At least this shows Arsenal ARE planning CB transfer

The thing to remember about Arsenal transfer rumours is that crucial third word, rumours. Even the most confident sounding media report, and there are plenty about the Gunners signing Petr Cech from Chelsea at the minute, means very little until the deal is confirmed on the Arsenal website.

But I still assume that some of these rumours are based on truth, especially when they come from the more reliable sources rather than Metro, Caught offside or the Daily Star, who seem to be employing a team of dreamers to make up anything they can.

So I am taking the Sky Sports report about the Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Benedikt Howedes at face value. The fact that the player himself has revealed that he turned down the chance to join the Gunners this summer helps to give the story credence of course, although it does not help Arsenal in our hopes of strengthening the back line. Or does it?

If Howedes really did reject our advances then it does mean that Wenger wanted him and that means that Arsenal are looking to sign another centre back to compete with Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gabriel and possibly Chambers. That sounds good to me and I doubt that one setback will change the bosses mind. Howedes would have been nice but there are plenty more fish in the sea. Which one will we catch?

Tags Howedes Wenger

46 Comments

  1. #WENGER-OUT…
    Its the only way we will ever lift a major trophy again -PL or CL
    Just bury these comment with thumb downs because thats the only way you know of facing the truth and reality and read other “positive” comments but i will remind you these next year and the year after just as i did last year

    1. You must love being right more than you love the club, because you cant seem to admit to being wrong.

      1. To win a major trophy nowadays you need two things:
        1) at least 4 exceptional players surrounded by top quality players or
        2)An exceptional manager who makes critical decisions not only guided by
        love or passion, miracle or belief but has the ability to do whats necessary
        no matter who it involves

        If by pointing weak links in our team is not loving Arsenal, then i don’t know what
        love is

        1. number 1 we’re very close and I’m sure by the end of the summer the squad will be even better and meet the requirements you state.

          Number 2 we already have that.

          Plus the FA cup is a major trophy. Ask any player at any club in any league. Domestic trophies are important. league Cup maybe not so much but we’re the only league with 2 domestic cups. The FA cup is special it’s completely different to the league and the champions league and very special in own right. If you can’t stop and enjoy the moment in winning the FA cup then honestly you’ll never be happy.

        2. We have an exceptional manager and we have Cech, Boss, Coq, Cazorla/Ozil, Giroud/?. When you say four exceptional players im going to give you the benefit of doubt and presume you mean spine, because thats what most experts say that you need a strong spine and i agree amongst other things of course.

          One more thing you need and this is a big one, you need the luck.. injuries of course. Che had it, city had it when they won, and utd had it when they won. We havnt had the luck in a long time and if we had you would see a much more consistent Arsenal. Dont go and say awe here we go injuries… because having your best players each week will increase your chances that is a fact.

          The thing is though all we need is a back up for Coq. Back up For Giroud maybe, i think we do but there is a chance that a full Arsenal squad throughout will have no problems whatsoever with goal scoring. And it looks like we got our GK. So there you have it… a spine. Kos and Per are a match made in heaven so long as the unit holds, and now they have Cech of all people behind them. Midfield we are very strong, one more signing. Going forward we are very strong. So there you have it, Arsenal are looking good for title push.

          1. Exactly buddy..even last season we the fans knew exactly what we needed but the manager had other ideas n i suspect the same these these season…there will be no dm or another top striker n no club has its full squad the whole season..injuries are a part of the game n yes i’ll never be truly happy until we win the cl or pl

              1. hahaaa…but even though our opinions vary, we are still arsenal fans..
                theres’s always two sides of something in order for it to survive but both sides always have one goal

          2. @yingyang69
            Giroud an exceptional player?? So what is Thierry Henry, what is Van Persie?

            Answer this to yourself…is Giroud at his best better than Adebayor at his best? Is Giroud a better player than Adebayor was for Arsenal. Its a resounding NO. I watched both play in an Arsenal shirt. Giroud is not good enough for Arsenal.

            There is only one outright exceptional player in the team and that is Alexis Sanchez but maybe we can say Koscielny. Cazorla, Ozil and Coquelin are a very good supporting cast. Ozil still has the chance to be exceptional if the striker he is creating chances for is not Giroud.
            Read this slowly…we do not need a backup for Giroud, we need an exceptional world class striker for Giroud to be a backup to.

            1. I was talking about a strong spine when i referred to Giroud. Whether you like to admit or not Giroud is a very strong focal point hence he is a major part of our spine. The four exceptional players which i didnt bring up by the way as i was replying to somebody could be taking from Cech Boss Coq Cazorla Ozil which i mentioned along with Giroud.

          3. What is pathetic…and no offence meant, is the fans like @yingyang69 that say this every season and still believe that Arsenal will win the EPL and CL.
            I am pretty sure you and many others said the same thing you’re saying last season and actually believed we would win major honours.
            At least I am realistic and lets be real here without the blind faith which is cute sometimes but endlessly frustrating.
            Without a world class CF/ST, expert DM, faster mobile CB and to a lesser extent a goalkeeper. So to put some names (doesn’t mean exactly these guys) to those positions we have Benzema, Vidal/Schneiderlin, Hummels and Cech.
            I understand and respect that some fans have blind faith and supports the club no matter what and its average players like Giroud. What annoys me is that every season they keep saying the same thing (e.g we have Giroud and don’t need anyone) and they actually believe this and expect us to win the EPL and CL.
            Maybe I would have more respect for these people if they were realists. You can believe that Giroud is ‘great’ or his hold up play is phenomenal but at least have the decency to believe that we cannot win the EPL and CL with him or expect us to challenge because for 3 consecutive seasons now it has been the same.

            1. I couldn’t say it better. i’m pretty optimistic as a person but when I read comments like “The thing is though all we need is a back up for Coq. Back up For Giroud” and we blame stuff like injuries and so on, and then I wonder if i’m the one just being negative or some fellow supporters don’ want to face the truth. But one thing is for sure and that is, you have start to ask questions if the same things happen every season.

              However i’m happy with the season we have had and our squad specially when you compare it to the manchester clubs. I think the reason why maybe half the fans (included me) are not convinced of Giroud as our first CF is that we as club are or used to be very depended on our CF to win as games and some how have tradition for strikers to thrive in Arsenal (Atletico Madrid are really good at that) even though they where not world class when bought (unlike Chelsea apart from Drogba and now Costa) With the midfield we have now someone like Bony would compete for top scorer.

              1. Kool, after I wrote that I was about to put a reply underneath saying – By back up I mean competition. I just didnt bother.

                Also sure you can see my own thought was that we needed another striker but if people like you cant see that Goals are not a concern unless we get large number of injuries well….

                Also you are writing everything off even before Wenger gets business done whereas i happen to have faith in the man and also i can see this team improving greatly. I never said anything on CL title either all i said was i believe my team will scrap it out for the crown. I didnt even say we would win it but you jump down my throat with a comment suggesting i claimed we would nab the double. Get behind your team man, we had two good seasons and were looking to push on.

            2. What a crock of sh*t.. We’re right on the verge of competing for the top honours. We are pretty much getting Cech even though we don’t really need him. To say that Hummels is a faster more mobile CB is quite frankly ridiculous as he and Mert are pretty much on the same page when it comes to pace of course Hummels is better but he would set us back a good 30-40m.. Saying that I mean it wouldn’t hurt to buy but it is absolutely unnecessary. To me Boss and Mert are better than Terry and Cahill. We do not need somebody like Schneiderlin as he isn’t even as good as Coq and frankly Arteta, Wilshere and Flamini are searching for game time to. If we were to get rid of Flamini and Arteta, or indeed Wilshere as suddenly seems quite the possibility than buying Schneiderlin would be beneficial as cover. or buy the luxury Vidal but he is not necessary at all. The way I see it we already have by far and away the best middle 3 in the EPL with people Rosicky not even making the bench! We’re as good on the wings as Chelsea and only lack a little bit ip front if we were to buy Benzema or Martinez would match them if not we have the better mid and defence anyway..

            3. Giroud is a top four striker, not a championship winning striker. How can he play in front of arguably the most creative midfield in the world and his best attribute ( his hold-up play) is helping them score?

              Strikers win you championships, midfielders just help them do it.The only clubs in the last ten years to winner the premier league without a striker being the top goalscorer are Man City and Man U courtesy of Yaya Toure and Cristiano Ronaldo.

  2. Apparently Ramos wants to leave Real Madrid. What do you think fellow Gooners, should we try to reunite him with Mesut Ozil? Personally I think that would make a fantastic move! That way we can loan out Chambers aswell to gain some valuable playing team, you see how good it is for Jenkinson.

    1. I’d class him as one of the best centre backs in the world But at 29 I think he’d cost at least 40m plus he’d want massive wages in a position we don’t exactly need players. You could buy almost any player for what he’d cost.

  3. Sky Sources saying Cech deal is on the verge of completion. Can’t believe we are actually getting a Chelsea player, lol. Now we have to wait a week probably b/c Arsenal always take a while to officially announce players :/. GREAT start to the summer, lets keep it going

  4. A big strong experienced German defender sounds like the ideal kind of signing. I would love to see a proper no nonsense battle hungry defender with bags of experience arrive. Not sure if there are too many out there with qualities like PL players of old. Godin from A Madrid would be a good signing but cant see them selling as wed have to give substantial offer. Spurs are getting Alderweird but hes not really an improvement on what we got. The lad at Celtic but still unproven to a degree. We could bid for Varane or Ramos whichever they lose, wouldnt pin hopes.

    Big strong experienced German could describe Per but i had a different kind of strong in mind. Strong in a sense that hes not slow, likes to fight and throw his weight around.

    1. This “slow” thing has followed Mert his entire career. And he has consistently proven the critics to be just plain wrong.

      Mert was released from the club of his youth training because he would never make it as a pro – because he was too slow.

      Mert was the perpetual 1st choice CB for one of the best national teams in the world (but he is too slow)

      Mert has had the most appearances for Arsenal over the past several seasons and has anchored a defense that is statistically much better since his arrival. (but he is too slow)

      Mert was 2nd in the voting for Arsenal player of the Season in 2013/2014. (but he is too slow).

      Mert anchored the defense that earned AFC 2 trophies for the first time in a loooooooong time. (but he is too slow)

      I think it is time to drop the “he is too slow” nonsense.

      1. Mertersacker is too slow. Its a fact, nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t mean he is not a good CB. It does not have anything to do with Arsenal winning the most revered trophies of them all twice in a row. He is good as a backup. He is the Giroud of the Arsenal defence…the irrefutable slowest and weakest link. It doesn’t mean they will not do a great job at West Ham or Everton that will ideally suit their playing styles.
        Ask yourself if you would be able to sit down comfortably watching Mertersacker against Barca, Bayern, Madrid

        1. Too slow for WHAT? That is the question. He is too slow for YOU. He is obviously not too slow to be an effective CB. His entire career has proven that.

      2. Thank you man, I love BFG, he is an intelligent CB, he never disappoints in one on one situations, and he nullified Benteke in FA cup final, he is a great leader, he plays most of the games, rarely gets injured.

  5. We are not getting a CB!!! He didn’t say when Arsenal approached him or showed interest and considering we got a CB in January it highly likely that is when we wanted him.

    Why would we get another CB anyway??? We have Mertesacker, Koscielney, Gabriel, and Chambers. That’s three senior CBs and a very capable young one. Makes no sense.

    On another note, I’m watching England u21 and Jenkinson has been very impressive, 5/5 crosses have been pin point accurate. Definitely glad we are loaning him one more season and then probably he and Bellerin will be battling it out for 1st team.

    1. That was my thoughts also. Sounded like he was talking about the past. I also think were good to go but as a fan i admit to always wanting a new signing as much as the next man, unless the next man is Wenger of course.

    2. exactly my thoughts. This was probably January or last summer he was referring to. I think we’re fine on CB’s at the moment.

  6. If we get Cech and Howedes or Van Dijk, I won’t complain as they will improve our team but I’m still hoping for one more top CF or winger and a top DM.

    Regardless, Will give Wenger the whole summer before I make any complaints. He deserves the whole two months to improve the team

  7. I genuinely believe that our interest in Howedes was over the last couole of years rather than this Summer. I think it probablyvended when we signed Gabriel. I may be wrong but im pretty certain we arent looking at any defenders. Remember Wenger is a man that has gone a whole season with only 3 CBs in recent years and he sees Debuchy and Monreal as decent enough cover at CB.

    1. Your thinking is solid. Wenger will likely only get a defender if someone leaves.

      Arsenal have 3 RBs, 2LBs, and 4 CBs. This fits Wenger’s criteria for having at least 2 quality players for every position. We can argue what “quality” means but if Wenger has included a player in the squad we must assume that Wenger considers that player qualified.

  8. He never said when we were interested in him. Rumours were last summer and in January, back when we needed a CB. We will not be buying another centre back this summer, that I am 99% sure of. I would like to see Gabriel play more games though, he’s looked very solid when he’s played, and a real threat when he’s gone forward for corners. Almost scoring in the FA Cup semifinal with a near post header and assisting Jack’s thunderbolt against West Brom are the ones that stand out for me.

    1. I think you are right. The CB Wenger might have acquired this summer was already acquired in January = Gabriel.

      Arsenal will soon need a CB as Mert (who has been great) is aging and will fade out just like all athletes But it will not likely be this season.

  9. Milan has pulled out of Martinez deal. Looks like he will go to A. Madrid. I’m still hoping Wenger will do something in the next week or so.

    1. Would you prefer Gutteriez? Carlos Bacca suspended and Guttierz starts with Jackson on the bench. The dude is Colombia’s 4th choice striker.

      1. well that 4th choice striker mkes Coombia look a lot moe dangerous v Peru.
        maybe Pekerman (who looks like Wengers cousin) thinks also sentimentally and wanted o keep Falcao because he desrrved it…?

  10. The author of this posting writes “I still assume some of these rumors are based on truth.” So easy to pick out the illogic and flaws in this statement.

    1. “some” of the rumors are based on truth. even if 1% are true, none of us know which ones they are.

    2. “based on truth” this is not the same as being true. a player could say he likes AFC and the rumor becomes he “wants” to go to AFC. the rumor then is based on some truth but it does not mean the player is even considering a transfer.

    3. I “ASSUME” some of the rumors are true. In other words, the author has absolutely no evidence to support his belief that any appreciable percentage of these rumors even has a hint of truth in it. he just “assumed” than something “may be” possible.

    I believe humans exist and some play football, therefore Schneiderlin is coming to AFC. This statement is “based” on the truth that humans play football and the “assumption” that it could possibly be true in “some” realm of existence. This all then becomes: “Done Deal – Schneiderlin coming to AFC”

    We would not accept this kind of irrational thinking from our 3 year old children, yet in the universe of football transfers it is all perfectly acceptable among supposedly intelligent adults.

  11. Sign Hummels, Ramos, Howedes and Verane

    Sell Mertsacker, Debuchy, Gabriel, Chambers, Hayden and Jenkison

    SIMPLES SIMPLES SIMPLES

  12. off topic.
    second superbe shot stop by Opina in copa América.
    He just denied Peru of an excellent goal

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