Arsenal agreed to sign Samuel Umtiti last month before the Frenchman suffered a new injury and the deal collapsed, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Umtiti is one of the high-earning players Barca is trying to offload and the report claims they had agreed to swap the former Lyon man with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The offer appeared sensible to Arsenal, and they accepted, but he suffered a toe injury that is set to keep him out of action for a very long time.
Thankfully, Arsenal still offloaded Auba without bringing the La Liga flop to London.
Just Arsenal Opinion
This revelation showed the lengths Arsenal was willing to go just to offload Aubameyang from Mikel Arteta’s squad.
We have targeted Umtiti in the past, but in recent seasons, he has proven to be a liability with his constant injuries.
The defender will hardly play professional football for a sustained period again and he probably would have spent most of his time at Arsenal on the treatment table.
Barca will now have to deal with treating him and getting him back to full fitness, while we enjoy our new freedom without the burden of paying a huge salary to Aubameyang.
However, we needed to sign a replacement for him. While we can still do that in the summer, it is a risk to go through the rest of this season with just our current attackers.
This can’t be true, can it? There’s no way
If it was a 4 month loan till May it made reasonable sense as we are short at CB. Even Phil Jones on loan would have filled the gap till Saliba comes back in June. All clubs have kept injured players too long. Abu Diaby Jack Wilshere Yaya Sanogo were kept for years by Arsene because he had a soft spot for his players and Arsenal was so rich we could afford it. Bellerin never came back after his injury but was kept. Vermaelen Gibbs Rosicky were perennially injured. RVP was an injury crock for 7 years.
I salute you. You have history my man. I remember Adebayor saying Thomas Rosiscky’s time at Arsenal three quarters of it was on the treatment table not on the pitch. Abu Diaby, Thomas Vermalean, are other good examples. No wonder Mikel Arteta is reluctant to sign Jack Wilshire because he knows his injuries history very well
If that is true that should be an immediate firinf offense seriously…wanting to bring, literally, one of the most injury prone players in modern history to our club.
another “throw-up in my mouth” moment, true or otherwise…this doesn’t even help the current narrative as it’s not really considered to be one of our most pressing needs, although we would be rather light if one of our 3 remaining CBs were to get injured…even so, why would you ever bring in a vastly overpaid and injury-prone player to fill that role
I reject this rumour as the arrant nonsense it has always been . NO MANAGER WOULD SIGN A PERENNIALLY INJURED CROCK WILLINGLY AND MA WOULD NOT DO EITHER.
Dodged a big bullet there and yes, my sources say it’s true.
if so, doesn’t that suggest something about those in charge Declan??
TRVL, There is no “if so”, and it does not exist . So to speculate on something as clearly ridiculous as possibly being true is dishonest of you.
Try thinking sensibly and logically about this nonsensical rumour and then reject it as the definite nonsense it is!
THAT thoughtful action would be honest.
If this had of gone ahead at least it would have replaced Kallstrom or Suarez as our most ridiculous loan signing .
If true, thank god, we have not signed him.
One of the most unlucky players with injuries. Definitely dodged a bullet.
Why so many cries for no singings yet even at back we have versatile players to cover up… Tierney, party and xhaka all can cover at the back…