Tag Archives: chuba akpom

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

Arsenal set to give 1st teamers run out in U23 friendly

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Having left 16 first team players at home, Arsenal look set to give some of them a run out in upcoming U23 friendlies.

On Friday, Arsenal U23’s play Brighton at the Arsenal Training Centre (aka London Colney) in a behind closed doors, invitation only, friendly. Usually a behind closed doors game screams out two things:

  1. Trialists
  2. First team players set to play

With Wojciech Szczesny, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Lucas Perez & Chuba Akpom all fit and left at home, we could see a whole host of players be given a run out against Brighton. It will be an opportunity for them to show visiting scouts that they are fit and ready to go for the new season.

On July 27, Arsenal’s traditional meeting with non-league Borehamwood is set to take part. Usually an U23 fixture, rumours are that Arsenal could play up to 5 first team players, as they continue to put those who are not wanted in the shop window, and ensure that their fitness levels do not drop – putting at risk a potential transfer.

With the Borehamwood fixture set to be open to fans, it is a great opportunity, in the summer holidays, to take your kids and see a mixture of first team players and some youngsters who will be bloodied with an eye on the future.

If they have not yet left the club by July 27th, Kieran Gibbs, Carl Jenkinson, Mathieu Debuchy, Lucas Perez, & Chuba Akpom are almost certainly set to play a part. The only one likely to miss out is Wojciech Szczesny – who has recently cleaned out the closet in his house ahead of a move to Juventus.

All 5 players will be looking to put themselves in the shop window and show that, despite the lack of match time last season, they are not overweight, they are injury free, and would be ready to join pre-season training at a new club.

Get down to Borehamwood with your kids on July 27th to support a non-league club with heavy links to Arsenal, and to see some senior players (who might be leaving Arsenal) play.

Keenos

Arsenal set to SELL up to 11 senior players (and none are Ozil or Sanchez)

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In recent weeks, the big transfer news at Arsenal has been about the contract situations of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

It has been well written by many that both have 18 months left on their contract and are currently stalling on negotiations. Some say they are waiting on Arsene Wenger to declare his future, or for it to be announced who his replacement might be, others say they are driven by money, with rumours of a $400,000 offer on the table from China – I always laugh that the offer is ‘from China’ without mentioning a particular club.

Some say that want to ensure they are playing for a competitive club, and will wait to see if we do challenge (and win) the title, whilst Ian Wright thinks they will both sign, but will do in the summer where they will be worth even more if they take Arsenal to the title.

The future of both is concerning for all Arsenal fans, but there are another 11 senior players who’s future at the club might not be bright. And entire starting XI could leave Arsenal this summer.

David Ospina has been linked away from Arsenal ever since Petr Cech joined. Currently the clubs Champions League keeper, he is also likely to play in the FA Cup in the New Year. The Colombian will be 29 next season, entering the peak for a goal keeper. Would he really want to spend his best years sitting on Arsenal’s bench?

The writing is also on the wall for Carl Jenkinson. The boyhood Arsenal fan looks like a deer in headlights every time he puts on an Arsenal shirt. He is good enough to be 2nd choice right back behind Hector Bellerin, but in his own head, Arsenal are too big for him. His demise from one of West Ham’s best players a few years ago has been incredible.

When Frenchman Mathieu Debuchy started against Bournemouth, some were surprised he was still at the club. His contract does not expire until 2019, but with injuries now piling up, and reports of a poor attitude at times, if he is not sold next summer, he will surely be sent out on loan.

Per Mertesacker. The big German. The captain. His contract runs out at the end of the year and there has been no talk about him getting a new one. With the form of Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny, and the development of Rob Holding, Arsenal no longer require his services. He will be able to get himself a nice big contract back in Germany.

After a season of poor form, Arsenal will surely sign a stronger left back than either Nacho Monreal or Kieran Gibbs. With Gibbs being younger and English, and Monreal’s future potentially tied to that of best mate Santi Cazorla (more later), it is the Spaniard who will make way.

Another on borrowed time is Calum Chambers. After a brilliant start to his Arsenal career where he looked like an assured, ball playing centre back, he has gone backwards. Part of this is due to him being played in multiple positions – a bit like Phil Jones at Man U – and part of it due to not getting enough game time. He has made 10 appearances for Middlesborough this season but has been outshone by fellow youngster Ben Gibson. With Rob Holding also at the club, Arsenal will struggle to give to young centre backs enough time to develop. He might be saved by the fact Debuchy & Jenkinson are likely to go, meaning Arsenal need a back up right back.

Santi Cazorla has already played his last game for Arsenal Football Club in my opinion. Now 32, with 18 months of poor injuries behind (and head) of him, his contract runs out at the end of this season. I can not see Arsenal offering him any more than a new 1 year deal. Something that Cazorla will surely not accept. He has spoken previously about finishing his career at Spain, and that time has come. And he will take Nacho Monreal with him.

Another who’s Arsenal career is almost certainly over his Jack Wilshere. Playing once a week for Bournemouth does not mean he is good enough to play twice a week for Arsenal. He clearly enjoys the sea air, a lower intensity of life, and time away from his trouble making friends. Bournemouth are able to manage his work load in a way that a big club like Arsenal are unable to facilitate. Arsenal need fit players playing twice a week. Wilshere does not fit the bill.

Joel Campbell is out on loan at Sporting. With the development of Alex Iwobi, nothing will change for Campbell next year. He will still be surplus to requirements, and will either be loaned once more, or sold.

Homegrown striker Chuba Akpom is at a cross roads in his career. He has not progressed from talented youngster to senior superstar. 4 average loan deals, and Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Lucas Perez ahead of him, there will be no chance for him to break through in the future.

Lastly we come to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Whilst everyone is going on about Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez’s contract coming to an end in 2018, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s also does. Another player at a cross roads in his career, he has never really secured a place in Arsenal’s starting XI. He is getting a run now, a chance to prove himself, but if he fails to impose himself on games consistently, he might have to look elsewhere next summer, take a step down to get regular football.

 

Arsenal could end up off loading an entire XI. I wonder how this lot would get on in the Premier League:

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Keenos