Barca fail in tapping up Hector Bellerin. Arsenal show their new strength….

It was very astute of Arsene Wenger to persuade Hector Bellerin to sign a new long term extension to his Arsenal contract earlier this season, and he has pre-empted the usual tapping up procedure by Barcelona when they are trying to steal one of our Spanish stars.

He obviously knew that this would happen, just as it did in the case of Cesc Fabregas, but the Gunners have much more bargaining power this time around and can slap a 100 million price tag on Bellerin to keep the Catalans at bay if they so wish. Wenger is in a position of power for change.

According to a report today in the Independent, Barca were hoping to get Bellerin to make “enough noise” to persuade Wenger to let him go for the paltry sum of £45m, which is apparently 2/3 of their transfer budget this summer, so there is simply no way that they can go any higher.

But Barca have failed to get the ex-Massia schoolboy to turn against Arsenal, despite getting one of his Spanish U21 team-mates to turn the screw in the dressing room and in the papers, and it would appear that they have now accepted defeat – for this summer at least.

Wenger standing up to Barcelona will certainly go some way to proving to the disillusioned Arsenal fans that we will not simply cave in when bigger clubs try poaching our players, and if we can keep Alexis and Ozil as well, perhaps we will even start believing that we can win the title next season…..

Admin

24 Comments

  1. Disillusioned Arsenal fans! Really? Were you there when we sold RVP or Fab? Were you there when we allowed players like Alexis/Ozil/Ox/Ramsey to enter their final year of their contract? You are the one seem disillusioned here, as fans have suffered enough in the past to believe negative news.
    Barca is giving Messi a new contract, MSN wage bill is huge, so they have to balance their need with their transfer budget. If they come with 45m, I doubt we can stop the deal. They offered player+cash and may be that is where deal broke apart. They have a pressing need for player like Verratti, not for Bellerin this year

    1. No one but the players themselves allowed their contracts to run down. Didn’t they try renewing for Özil and Sanchez since early last year?? Ox and Ramsey are different in the sense that they are not as hard to persuade as Özil or Sanchez.

  2. All will be resolved as soon as Mbappe agrees to join Arsenal ? ? apparently, Wenger is ready to match PSG’s latest offer and it’s said that his confidence has been boosted in last 48 hours.

    1. “Wenger is ready to match PSG’s latest offer and it’s said that his confidence has been boosted in last 48 hours”. Where did you get this info from?

      1. Rumor mill
        The rumors are pretty positive
        Mbappe seems to be happy with the idea of playing with us

        Hopefully there is truth to this and Wenger seals the deal

        1. the always reliable rumour mill. Certain to happen then, can’t wait. I’ll buy my Mbappe merchandise right now!

  3. That’s great news to hear fat; I can’t wait see this lad putting on red and white matching from our dressingroom. Dreams are indestructible though

  4. If arsenal signs Mbappe with the new record bid, and Mbappe does a CR7 then it is an absolute bargain…..

    1. He does a CR7 and leaves at his prime for Real Madrid? I wonder how much of the 120M we will be able to recoup when he hands in a transfer request..

  5. I doubt Mbappe will come to Arsenal, wenger would not spend 130 on one player not proven in the PL .Wengers aim is to win the PL so he needs proven world class players and Mbappe is far from that, Wengers problem is he has to much faith in players like walcott welbeck ramsey Jack gibbs, and coq these players are never world class and never will be, look how long wenger took to bring in a world class goal keeper? look how long he is taking to bring in another carzola in ? look how he let Alexis contract run down, Wenger is the problem

    1. Yeah, but Cazorla is a genius and Wenger got him – (BTW did you hear about the wee man’s infections this year? Sounds horrendous). He also actually got Cech. So not all bad.

      I think the real problem with the team is in CM – and has been since Gilberto left. Would love to see a positionally conscious rock in the middle, one who knows when to drop back into central defense; how to pass – etc. Not sure the Big Swiss lump has got it, nor Le Coq.

      Cante was the most important player in the Prem last two seasons. Won the league twice for a reason. I’d want Roma’s Strootman; Everton’s Gueyye, or – of course -Cante!

      1. You don’t want Strootman. He’s plays like Xhaka but inconsistent, worse overall. Bakayoko is the one we should have got.

  6. Zidane called mbappe
    Tomorrow u Will see newspapers

    Experts said it on equipe 21 in France

  7. If Wenger pulls off Mbappe then I think we are a step closer to keeping Alexis.

    Let’s hope and pray these rumors are true

  8. All that needs to happen should come quick and let’s focus… Rumor Mills are becoming digusting.

  9. I’m a bit behind on articles so I’ll catch up here.
    Firstly what a4e people’s views in mbappe?
    I think skillful and pacey young striker of top quality but an expensive risk and does he have the all round game to replace sanchez?
    I agree with precious statement that we should be breaking our necks to get aubameyang. Why is their no gossip surrounding him? That suggests to me he’s moving somewhere and it’s already done.

    On bellerin tough one. He wants to go home but could we find a replacement to fill his boots that Is young and quick probably not. I say keep at all costs and ask him to stay another season so we can plan for him to go home.
    Sanchez and ozil I’m getting a little bored with sign or sell. However I couldn’t bear to see either in the pl still unless with us.
    Holding we keep and chambers we should try and loan out to a place team. He wasn’t 16m and is home Grown so let’s keep our options open.
    Ox wtf is going on here? Surely we need to get a move on with his contract talks. I’ve always liked ox and since seeing him do okay as a wing back and at cm I like him even more great attitude towards playing and the fans.

  10. Oh also with our history of breaking players,(them getting injured whilst with us).
    What’s the odds on us spending 100m on 1 player in mbappe for him to get injured.

  11. Can’t believe that I’m seeing people complaining about Mbappe being too expensive.
    After all, for years we’ve said ‘it’s not his money so why won’t he just spend it’ – so now there is a chance to sign Mbappe, people are saying no he’s too expensive, ridiculous!
    I for one would be delighted if it was spent on a player who is obviously the complete package, and only 18, than it just to sit in Kroenkes safe for the foreseeable future.

    1. It’s not that gooners don’t want the club to spend that much on a world class talent, it’s more because if we spend so much on one player AW will not buy any other good players. Mbappe + one other 30 million player or Lacazette/Morata/Aubemeyang + two 40 million players.

  12. If AFC want a proven striker for half the cost of Mbappe, go for Aubameyang. He’s available, scored 31 goals in 31 games in the Bundesliga last season and will put the fear of God into PL defences. He has got to be the quickest and the most lethal finisher in Europe. If we persist with Mbappe we might end up with nobody that’s my one fear. Let’s get him before another PL team snaps him up. By the way though he represents Gabon, he was born in France which would suit AW.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors