Tag Archives: Arsenal

Arsenal sign £20m defender

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Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Schalke left left-back Sead Kolasinac.

The Bosnian was voted as the best left-back in the Bundesliga last season, ahead of Bayern Munich’s David Alaba.

The highly rated full back was subject to a failed big from Premier League champions Chelsea in January. Manchester City, Liverpool, Juventus and AC Milan were also monitoring the defender.

The 23 year old Bosnian international has 18 caps for his country joined Schalke in 2013, playing over 100 times for the German side.

His tally of five assists last season was the greatest of any defender in the Bundesliga.

His defensive work rate and reluctance to shy away from a tackle will add some steel to the Arsenal backline.

Arsenal opened negotiations in April, staving off fierce competition from AC Milan to land their man on a ‘long-term contract’.

Kolasinac, who was born in Germany, has a German passport and represented his country from U18 to U20 level before switching his allegiance to Bosnia. He can also play at centre-back or as a defensive midfielder

The full back is due to meet up with his new team mates in July for the start of the club’s pre-season programme.

Obviously Kolasinac did not cost Arsenal £20m. He was a free transfer. The point was to highlight that some are moaning that he cost nothing, when if he actually cost £20m they would be getting excited right now.

One headline I read declared “it’s a little-known Bosnian defender on a free” – just because a work experience journalist has never heard of the Bundesliga Left Back of the Year, does not mean he is little known. I imagine the little known journalist will be looking for a new job sooner rather than later.

Just because Matt from London puts up a post on Facebook that he has not heard of him, and how can he be better than David Alaba when he always plays with David Alaba on FIFA, it does not mean we have signed a useless player.

We have just signed the best left back in the Bundesliga. It does not matter if he cost NOTHING or £20m, as long as he is the right player for the team.

Keenos

Alexis Sanchez crucial as always for Arsenal

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Source: Arsenal via Facebook.

Arsene Wenger must be a huge fan of the film Groundhog Day. Bill Murray was forced to experience the same events day after day until he realised the error of his ways, but Arsenal are operating on a grander scale by facing the same conundrums year after year. There may have been a few cracks in the cycle of late, from Petr Cech providing a solution to the goalkeeping problem and Arsenal not finishing in the top four of the Premier League, but for the most part, very little has changed.

A new centre-back is still required to lead the defence, the midfield is still lacking a strong presence, a world-class striker is still desired and there are still question marks over the club’s financial and competitive ambition. One thing that has become a fixture over the past few seasons is a reliance on Alexis Sanchez, and Arsenal’s fortunes in the summer transfer window and the next campaign will rest heavily on where the diminutive Chilean decides to call home.

Bayern Munich are the most conspicuous suitors, with compatriot Arturo Vidal already in Bavaria and the club’s attack in need of reinvigoration. Chelsea and Manchester City will always be interested in a talent like Sanchez, with the former likely to be especially keen if Eden Hazard is snaffled by Real Madrid. Of course, if Madrid sign a player of Hazard’s ilk then Gareth Bale could become superfluous at the Bernabeu. Manchester United have been heavily linked with the Welshman of late, and if Arsenal had qualified for the Champions League, they might also have considered themselves front-runners for a signature that would monumentally annoy Spurs fans.

However, it is easier to keep hold of a world-class player and convince them that the club’s dalliance with Europa League football will only last one year than it is to tempt a world-class player to join a club outside of the Champions League. Admittedly, Manchester United managed this last season when they enticed Paul Pogba with mountains of money and Mourinho. The latter seemed able to guarantee trophies, which proved to be the case, but in Wenger, Arsenal have a manager who has struggled to compete for anything notable other than the FA Cup in recent years.

As a result, Arsenal’s best bet is to throw everything at Sanchez in the hope that he will feel settled enough to stay. In terms of football odds, Paddy Power are offering a price of 11/8 for the Chilean to remain at the Emirates Stadium, making Arsenal his most likely employers next season. But things in football can change quickly. When Manchester United and Real Madrid make their inevitable big money moves in search of new attackers, the market will be given fluidity and bids may well come flowing in for Sanchez.

In demand – AS Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe. Source: AS MONACO via Facebook.

Sanchez will need reassurances from the leadership at Arsenal that the Premier League title is still viewed as a primary and attainable objective. Although Arsenal may struggle to attract the top-tier players, younger stars from the tier below with scope for growth can represent a desire for upward mobility from Wenger. Rumours of a rejected £87 million bid for Kylian Mbappe shows ambition, although a cynic would suggest that Arsenal merely bid to appease fans whilst safe in the knowledge their offer would fall short financially.

Being linked with Mbappe is in vogue for any club with sufficient spending power, and the young Frenchman would provide a suitable replacement for Sanchez as his potential is unlimited. However, Arsenal are likely to be forced to consider more realistic alternatives. Excitement at recent suggestions that Riyad Mahrez is angling for a move to Arsenal should be tempered by the Algerian’s indifferent season, whilst Alexandre Lacazette, Andrea Belotti and Carlos Bacca would be solving the striker problem rather than the Sanchez problem.

Sanchez is nearly irreplaceable, a testament to his ability. If he were to leave, Arsenal would struggle to find a player of his level in the same position and would struggle to head the queue for the brightest prospects such as Mbappe. However, the addition of a focal point such as Lacazette or Belotti, players just short of world class but still among the leading strikers in Europe, could enable Arsenal to change their shape and allow other players to flourish in Sanchez’s absence. Mesut Ozil used to be considered world-class; if the team was built around him, perhaps the German could become the focal point of a successful side.

Arsenal set for mass exodus as 13 senior pros set to leave

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This morning we awoke to news that Newcastle were looking at Kieran Gibbs and Wojciech Szczesny could be off to Juventus. These likely exits will be just the tip of a very big iceberg when it comes to players set to leave the club this summer.

Alongside Szczesny, FA Cup winning goal keeper David Ospina is surely set to leave for pastures new. The Columbian has now been at Arsenal for 3 years and the club have clearly decided that he is not the long term replacement for Petr Cech. A move to Fenerbache might finally happen for him.

Per Mertesacker has recently announced an intention to retire from football. Although there might have been some mix up in translation as it also appears he is saying he is prepared to be a “stand-by” player next season. I would not be surprised if he signs for one more year, but clarification on his future will happen soon.

If Mertesacker stays, Gabriel will likely return to Spain.

Behind Laurent Koscielny, Shkdoran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal in a back 3, he might also find Mertesacker and Calum Chambers ahead of him. His future will be linked to what Mertesacker and the club decide.

Arsenal are almost certain to show the exit door to two left backs. Mathieu Debuchy and Carl Jenkinson will both be allowed to depart the club this summer. With Hector Bellerin, the returning Calum chambers and (if we stick to 3 at the back) Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of the pair, their are surplus to requirements.

Perhaps the biggest name set to leave the club will be Jack Wilshere. A year on loan at Bournemouth was supposed to show to the world that he can get fit enough to be relied upon week in week out. What resulted is the same old, same old.

Despite only doing half training sessions, being wrapped in cotton wool, and only playing once a week, his body still gave up on him. The problem Arsenal might find is that his inability to pass a medical could see the clubs interested in him, and his value, diminish quite quickly.

A surprise exit could be Francis Coquelin. He seems to have gone backwards this year and with Arsenal targeting a new central midfielder, he will have to either accept massively reduced game time, or find a new club.

The Lucas Perez transfer has not worked out. He has found himself behind the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott in his two favoured positions. Some will say he never got the crack of the whip. Others will point to rumours of training ground bust ups, and the fact that those playing ahead of him were in exceptional form. He will return to Spain.

Another wide forward who will see his time at Arsenal come to an end is Joel Campbell. Get out whilst you can Joel will always stick in the head when it comes to Campbell. He became a cult hero. Someone a lot of those who want Wenger Out hung too, claiming he was a brilliant player not getting his chance.

The reality was Joel Campbell was simply not good enough. On loan at Sporting, he has struggled to break into their side on a regular basis. More yellow cards than goals this season, I bet Arsenal wish they could have gotten him out when they could 3 years ago after a decent World Cup.

Finally, this summer will also be the year we finally wish Yaya Sanogo farewell. It might also be the year the club decide tat Chuba Akpom will never be good enough for the club. He could lead the way of a lot of youngsters such as Dan Crowley, Jon Toral, Glen Kamara, Stefan O’Connor, Julio Pleguezuelo, Gedion Zelalem and Matt Macey who all struggled to make an impact when on loan.

 

Arsenal are set for a clear out this summer, and the list does not even include the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil & Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, whom the club wants to keep, but due to contract ranglings, their future is in their own hands.

The reality is, the majority of what is leaving is (although I hate this term) dead wood. Players who have barely played for us over the last 12 months. When Arsene Wenger talks about 3 quality signings this summer, they would improve the top end of the squad.

As long as the 3 quality players do come in, none of the dead wood should be missed, or requiredto be replaced.

Keenos