Tag Archives: She Wore

Change in transfer policy signals end for Wenger

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Our transfer dealings thus far in January have been interesting. Not just for the player we have signed (and those that we have sold) but for the way we have operated.

In the past, Arsene Wenger has been kingmaker when it comes to transfers. Heavily involved in deciding who he wants, how much he wants to pay, and what agents he wants to deal with.

This has led us to miss out on transfer targets in the past as he dithers over deals and shown a tendency to walk away rather than negotiate.

The signing of Henrik Mkhitaryan and the potential deal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang show a change in the way Arsenal do their transfers.

Now I am not naive to think that Wenger has had nothing to do with these signings. As manager he needs to sign off on the deals, he needs to want the players, he needs to be working alongside those doing the deals to ensure the right players are coming in to fit into HIS squad.

But whilst Wenger has said yes to Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang, he has left the deals to be thrashed out by others.

Out in Dortmund to negotiate the deal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was new Head of Recruitment Sven Mislintat, Huss Fahmy – Contracts, Legal & Commercial Expert – and Ivan Gazidis; whatever he does.

It is a move away from previous negotiations which would often see Gazidis and the now unemployed Dick Law be joined by Arsene Wenger.

The fact that Wenger is staying at home – and preparing the team for the League Cup game against Chelsea – shows that some of his job roles have been taken away, and the grip on the club loosened.

Henrik Mkhitaryan was also an interesting deal.

His agent is Mino Raiola. The Italian “Super Agent” who also represents the likes of Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has a reputation for demanding huge fees and moving his clients between clubs at regular intervals – and making money every step of the way.

He is the type of man Arsenal have refused to do business with in the past.

Back in the day, David Dein used to refuse to pay any agents fees (unless the agent was his son). Arsene Wenger is over the same thought process, that agents are a leach on the game who get paid huge amounts by clubs to bring players in. In the past, Wenger would not have dealt with Raiola.

As much as “Super Agents” are a cockroach within the game, they are now a key part of the transfer process. Major clubs now need to accept that they need to deal with these people.

It is interesting the shift in mentality at the club that Arsenal were now willing to deal with Raiola. You have to think this was a decision made above Wenger, by Gazidis, Kroenke, on the advice of other new incoming members of staff.

Raul Sanllehi does not join the club until February, but coming from Barcelona, he has had plenty of dealings with these agents that previously the club would refuse to work with. He had potentially given the nod for the club to deal with Raiola before he has even started.

The future will also be interesting once Sanllehi joins. It potentially means no more Gazidis at the negotiating table, as Sanllehi will be Head of Football Relations and surely deal with the footballing side of the club, leaving Gazidis to deal with the commercial activities.

The dream team of Sanllehi, Mislintat & Fahmy will lead future transfer negotiations – leaving Arsene Wenger to a side.

It shows a shift in policy, and the club preparing for Wexit.

Keenos

Alexis Sanchez GONE – Some thoughts

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The Robert Pires quotes

Over the weekend, Arsenal legend Bobby Pires has come out with some interesting quotes about how happy Alexis Sanchez was in London and that he is leaving because Arsenal could not match his ambition.

“Alexis wanted to stay at Arsenal. I have not talked to him, but what I see, what I smell, is that he was very good in London, very good in Arsenal. What Alexis wanted was for Arsenal to spend money on other players.”

These quotes will, as usual, lead some to come out and abuse the Frenchman. Unacceptable.

However, these quotes from Pires do need to be taken with a pinch of salt, as the first thing Pires says is “I have not talked to him”.

Therefore, this is no more than Pires’ opinion on the matter, that he thinks (not that he knows) that Sanchez is leaving because Arsenal would not spend money on other players. That they could not match his ambition.

Alexis Sanchez’s ambition

Robert Pires is right in the fact that Arsenal failed to match Alexis Sanchez’s ambition, but not in the way he, or others, probably think.

The move has nothing to do with trophies, nothing to do with signing players, and everything to do with pound, shilling and pence.

Sanchez, like so many others before him, left for the money.

If he wanted success, he would have gone to Bayern Munich last summer, or Manchester City this window. But he picked Manchester United.

He went for £450k a week, £15m in his own pocket as a signing on fee, and an additional £12m for his agent. That is why he left.

“He has gone to Manchester United to win trophies. To play Champions League football” is the line being put out by many.

It is almost like people have forgotten that in the 3 years he was at Arsenal, Sanchez has won two FA Cups.

OK, it might not be the league title, but Manchester United have been no closer to winning the league than Arsenal in that time.

In fact, since Sir Alex Ferguson left, Manchester United have failed to finish above Arsenal.

They will, of course, finish above Arsenal this year but, 12 points behind Manchester City, they are not in the title race.

Had Sanchez joined Manchester United instead of Arsenal back in 2014, he would have a FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League medal in his locker.

It will be hilarious come the end of the season if Arsenal finish with a trophy (or two) and Manchester United, and Alexis Sanchez, finish potless.

Sanchez moving to win things? He is moving for the money.

Selling to a rival

After Robin van Persie we were told that we would “not sell to a rival again”.

Whilst it is frustrating that we are losing Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United, to then label Arsene Wenger a “liar” is childish.

What would you prefer? Arsenal to not be swapping Sanchez for Mkhitaryan? To let his contract go to zero and then join Manchester United for nothing? So at least we can say that we “did not sell Sanchez to a rival”.

Arsenal are getting a good deal.

No one is bigger than The Arsenal

From Brady to Henry, top players have left Arsenal in the past. Alexis Sanchez is not the first to make the move from London to Manchester, and will not be the last.

He is not even the best player to have left Arsenal for Manchester United.

No player is bigger then the club. Last I looked, it was not Alexis FC, it was Arsenal FC. THE Arsenal Football Club.

Keenos

Mkhitaryan for Sanchez straight swap a “good deal”?

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But we could have got £60million for him in the summer is a common complaint upon hearing that we are about to swap Alexis Sanchez for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with no cash exchanging hands.

A lot of people are looking at it as we are then getting no money for Sanchez, and therefore it is a bad deal as we could have got £60m in the summer.

Whilst they are not getting any money for Sanchez, what they are getting is a player that Manchester United were happy spending £37.8m on 18 months ago.

When you consider Alexis Sanchez is available on a free in just 5 months, the fact Arsenal are getting a £40m player in a straight swap is as good as Arsenal getting £40m for him.

But we could have got £60m for him in the summer, you still cry. And you are correct.

But had we sold Sanchez in the summer, we would have had to have bought a replacement. And every club in Europe would have known that:

  1. We had £60m to burn
  2. That we were desperate

All of that £60m, and maybe more, would have been invested in his replacement.

So in reality, Arsenal would not have been getting £60m for Sanchez, but swapping Sanchez for whoever his replacement is.

On deadline day, for example, Arsenal bid £90m for Thomas Lemar.

Would spending £30 and swapping Lemar for Sanchez be a good deal? No.

Another player is Julian Draxler. I imagine had we pushed for him, we would have been able to get him for similar to what we sold Sanchez for. So the £60m we got in for Sanchez would have been given straight to PSG for Draxler.

Julian Draxler is a very good player, but is he worth £60m? Would that price have been inflated due to the Sanchez cash? Possibly.

And then compare to the two players mentioned above to Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Are they actually any better?

Mkhitaryan has had a tough 18 months in England, but he would not be the first free-spirited attacking talent to struggle under Jose Mourinho.

For me, he is on a similar level to Julian Draxler. Actually I would say he is better than Draxler as people still talk about the German as having potential, whilst Mkhitaryan is proven.

Then compare Mkhitaryan to Lemar.

One is a player who has had one good season, and struggled this, the other was quality in Germany over a number of years.

So Lemar would have cost us an additional £30m on top of what we got in for Sanchez, and he is not as good as the player we ended up getting.

Had we sold Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City for £40m and then bought Mkhitaryan from Manchester United for £40m, you would probably all be happy.

Now lets chuck Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang into the mix- a deal for £53m is moving closer.

We could end up with a situation where we get both Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan in, with Sanchez leaving, and a net spend of just £53m.

Let’s go back to the alternative deal in the summer of Lemar in, Sanchez out, and a net spend of £30m.

So for an additional £23m on top of what we were willing to spend in the summer, we are getting a Sanchez replacement and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Is the deal a good deal for Arsenal? Yes.

Ps: in their last season together at Dormund, the pair scored62 goals between them.

Keenos