Tag Archives: Arsenal

Aaron Ramsey closing in on new deal

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I think he is looking at what the likes of Mesut Ozil is getting, and what other’s in the Premier League are on, and feels that £150,000 is less than what he is worth

That was the response from someone during a discussion over what is happening with Aaron Ramsey’s contract. And it is very hard to disagree with it.

Aaron Ramsey is one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League – I find it very odd the way some fans still criticise him.

At 27-years old, he is coming into the peak of his career. There are not too many all round midfielders better than him.

He covers the ground in the middle of the park – usually number one for KM covered for Arsenal. He can pass (85% pass completion),he can defend and he can attack – he averaged 1 goal or assist every 3 games in the Premier League throughout his entire career.

If you take penalties out of it, is influence in terms of goals and assists per game is not too far off Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard – and they both also took free kicks and corners.

The two Englishmen are superior to Ramsey, but it is hard to name too many other Premier League central midfielders who, over the last decade, have been as consistent and influential as Aaron Ramsey.

He does have his injury problems, and has failed to play over 25 league games in the last two years, but fans were more than happy to ignore the injury records of jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain when is came to contract renewal time.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is one of the players Ramsey is probably looking at,

Arsenal were reportedly willing to offer The Ox £180,000 a week. Ramsey is a much better player, there is no debate.

As well as Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey is probably looking at what players at other clubs are getting. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva. All of which are in the £160k-£200k bracket. He is in the same box as these guys when it comes to influence and talent.

He is probably also looking at Paul Pogba on £290k a week.

Pogba has the name and reputation, but he often flatters to deceive due to his high price tag and wages. Is Ramsey on Pogba’s level? The statistics would indicate yes.

Paul Pogba is overpaid on £290k a week. Would Ramsey be underpaid on £150k a week?

As Arsenal fans, we have moaned in recent years that not enough of our players would get into the first XIs of those above us.

Ramsey would start for every Premier League side bar Manchester City. And even City would want him as a squad player – he would still probably start 30 games across all competitions for them.

My feeling is Aaron Ramsey will sign a new deal, maybe even this week. I am certain he will not go to Chelsea or elsewhere over the next 10 days.

If he does not sign this week, he is playing the Ozil card, waiting as long as possibly to sign to push those wages up. In that case, we will see him agree a new deal in December or January.

Ramsey is key to our present. Hopefully the deal is tied up this week.

Keenos

Arsenal set to sell 5 this week

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At the time of writing, Arsenal have made money on just a single player. Jeff Reine-Adélaïde joining Angers in France for just £1million. That is against ~£67,400,000 spent on 5 senior professionals.

With a little over a week until the transfer window shuts, this will be the week that Arsenal start shipping out players that are no longer required.

The first out of the door will likely be Chuba Akpom. A deal in the region of £2,000,000 has been agreed with PAOK in Greece. Expect this one to be done within 24 hours 9it might even be completed before I hit “publish”).

Talk is also starting to increase about Lucas Perez. Early indications were that Unai Emery was going to give him a second chance, however he failed to impress during the pre-season tour in Singapore and has been interesting Lazio.

With Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson looking good in pre-season, Emery seems to have decided to give them more chances in the first team squad at the sacrifice of 29-year-old Perez.

The development of Smith Rowe, Nelson and a good showing from Eddie Nketiah could also mean the end for Danny Welbeck.

Arsenal set to sell 5 this week

With a year left on his contract, Welbeck is unlikely to sign a new deal with the club considering the array of young attacking talent we have come through. This leaves Emery with a decision.

Take a risk and sell Welbeck, promoting Nketiah to 3rd choice striker. Or keep Welbeck for one more year, giving 19-year-old Nketiah another year to develop.

My money is on Welbeck staying for another year, with his younger teammate getting a loan deal to a top end Championship club. Welbeck will then be allowed to leave on a free transfer in 2019, with the club knowing his replacement is also costing nothing.

Everything could change however if Arsenal were to end up with a bid northwards of £20,000,000.

Reports in Turkey are that David Ospina will finally join Besiktas.

He has been linked with a move to Turkey every since his second season with Arsenal; and it seems this year will be when it finally happens, with Arsenal having signed German keeper Bernd Leno and Petr Cech having done a full pre-season.

Some outlets are reporting it is a loan deal, others a permanent deal. £2,000,000 the mooted feed.

Joel Campbell was omitted from Unai Emery’s first team squad for the pre-season tour of Singapore. It is clear that his future lies away from North London, and the likelihood if he was told last week that he was to stay at home to find a new club.

The only problem is who would actually want him?

Now 26-years-old, he has done nothing with Arsenal and not much more with 6 loan spells at 5 different clubs throughout Europe. Another side would be reluctant to offer him the £30,000 he is currently on at Arsenal, and he would surely not take a permanent transfer elsewhere for less money with a year left on his contract.

It would not surprise me if Arsenal let him join another side on a free transfer.

Welbeck aside, we are unlikely to get much from selling Akpom, Perez, Ospina and Campbell, but the quartet take up nearly £7,000,000 a year in annual salary.

If Arsenal do thin the squad out by selling on the fringe players, expect them to explore bringing in one more at the beginning of next week before the transfer window slams shut.

Keenos

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shines on positive pre-season tour

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The first block of pre-season games are over as Arsenal fly from Singapore to Dublin to continue their preparation in Europe.

For those of us not lucky enough to be in Singapore, the JW Diaries is a great read.

Whilst it is just pre-season, and therefore the usual disclaimer of not reading too much into it, there are some very clear positives to be had.

The first is the togetherness of the squad.

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, getting on with each other, having a bit of fun. In the middle of it all is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabon strikers attitude has stuck two fingers up at the press who labelled him a flashy arrogant party boy when he signed. Clearly talented, and clearly humorous, he is bringing the squad together.

There will always be cliques in every squad. Arsenal have 3 big ones – the English lads, the French lads and the German / Bundesliga lads.

Aubameyang was born in France, lived in Italy for 4 years, and Germany for 5. He is multi-lingual, speaking English, French and Germany. He is able cross over all 3 groups, bringing them together with his personality and positive attitude. He is the centre of attention.

The players seem to be freer, and hopefully this continues when the players turn out in front of the home fans at the Emirates.

We also saw Mesut Ozil captain the side against PSG.

Whilst I do not expect him to be club captain this season, he is a senior professional, a leader, and making him captain against PSG was a masterstroke after everything he has been through.

Ozil is, and always will be, a player who needs an arm put round him. He needs to feel loved. Arsenal and Emery have gone on the charm offensive since the Germany fall-out, making it clear that Arsenal is his home, that the players are his family.

The idiots on social media slating him 24/7 need to take a look at themselves. They are the same people who slated Arsene Wenger 24/7 – and still do. They are the same people who complain about Aaron Ramsey, Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck, Granit Xhaka and now Mesut Ozil.

These people are not Arsenal fans. They never say anything positive about the players or the club. They are a minority, probably actually just a dozen or so idiots, but their energy is not wanted at the club these days. Any real Arsenal fan will be getting behind the club, getting behind Ozil.

The performances by some of our youngsters is also something to get a little bit excited about.

New boy Matteo Guendouzi put in a mature performance in central midfield against PSG, where he was Man of the Match.

He dominated the play, breaking it up and moving the ball on.

He only turned 19 in April and at 6ft 1in still has some filling out to do. It is way to early to be calling for him to start against Manchester City, but it is going to be exciting to watch his development in the Europa League and League Cup.

At £7million, Guendouzi could be one of the signings of the summer, and just shows the benefit of having Sven “diamond eye” Mislintat in change of recruitment.

With Lucas Torreira at 22 and Ainsley Maitland-Niles turning 21 in August, we have an abundance of talented young central midfielders – of all who bring something completely different to the side.

The progress of some of the young English players has also been enjoyable to watch.

Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah have both looked good pre-season. Reiss Nelson has also shown flashes of his talent, and the aforementioned Maitland-Niles has continued his progress.

These guys will be important for Arsenal’s future due to restrictions on home grown players.

Whilst it is perhaps 12 months to early to be talking about them taking over from Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck, Smith Rowe, Nketiah and Nelson will know that there are regular first team squad places up for grabs in 2019.

All in all, a good start to pre-season. It is Chelsea in Dublin on Wednesday before Lazio in Stockholm on Saturday.

I expect that we will have news about both Aaron Ramsey and Ivan Gazidis this week, as both the transfer deadline day and start of the season hurtle towards us.

The Championship starts this weekend!!!!

Keenos