Tag Archives: She Wore

Arsenal backroom overhaul begins

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But nothing is changing came the cry last week when it was announced that Arsenal would not be bringing in a Director of Football .

Despite the board seemingly favouring the appointment of a Director of Football and Chief executive Ivan Gazidis having sounded out several candidates during the second half of the season, Arsene Wenger proved resistant to relinquishing control of the club’s transfer strategy.

A decision was made to make a new appointment to the clubs backroom staff this summer, but at a lower level than the director of football role originally planned. A move was made yesterday with signing of new legal expert from Team Sky.

Commercial expert Huss Fahmy has been bought in from Team Sky to work on player contracts. A sign that the Arsenal board have recognised a weakness within the clubs current structure.

Fahmy has been a key part of Team Sky’s operation since around its inception in 2010 after moving to Sky the previous year from the City where he worked for the multi-national law firm Herbert Smith.

His arrival at Arsenal is a further signal that chief executive Ivan Gazidis is delivering on his promise to bring change this summer in the ongoing search for best practice following the disappointment of finishing only fifth in the Premier League.

Following Fahmy into Arsenal is fitness expert Darren Burgess.

Burgess joins the club from American Rules Football side Port Adelaide, and takes up a new role as director of high performance. Whatever the hell that means.

He previously worked at Liverpool as the club’s head of fitness and conditioning from 2010 until 2013.

Expected to work above Shad Forsyth, Burgess’s new role could see the end of Tony Colbert’s 19 year stay at the club.

Arsenal have still yet to fill the Academy Manager role left by Andries Jonkier back earlier this year. Luke Hobbs will continue in the role as Interim Manager until a permanent appointment is made.

Whilst Arsenal might not be going for the director of football, a new man to oversee contracts and another to oversee the fitness set up will see Wenger’s work load and stranglehold reduce.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s future set to change Arsenal’s transfer plans

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It might just be posturing. Cristiano Ronaldo might just be flexing his muscles. Trying to get one big last contract out of Real Madrid.

Or it might be completely true. Ronaldo is fed up having been part of the Spanish version of HMRC’s witch hunt against footballers. Finds the £13m fine for unpaid tax to be excessive, and wants to pack up his bags and leave.

My personal bet is it is just posturing. Ronaldo wants Real Madrid to foot his tax bill. They pay, he stays. They don’t, he then has a decision to make. But if he does leave, what ramifications will it have for world football? The great players in the world leaving for a world record fee will have a ripple affect throughout the global game.

Chelsea, for example, will be quaking in their boots. Real Madrid were already targeting Eden Hazard this summer. Losing Ronaldo will just make them chase the Belgium international even more aggressively. Already set to lose Diego Costa, to lose Hazard as well will spell disaster for the English champions.

But what could Ronaldo’s move, probably to Manchester United, mean for Arsenal?

Closing doors

With Ronaldo leaving, Real Madrid will not want to lose any other of their Galácticos. Potential Arsenal targets like of Gareth Bale, Isco or James Rodriguez will be stopped from exiting the club.

Young start Marco Asensio, who has recently voiced his concern of a big name player coming in and taking his place, would also be told in no uncertain terms you aint going anywhere mate.

If Ronaldo leaves, there will be o further departures at Madrid.

Missed Targets

Kylian Mbappe.

Just a few weeks ago, Arsenal looked to have taken pole position in the race for the talented Frenchman. Since then, things have gone a little quiet, with Arsenal instead being linked with Alexandre Lacazette.

If Ronaldo joins Manchester United for anything above £100m, Real Madrid will then have the cash to immediately make a down payment to Monaco for Mbappe.

They have followed him since he was 14, and whilst the £100m price tag for an 18 year old with such little experience is high, selling Ronaldo and signing Mbappe balances the books.

I would not be surprised if a deal for Mbappe is done within days of Ronaldo leaving.

And what for Alexis Sanchez?

If Ronaldo does go, Arsenal might have a ready made Real Madrid replacement for him in Alexis Sanchez. Could losing Ronaldo force Madrid into entering the race for the former Barcelona man? It would not surprise me.

 

Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid could change the transfer plans of every top side in Europe.

Keenos

Who are Arsenal scouting at the UEFA Under21 Championship?

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Arsenal scouts are set to join those of Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham in Poland this summer to watch the crème de la crème of Europe’s youngsters at the Under 21 tournament. Incidentally, reports are that Manchester United and Liverpool have decided not to send scouts to Euro 2017.

So just who could Arsenal be scouting?

Renato Sanches (Portugal)

Just 12 months ago the Bayern Munich youngster was staring for Portugal in the senior version of the tournament. Still just 19, the youngster will be hoping to put a poor first season at Bayern Munich behind him, and remind the world why he was nominated as Golden Boy in 2016. This is a tournament he really should dominate.

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy)

Recently turned down a contract at home town club AS Milan, the now familiar name has defied his young age by breaking into Italian sides first team at just 18. With his contract set to expire at the end of 2018, a move this summer could be on the cards. Only downside is we would then have to deal with Mino Raiola. A greedy, greedy man.

Max Arnold (Germany)

With Jack Wilshire set to leave the club, and Santi Cazorla set to miss the rest of the year injured, Arsenal are lacking in creative central midfielders. The Wolfsburg man recently ran a friendly against England with a display of precise, intelligent passing and power.

Sandro Ramirez (Spain)

Set to leave Malaga this summer for a cut price £7million, he was destined to join Atletico Madrid before they were hit with a transfer embargo. Whilst certainly not a top choice for Arsenal, his cheap price tag could result in a risk to nothing in case other senior targets do not materialise.

Ruben Neves (Portugal)

The middle of the park for Portugal will intriguing to watch this summer with Ruben Neves joining Renato Sanches in a central midfield that would not be out of place in senior internationals. He provides the grit whilst Sanches gives the flair. A product of Port’s talent factory, he will be using this tournament to secure himself a move to one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Joel Asoro (Sweden)

18 year old Joel Asoro signed for Sunderland in 2018 and made just one appearance for the relegated side. The rapid forward is one of the first names on the teamsheet for the reigning European U21 Champions. Asoro led Sunderland to the 2016–17 Premier League International Cup Final and Arsenal have recently been tracking the youngster to reinforce their own U23 side.

Andrija Zivkovic (Serbia)

The winger is the youngest player ever to make an appearance for Serbia, aged just 17 years and 3 months. Joined Benfica last summer. Most of Europe have reportedly been monitoring the teenager, who is technically gifted and a talented dribbler. Predictably nicknamed the “Serbian Messi”.

Krystian Bielik (Poland)

The Arsenal youngster will be monitored throughout the tournament by the clubs scouts. The hosts fancy their chances at this years tournament, and a lot is expected of the powerful holding midfielder who joined the club for £2.7m in January 2015. A good performance could see him parachuted into the Arsenal 1st team squad next season.

Rob Holding and Calum Chambers (England)

The Arsenal pair are set to partner each other in the middle of England’s defence. It will be interesting to watch how they perform alongside each other for the future of the club.

Keenos