Well, yesterday it all looked like Arsenal’s deal for Granit Xhaka was as good as done and dusted, but according to the Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl, the Bundesliga club won’t even entertain talks with the Gunners until they come up with a more reasonable bid.
The massive German sports paper Bild are reporting that Arsenal have only made a bid of €25 million (£19.1m) for the Switzerland international, which is nowhere near the price that Gladbach are seeking which is much higher at €40m (£30.7m).
We all know that the Arsenal negotiators are famous for trying to get as small a price as possible, but this time they will have to loosen the purse strings a bit more if they are determined to get their man.
This report from Bild is definitely genuine as they also include a quote from Max Eberl, who makes it clear that Gladbach are serious about refusing to sell cheaply. He said: “There is an offer, but it does not mean that we will allow Granit a transfer for that price. We really don’t need to discuss the fee proposed in the offer.”
So we can put away the bunting for the time being, as it looks like we are still far away from making our first signing. And it all looked so positive yesterday….
Admin
Next year around this time, after Xhaka completed his phenomenal first season at City, topping the tackle and interception chart, Wenger comes out and says:
“I almost signed Xhaka.”
utube/watch?v=1Et1qBCnv3c
LOL…I really hope this doesn’t happen.
But if it does, ‘Typical Wenger’.
The day we ended our EPL campaign I saw our matchday hero tried to go around the defender when one on one and he failed measurably.
Look at the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyAQYL_SJsM
I don’t think he’s worth 40 million euro. He might be an accurate long range passer, but that’s not the way we play our game. And he’s agonizingly slow on the ball too and we don’t know how well he can adapt to the fast pace of EPL and the whole season just 1 assist????
I would prefer Riechedly Bazoer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYxA5vIoRIo
See for yourself..
?
This isn’t very accurate. We know that there have been talks with the player and the deal is nearly done. Why’s everyone trying to educate me on Morata? He’s world class. A lot of armchair fans quoting his scoring record, most of which was from the bench.
Someone tried to say that Giroud is better! Morata would score double the goals Giroud scores in a season. Whoever says he isn’t worth £40 Million doesn’t watch much football. He would be our best striker since Henry. There’s a reason half of Europe want him.
@arsenalman365..
I have been reading your comments advocating for Morata…
Believe me,I want Morata for Arsenal too,he has everything you want(albeit potentials)…
I remember his run against bayern at the Allianz Arena dribbling and maneuvering the whole defence before setting Cuadrado up!
BUT, with that price tag(rumoured 51m)…it is a huge gamble Arsenal may not wanna take..
I mean that is about the price that would have gotten us Higuain,Auba,Lewa, even liverpool Suarez…top top strikers..
If he is like 25m-30m,that is better and reasonable considering his goals to game ratio…
If Wenger does this I will be very surprised and happy..afterall,the money is not really mine….
He’s better than Aubameyang and dare I say it, even Higuain. Telegraph report that he’s now Chelsea’s top transfer targets with Higuain as a backup target. That says all you need to know.
Admittedly I have only watched Morata in the Champions league, so it is entirely possibly that you have seen something in him that I have not, BUT
If Morata is indeed Chelsea’s main target, we should get Lukaku.
Despite how much you advocate for Morata, he would be a huge gamble. A 23 yr old with a dubious scoring record, (albeit a lot of his appearances are off the bench, as you said) is just such a gamble at over 50 million.
However, Lukaku, who is EPL proven, also 23, has a much better scoring record, and would be of similar price to Morata, is my choice for striker.
@arsenalman365
Responding to your earlier comment – I’ll admit, I haven’t seen Morata play much (maybe 20 times maximum), but I’ve never seen anything special in him at all. You say a lot of his goals are from the bench, but my question would be, why is he on the bench so much then, if he’s so good? Why would Juventus sell him or Real Madrid buy him back, just to sell on at a profit, if he’s such a superstar? Doesn’t make sense!
If Morata was really that good, he would be starting every game, and scoring a lot more goals! Even if you argue from the point of his age and potential, Morata still shouldn’t be an option, because Arsenal fans have had enough of potential! We badly need a proven goal scorer. The English league is considered the toughest in the world, so buying a striker for a whopping £40 million, with poor goals record, is huge risk. If Morata is worth £40 million, then Giroud has to be worth at least £60 million then. Vardy would be about £80 million, and Kane around £90 million.
Given we have arguably the best play-maker in the world, isn’t about time he was given a world striker to work with, who regularly scores?
Sometimes, when a player is on the bench,it doesn’t mean he is bad…
Sanchez was benched at Barcelona…..
This season,Ox,Walcott were staring ahead of campbell eventhough Campbell was playing better..
Gabriel played ahead of Chambers who imo is better suited to play with Koscielny..
Sometimes,it depends on the coach or the formation or the form of the players starting ahead of you.
@goonerboy
I completely agree with you. A top player can find themselves on the bench regularly at a club, because of many situations. A lot of class players have gone to Barcelona and barely get a kick for example.
But from what arsenalman365 says, Morata is a bench warmer at Juventus and it was the same situation at Real Madrid. I can understand that happening at one club, but surely Morata’s not that great if it’s now happening at both of his clubs. At 23 years old, he should be starting more often if he’s that good. Also, only eight appearances so far and one goal for Spain. Given Spain’s striker issues since David Villa’s international retirement two years ago, I would have thought Morata would have featured more, again, if he was that good or had tons of potential.
To be fair, all this Morata talk is just the rumour mill in full swing, as with every summer. But I’m surprised some Arsenal fans have got caught up in this Morata talk, considering we haven’t had a top striker for a whopping four years!
Apart of his efficient goal for minute play ratio, his price away too expensive. Juventus bought Dybala, one of their main striker around 30M pounds from Palermo. None of back up striker like Morata tagged that much, and none of clubs will pay that much to get him. None.
It is very frustrating to see how the Xhaka rumours are going..
I have been following it relentlessly…
Why are we like this,just why????
Issues like this makes it hard not to hate/despise Wenger..
I just hope they pull this one through!
“Issues like this makes it hard not to hate/despise Wenger..”
Yet it isn’t Wenger who deals with transfers, it was Dein when he 1st joined us and now it is Gazidis.
Thought you was a fan, do you now know who does what at the club you support?
You’re correct but let’s not pretend that Wenger doesn’t have major pull at the club especially since he’s been there longer than most. The thing is and I’m by no means bashing Wenger but if he really wants to win the league let alone the champions league then he would tell Gazidis to get “X” or “Y” player at all cost that will take the club to that level almost instantly. Also the financial world we live in we just have to get with the times not to mention the new tv deal that will be pumping crazy money to the clubs. To end this Forbes just released that Arsenal are the 5th richest football club in the world… WE ARE NOT BROKE!!! So why act like it?
If this haggling is true, is anyone surprised? I mean if you believe rumors then Arsenal want around 20 million for Schez and initial offer of 25 million for Granit.
Ha ha so funny, but sadly it sounds completely possible. It appears that player is willing, club knows they have to sell, yet Arsenal penny pinching again.
And don’t start with 1 million pounds equal to raise in ticket price. Didn’t BPL sign new mega TV deal? Pay the money ffs! Saving money for what?
New stadium? WC striker? Walcott contract negotiations? Spare me from billionaire cheap skates. There are no coupons for transfers.
Gazidis has always penny pinched, we can highlight Gazidis as the changing factor as the transfer window just before he joined Wenger splashed the cash and bought Arshavin for a record transfer fee (club record) and he payed over the odds for Nasri who had just signed a new contract with his previous club.
Wenger and Dein never dithered over a couple million.
Wenger alone didn’t dither over a couple million.
Gazidis how-ever has!
Cazorla is now an Arsenal player but 12 months before we got him, we missed out on him by around £2mil…
Suarez famous bid of £40mil and £1, bidding upon a rumor and didn’t fight for it.
Now this with Xhaka…
Never happened with Dein, the changing variable is Gazidis, he can not do transfers quick enough for a TOP TOP team.
@ Midkemma..
Oh really???tanx for opening my eyes…
Lemme also tell you that Wenger is in CHARGE of everything in Arsenal..
If he tells Gazidis “look,that player is worth the amount”
Gazidis will comply,that is how powerful,respected and influential Wenger is..
And need I remind you that the board has said “If Wenger has a plan we back him”
Wenger also said money is available to him,and lastly,that he treats the money as if it belongs to him ehn???
What more proof do you need??
So tanx Mr Arsenal!
Exactly! ??
But some people here, don’t want to understand that,
They still want to blame the owner and the board, even though ‘Those’ words came from Wenger himself.
Arsenal did bought Sanchez 30M pounds, remember?
Here we go again……
Higuain Saga all over again.
This a player(xhaka)that really wants to join,he even gives daily updates about the negotiations..
We have released 3 players along with their wages,Debuchy and Woj should at the worst least fetch us 15m,if not more.
Add the remaining $$$$ and let’s move on…
God!!!!!!
I think this is a transfer saga with high probability of happening, but if it didn’t, the fact that it wouldn’t be the first time the money pinching for the transfer fee has FXXked us over, will not surprise me at all.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Any highly rated player rumored in to Arsenal I will not expect happening – ever again with Wenger/Kroenke/Gazidis.
griezman + aubamayang that is all
Nice, you’ve mention two man that doesn’t even interested to play for EPL sides let alone Arsenal. Aubameyang only wants to move for Real Madrid if he left Dortmund, Griezmann not even consider Madrid although he’s Zinedine Zidane admirer. Where’s Arsenal position exactly? Not even cross their mind, I thought.
anybody got a spare pound , just to increase the bid !.
I think Xhaka is a good player and will add a lot of quality to our midfield but honestly, I think he is not what we need urgently. We urgently need a defensive midfielder and Xhaka is not one, he is a central box to box midfielder. And in that position we already have Carzola, Ramsey, El Neny and Wilshere. The position which we need urgent reinforcement is our defensive midfield so I think Kante or Krychowiack will be the ideal signing. Another midfield position we need reinforcement is our attacking midfield position. So I think Mario Gotze will make a good back up and competition for Ozil.
It’s hilarious getting thumbed down for reporting this news,
3 articles ago! ??
Like I said, maybe Kante is the real target as he is a lot cheaper than Xhaka but now there is even a cheaper option than Kante! ?? Wenger must be licking his lips!
Observe:
Arsene Wenger has long been a fan of Newcastle powerhouse Moussa Sissoko, and the Arsenal boss is apparently looking to capitalise on the Magpies’ relegation woes by securing the French midfielder for a cut-price £10m, according to theExpress.
Wenger can’t sign Sissoko surely….
He wouldn’t do that to us…
Sissoko has definitely underwelhmed this past season, arguably the past two BUT who wouldn’t surrounded by the lack of attacking quality that Newcastle trots out on weekly basis.
I think he would flourish on the wings, providing a more direct and technical attacking threat than any of Ox, Theo or Ramsey.
Worth a punt for $10M I reckon
Oh yes he would.
Seriously….I will cry if Wenger signs Sissoko, I will..
Maybe Xhaka and Sissoko, but only Sissoko????
Haven’t we been there before? i’m not surpised with the latest news that seem like a small bump on the road but looks more in line with Arsenal & Wenger way of doing business!!
I’m a bit worried tought as we know where that got us in the past.
From a business point of view it makes sense. You bid low knowing it’s going to take more to end up paying 3-5 millions less than the initial asking price. It could also make a difference down the line if you want to attract another “marquee” player
The downside to it are:
1) The time that it takes to get to what was mention above could allow a club more ruthless & willing to pay without negotiating to long “steal” the player
2) The player could feel not appreciated at it’s true value. And that could obviously be the case specially with the way Xhaka has been outspoken about Arsenal in the past year & is willingness to play in the red/white outfit.
All in all rumours as just rumours but there’s no smoke without fire but again we’ll have to wait for an official word from Arsenal/Wenger before reaching a conclusion. Please no repeat of the Suarez situation, a player that was willing to do everything to come but because of the way we went about the business we missed an opportunity.
Dude, Suarez situations were complicated. Basically, L’pool won’t sell their wanted away striker to any PL rivals. Arsene arrived there first, made that hilarious 40M+1 pound (WTF?), Gerard said : Luis, you deserved much more than Arsenal, Barcelona came, paid 50 to 60M pounds, every one happy except us, end of story.
I didn’t even think we have a chance if we tabled the same price as Barca did. Suarez will choose Barca in a no brain way! Now, did I miss something?
So Xhaka to City, Kante to Arsenal? Funny how the N’Golo Kante rumors just started up as we progressed into negotiations about Xhaka’s transfer fee. We’re obviously trying to play Leicester City off against Gladbach… which would be smart if we were the only squad interested in either player.. but we’re not. Likely, Gladbach will get fed up with our lowball offer and sell elsewhere. Gotta hope Kante’s still available by the time that penny drops.
a journalist friend of xhaka tweeted earlier in the day that he was on his way to london to seal the deal im just hoping that,s true!!
Wish I had read your comment before I start running my mouth off.
Everyone in here taking tabloid stories as gospel. Yesterday it was two mil that their people weren’t happy about, today the same paper says it’s 15 mil the difference. People in here are to quick to talk smack, they go with the controversy which suits them best. Not one of them has mentioned the other story about how a close friend of Xhaka, has said he will be in London soon to sign. Basically a formality at this stage. We are trying to get a fair deal because a striker is going to be very expensive. And a striker along with this midfielder isn’t even all the business we need done. We have got a large amount to spend, but there is a limit (I’m looking at you Goonerboy). We are not a club that can get any player at all costs, che yes, manc yes, but Arsenal no. We aren’t going to pay three hundred in wages on top of sixty mil, and then look to bring in three more recruits. We have our limits, so this thinking is going to be at the forefront when in our negotiations, like I said ..We still have other targets, along with a priority position which needs filling.
@ Trevor…
Its obvious you are not current on the Xhaka issue…
What more proof do you need when the club director was quoted saying the amount they got from Arsenal won’t let them have a SERIOUS negotiation…
You don’t wanna believe that,but you wanna believe the Journalist friend right???
No one should act like they know the everything happening at Arsenal, because we don’t know everything..
You always wanna sound different a self righteous but you are wrong here!
you guys are the ones who often talk as if you knew everything about arsenal and arsene.. His (Trevors) is just a voice of reason, a bit of positivity is nice to see here
Trevor didn’t sound positive to me, and CDM like Xhaka or Kante is actually one of our top priority.