Tag Archives: Serge Gnabry

Arsenal set for busy end to transfer window

The transfer window will slam shut on Wednesday at 11.30pm. Less than 60 hours to go. And in that 60 hours, Arsenal still have a lot of work to do.

Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez

The deals are all but done for Shkodran Mustafi and Lucas Perez. Fees agreed, contracts signed, medicals reportedly completed. All we are waiting for his the FA to reopen Tuesday morning so that we can send across the official paperwork, and the deal is then signed, sealed and completed.

I would imagine as I am writing this, both players are at London Colney and/or the stadium getting their promo photos done. Arsenal might even announce both deals today before they have been full ratified by the FA.

Mustafi has been called up for Germany’s friendly game against Finland on 31 August 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification game against Norway on 4 September 2016. Perez unsurprisingly not selected for Spain.

Both Mustafi and Perez will be able to use the international break in different ways to gain full match sharpness and be ready for the home game against Southampton on September 10th.

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Defenders Loaned Out

The exit door could be very busy at London Colney over the next 60 hours with numerous players slated to be loaned out.

Arsenal are ready to allow Mathieu Debuchy to depart the club. Most likely on a season-long loan. A reported calf injury could hamper the deal, but a club will likely take a gamble and get the French international in. His destination likely to be somewhere in Turkey, or the mid-lower reaches of Italy’s Serie A. Mathieu+Debuchy+Calum+Chambers+Manchester+a7sYRe78Nyrl

Also exiting will be Calum Chambers. Since his breakthrough 2 seasons ago, he has struggled to nail a place in the team, mainly down to lack of playing time. He needs to go somewhere in the Premier League and play a season at centreback. We will want him to go somewhere where he will be guaranteed to play every game. Hull and Middlesbrough seem like the front runners.

Letting both go would leave Arsenal with just one recognised right back whilst Carl Jenkinson recovers from his injury, but Mustafi has played at right back before for both club and country. I would also imagine a deal for Chambers would involve a recall clause.

Major Exit?

Could we see Theo Walcott or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave the club over the next few days?

Serge Gnabry

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The next out of the door could be Serge Gnabry. Top scorer for Germany at the Olympics, he was in impressive form. But is there a place for him at Arsenal?

With Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alex Iwobi & new boy Lucas Perez ahead of him, he will struggle for game time.

One thing Arsenal have to take into account is his contract. It expires at the end of this season. the club would probably prefer a loan deal for the barley-21 German star, but that would open the risk of losing him for nothing at the end of the season if we do not tie him down to a new contract.

Arsenal might be willing to cut their losses with Gnabry and sell for a cut price deal.

He will end up in Germany, whether on loan or a permanent deal.

David Ospina

I began writing this thinking we might see David Ospina make the surprise move to Barcelona to provide competition for Marc-André ter Stegen, replacing Claudio Bravo. But they have already secured Jasper Cillessen. That door is now closed, but it would not surprise me if someone came in for a late bid for the Colombian, with the offer of first team football.

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Minor Loan Deals

The likes of Yaya Sanogo, Chuba Akpom and Jeff Reine-Adelaide could well see themselves also exit the club in loan deals.

With the changes to the loan system coming into place, we can not think that we will keep Akpom and The Jeff to play against Nottingham Forest before loaning them out. A decision will have to be made on them in the coming days.

As for Sanogo, any loan deal will be an option, or we might just put him down and turn him into glue.

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Late Madness

It has been the slogan of our summer after a Twitter ITK tweeted that Arsenal were going to do a madness.

So far the predictions that we would smash our transfer record has not happened, but you feel that if all the domino’s fall into place, we could see one more final transfer on the last day of the season.

Could Arsenal take advantage of Daniel Sturridge’s unhappiness under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool? Or a move for long term linked Antoine Griezmann or Julian Draxler? Or maybe a big money move for James Rodgriguez or Isco? Or will Dimitri Payet become Arsene Wengers man?

We have the money there, we could still make a late move for someone.

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

After last nights performance, is Arsenal Youth cupboard bare?

1 Reply

Two blogs in two days. That is what having no sleep yesterday, and having shed loads of coffee today does to a man. Also having booked a day off work, it left not much else then to sit and contemplate yesterday’s performance.

In this mornings blog, I was heavily critical of the Arsenal youngsters that played. Iwobi, Kamara & Bennacer. All clearly out of their depth. Clearly not good enough.

Added to this, Arsenal have not exactly pulled up any trees in recent years in youth competitions, finishing bottom of the U18s last season and only 4 wins from 11 games (and to points off league leaders Chelsea), it is clear we have some issues. Although our U21s are currently played 5, won 5.

If Iwobi, Kamara & Bennacer are the best we have coming through, it is unlikely we will be developing the next Jack Wilshere any time some. It is just as likely that we will not be developing the next Emmanuel Frimpong either, by the standard set of those last night.

Saying that, this is only half the truth. When you actually dig down into Arsenal’s youth set up, including reading Jorge Bird’s Arsenal Youth site, it is perhaps easy to establish that Kamara, Iwobi & Bennacer are not the best youngesters coming through. And last night, the simple fact is, our best youth products were not available for selection.

Going through Arsenal’s loanees page and the aforementioned site by Jorge Bird, there is a list of 9 players all aged 20 or under, who did not play last night. All of whom have a brighter future than Kamara, Iwobi & Bennacer.

Hector Bellerin – I am sure had it not been for his progression into the first team which has seen him become, in my opinion, the best right back in the league, Bellerin would have played last night, and we would all be going on about his potential. Instead, he is the first name on the team sheet (actually, second as the goal keeper go’s first) and we talk about his ability now, rather than his potential. Still just 20.

Serge Gnabry – Kind of the forgotten man at Arsenal. He made is debut in the League Cup competition 3 years ago against Coventry in a 6-1 victory and the season after, looked to be making great strides, playing in 14 games in total, and getting a nomination for European Gold Boy. However, his 2014/15 never got up and running due to that Arsenal curse. Injury. This year, he finds himself off loan at WBA, where Tony Pullis recently said that Gnabry “just hasn’t been for me”. Whether it is Gnabry’s weakness at the breakdown, or because he is not the best scrummager, that has led to him being dropped by Pullis is not clear.

The lad is a clear talent. The effect of his injury has had on him we do not yet, and the year spent playing rugby for WBA will not help his development. But he is still just 20. That is 3 years younger than Joel Campbell and just a year older than Alex Iwobi. He is a stand out talent.

Next season, he will return to the Arsenal squad, probably taking Joel Campbell’s place, providing the back up on the wings for Sanchez, Oxlade-Chamberlain & Walcott.

Gedion Zelalem – Alongside Gnabry, he is another youngster who made his debut a few years ago. After a few solid pre season tours, he found last year, like Gnabry, curtailed by injury. Now on loan at Rangers, he is still just 18. Incredible for a player who has been at the club for so long.

His current loan deal is set to expire at the end of the year, but so impressed with him, Rangers are looking to extend that until the end of the season.

Last night, he surely would have provided the side with the vision and passing it sorely missed?

Chuba Akpom – When we let go Benik Afobe – whom many still complain about – it had nothing to do with Yaya Sanogo, and everything to do with Chuba Akpom. Nearly 3 years young, Akpom had all ready taken over Afobe in terms of talent when he was just 18. With just 3 goals so far this year on loan at Hull, he still has someway to go to fulfill his potential that at one time, had Barcelona sniffing around. He might not make it at Arsenal, but he is better than anything on show last night (and better than Sanogo).

Dan Crowley – Last night, we failed to create anything. I can not remember a single clear cut chance. After Oxlade-Chamberlain went off, it left Flamini as our midfield creator. Still just 18, he is a pocket dynamo. His loan spell at Barnsley was today cut short, with the press reporting this as ‘failing to make an impact’. However, with a lack of midfield options, he might find himself back at Arsenal and with the first team. Think Jack Wilshere. Just not as good.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles – He of the very angry mother who last season was banned from the club after a bust up with club staff. If he was not any good, the club would have good rid after the issue – ala Jay Bothroyd – but they kept with him. He became the second youngest player to play for Arsenal in the Champions League last year against Galatasaray, where he played through the middle. Comfortable on the ball, he has power and pace and can pick out a path. Sadly, a loan deal with Ipswich stopped him playing. He has impressed their if you are wondering. And he is still just 18.

Isaac Hayden – At Hull alongside Akpom, the former U21 captain is still just 20. With 2 appearances to Arsenal to his name, the centre back / defensive midfielder would surely have been a better bet (and is a better prospect) than Glen Kamara.

Jon Toral – His future could well end up as being the answer to the quiz question “Which player joined Arsenal on the same day from Barcelona as club legend Hector Bellerin?” But for now, he is simply still a prospect. His career has not taken off as much as Bellerin, but he is a good player. He scored his first senior hat trick for Brentford last year during a loan spell. Currently at Birmingham, he is perhaps another who, whilst might not have a long term future at Arsenal, is certainly better than those who started last night.

Jeff Reine-Adelaide – Up until now, everyone we have discussed has been out on loan. Jeff is different. He is currently playing for France in the FIFA U17 World Cup. Just 17, he was this summers player that Arsenal fan’s over hyped after a few good performances in pre season.

I am sure we would have seen him in this year’s League Cup had it not been for drawing Spurs in the 3rd round, and him being away yesterday on International duty. If you want to see what we missed, he plays tomorrow for France against Costa Rica. I know nothing about him, but YouTube makes him look good.

Also currently at the tournament are 17 year old fowards Kaylen Hinds, Chris Willock & Stephy Mavididi, all of whom are their representing England. Add in the likes of Bielek (17), Dragomir (16), Bola (17), Fortune (16) & Nelson (15), all of whom this years League Cup was perhaps a year or two too early for their development (maybe Bennacer falls into this as well, he is, after all, just 17), we do have some decent youngsters at the club.

Last night was not a good example of the youngsters we have at the club. Due to different reasons, many of our top prospects were not available last night, leaving the likes of Kamara, Iwobi & Bennacer to be the best of the rest. All 3 would struggle to make an Arsenal U21 side. A side which, had it played last night, would probably have gone through to the next round of the League Cup.

Arsenal U21 side:

Masey
Bellerin Chambers Hayden Bola
Zalelem Crowley
Gnabry Jeff Naitland-Miles
Akpom

Bench: Huddart, Moore, Bielek, Toral, Willock, Hinds, Mavididi

Keenos

Follow @KeenosAFC

The Catch-22 of Serge Gnabry’s New Contract

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Serge Gnabry is a brilliant young player. Certainly one of the best teenagers in the Premier League. Arguably one of the best in Europe. Now I am not going all hyper-boil on you all. As previously mentioned, the overrating of young players is an epidemic in the current game. Gnabry is supremely talented.

Yesterday it was announced that he had signed a new 5 year deal worth £20,000 a week. Some are reporting that it is a 6 year deal. Now whilst it is good that we have tied up his long term future, the announcement of the deal brings up a catch-22 problem.

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

Firstly, Serge Gnabry has signed for £20,000 a week. That is a lot of money. Remember, he is an 18 year old, who whilst extremely talented, has played just 9 games for Arsenal, 5 of which were from the bench. A total of 398 minutes. £20,000 for less than 400 minutes playing time. The fact is, were every player fit, Serge Gnabry would be playing in the reserves. He would not get near the bench. We are potentially tying up £20,000 a week on potential, on someone who might not play a single game once Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski are fit. £1million a year for someone who is a reserve.

Now I know full well what the contract is about. We are tying up his future. Ensuring we do not lose a prestigious talent on a free. Look at the situation of Paul Pogba who left Manchester United for Juventus. They failed to invest in his future, and ended up losing him. He is now a starter for the Italian side and would certainly improve the Manchester United side. In a summer where they spent £28 million on Marouane Fellaini, it does not take a genius that for a lot less, they could have secured Pogba for the future – a player who is perhaps as good as Fellaini already, and will only get better. The same summer they also lost Ravel Morrison on a free to West Ham.

Manchester United showed they learnt their lesson after securing youngster Adnan Januzaj to a new contract. Like Gnabry, he has signed a 5 year deal, but at twice the amount – £30,000-40,000 a week (depending on sources). That perhaps brings the Gnabry deal into perspective. Clearly the average wage of a talented youngster who has not played a great deal of 1st team football is £20,000-£40,000 a week. Supported further by Pogba being paid £20,000 a week at Juventus. Clearly the ‘going rate’ has been set.

So to secure a young talent for his future, you must pay that youngster at least £20,000 a year. Fail to do that, and he will leave on a free. Imagine if we lost Gnabry on a free. The out roar there would be then. We would be moaning about our managements gross negligence. We would complain that our cheapness has lost us a top talent.

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

And here is the catch-22 situation. Gnabry is 18. He has just signed a £20,000 a week 5 year deal. If he puts his feet up now,stops working hard at his game and becomes lazy, he will walk away in 5 years with £5,000,000 in his pocket. We often read about players getting ‘too much, too young’. That such large amounts of money can damage a players motivation. That players are pampered – they no longer clean the stadium ,changing room or boots – and the money gives them an ego which makes them believe they have made it so stop trying.

Now this is not a generic brush stroke. Plenty of players have been on big money young, and continue to work hard at their game and succeed. Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey are two recent examples of this, as is Carl Jenkinson. Despite getting good money, they have continued to improve as players.

But there is also a list of players who have lost motivation after getting big money. The mid-2000’s is littered with players who were nicknamed the ‘Baby Bentley’ generation. The first group of youngsters who got thousands as a teenager, clearly too their foot off the gas, spent more time partying, less time training, bought Baby Bentley’s and failed to fulfil their potential.

Alan Curbishley was the first to coin the term about the Baby Bentley generation, when he believed that players earning northwards of £20,000 had lost motivation and direction. That they often visited the likes of nightclub Face in Gants Hill too often. And he has been proved right as none of the players who were part of the ‘core group’ at West Ham ever really fulfilled their potential – Bobby Zamora, Carlton Cole, Anton Ferdinand, Tyrone Mears, and Nigel Reo-Coker. You can add the likes of Jermaine Defoe. Ledley King and Jermaine Pennant to the list too. All players with incredible talent, of similar age, who were more interested in cars and girls then improving as footballers.

The problem is also at Arsenal. Nicklas Bendtner definetely lost motivation after signing his famour £53,000 a week deal. The same day Denilson also signed a new long term deal, reportedly on £45,000.

Denilson is perhaps the best example we have at Arsenal about a drop in motivation. He signed for Arsenal at the age of 17 on a 5 year deal. 14 months later, he signed a new contract, once again a 5 year deal. He had played less than 30 games for the club! Then, in 2009, he was offered another contract. Another 5 year deal. His original 5 year deal signed in 2006 would still have had 2 years to run. Yet he was given 2 large pay rises. No wonder he took his foot off the pedal. Getting a new contract was easy. And here he was, at 21, with the next 5 years of his life secure. £11million in his bank without even having to try ever again.

Picture: @KieranCPhotoAFC

The most recent player to suffer from this is Emmanuel Frimpong. He signed, like Gnabry, a £20,000 a week deal as a teenager. Whilst he has had a string of injuries, a poor attitude and a higher motivation to print t-shirts, hang out with Lethal Bizzle and be a general knob have been the main reasons he has failed at Arsenal. With his contract due to expire in 2014, it is unlikely he will be offered a new one. He is very reminiscent of the West Ham Baby Bentley generation. More interested in outside interests then his football.

Will Gnabry’s motivation drop now he has secured the next 5 years of his life? Will he go out tomorrow and buy the 2013 version of the Baby Bentley? Will he turn up to training all blinged up? Will he suddenly let the world know that he is Tinnie Tempah’s cousin and start releasing t-shirts with his own catch phrase on them? Or will he knuckle down and fulfil his great potential?

At the end of the day, it is about risk. Is it worth signing up a Denilson to a long term deal to ensure you do not lose a Ramsey. Or sign do you decide against offering Frimpong a new deal at 17 and also fail to offer Wilshere? Do you end up losing a Pogba, or do you end up keeping a Bendtner? It is a catch-22 scenario.

So this is what clubs face. Play hard ball against a youngster, and risk losing a top talent, or bow down to his demands, and end tying up a large(ish)money for a long period in a player who fails to make the grade after losing motivation to perform.

Keenos
Follow @KeenosAFC

Thanks to Follow @KieranCPhotoAFC for the pictures.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goonerpower and https://www.facebook.com/KieranCPhoto