under his belt before spending £30-35million on him.

So Ramsdale and Onanan YES. Berge NO.

Keenos

Good result for England yesterday. Head is hurting today – I will blame it on the sunshine rather than the rum I was drinking.

It was the performance of Kalvin Phillips that was most impressive.

Gareth Southgate got criticised when team new came out for “playing two defensive midfielders”; but Phillips performance showed that there are different ways to play two defensive minded players.

With Declan Rice sitting infront of the back 4 in the traditional defensive role, Phillips was free to roam further up the pitch, pressing high.

This meant Croatia were unable to build up from the back. And when Phillips did win the ball back it was often in the opponents half.

It was a similar performance to what N’Golo Kante has put in for France and Chelsea.

Whilst the Frenchman is considered a defensive midfielder, he operates best when he has someone, such as Jorginho, playing in behind.

As Phillips said in his post-game interview, he knows that he has Rice behind him so he can press high and commit himself knowing his team mate is sweeping up behind.

Arsenal played like this a couple of seasons ago when Granit Xhaka was a fairly static defensive midfielder and Lucas Torreira was given a role to push and press higher up the field.

And this might be the thinking behind targeting Yves Bissouma.

Whilst some will see playing Thomas Partey and Bissouma as too defensive, playing the pair could lead to Bissouma pushing up and winning the ball in the opponents half. This will lead to chances created.

Kante has been such a key player to Chelsea, France and Leicester City over the last half a decade. Bissouma could have the same impact for Arsenal. Phillips for England.

Little side step now.

One thing that has bugged me during the build up to Euro 2020 is the way same sections of society have gone out of their way to highlight “how diverse the England squad is”.

These people seem to be acting as if England having a diverse squad is a new thing.

They must be new to football – or just using it to push an agenda – because England (alongside France) have had one of the most ethnically diverse teams for decades:

2021: 11 Players of Colour
2018: 12
2016: 10
2014: 7
2012: 8
2010: 7
2006: 7
2004 – 7
2002 – 9
2000 – 3

It just seems odd that the make up of the squad is being celebrated now, when it has hardly changed in 20 years.

Back in 2002, 39% of the players came from a BAME background. 2021 it is 42%.

Players from a Caribbean, African or mixed heritage playing for England is not a new thing. Those commentating on the make up of the squad are trying to create an issue where there is not one.

Anyway. Have a good Monday. Drink lots of water. Pop a few Ibuprofen. And if at lunch you’re still feeling rough go have a couple of Kopparbergs.

Keenos

Today Arsenal were linked with Brighton’s Ben White. Reports are the South Coast side are demanding £40million for him.

I like Ben White.

He performed well ofr Leeds in the Champions last season, and had a decent season for Brighton in the Premier League this.

He is a ball playing centre back who is a level ahead of Rob Holding, and would potentially make a good partner to Gabriel.

But the link to White has woken up the William Saliba fan boys from their slumber.

Some Arsenal fans have a really unhealthy relationship with Saliba.

They talk about him like he is already a superstar. That he would be one of the best centre backs in the Premier League.

Everytime Arsenal are linked with a central defender, they cry foul play and screa Saliba’s name at the top of their voices.

But how much have they actually seen of him? Probably a handful of games in Ligue 1.

The only time he pulled on the Arsenal senior shirt – in a pre-season friendly against Milton Keynes Dons last summer – he was poor.

Now he is still a kid. Just 20-years-old. So may well develop into a beast of a defender. So I am not writing him off.

But I am also not buying into the hype that is going on.

It feels at times that those hyping Saliba are doing so for the sole reason that they do not like Mikel Arteta.

It is simple in their minds – any player that Arteta does not select regularly (Saliba, Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Martinelli) is a superstar. Anyone that Arteta likes (Holding, Hector Bellerin, Bukaya Saka) is overatted. Average.

Some fans really do have an unhealthy obession with a player who has yet to make his senior debut for Arsenal. The fact he has “fan accounts” is very odd.

So we awake today with Arsenal being linked to a very good English central defender; and instead ob eing excited about his signing Twitter has gone into overdrive hyping up a player that they have hardly seen.

Saliba is not in the French squad for Euro 2021. He does not even get into their U21 squad. The last time he was picked for a French side was in 2019 for their U21s.

So when you break it down, Saliba was signed under Unai Emery and loaned straight out. Arteta was also happy to see him loaned out. Didier Deschamps prefers Kurt Zouma for the senior squad. And Sylvain Ripoll has yet to call him up to the U21.

That is 4 managers. All of whom have yet to give him a minutes play.

I hope Saliba is giving a chance at Arsenal. But he gets that chance when he is ready.

If the management believe Ben White is a better option. We back that.

The biggest worry is we sign White, there will be a group of fans hoping he makes a mistake and costs Arsenal posts so that they continue tweeting their obession over Saliba. they would not want White, or Arsenal, to suceed.

Have a good Saturday

Keenos

Oh and whilst the subject is my little shop….
Anyone for an old skool bucket hat next week ?? pic.twitter.com/MNKnLcEgvV

— 🎗 ///SHE WORE/// 🎗 (@SheWore) June 8, 2021