Amid complications in their pursuit of Declan Rice, Arsenal is reportedly considering alternative options in the transfer window. The Gunners have seen their bids for Rice rejected by West Ham, and Manchester City’s interest has added further competition.
As the price for Rice is likely to rise due to the increased competition, Arsenal may choose to withdraw their interest rather than overpay for the player. In light of this, there are reports from FC Inter News that Arsenal has turned their attention to Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella.
Barella is highly regarded as one of the top Italian midfielders and has consistently performed well in both domestic and international competitions. Although he may not generate the same level of hype as Rice, his proven ability to contribute effectively on the field makes him an appealing option for Arsenal.
However, it is important to note that Arsenal could still face competition from other top clubs in their pursuit of Barella, although he is expected to be a more affordable option compared to Rice.
Just Arsenal Opinion
We have complicated the move for Rice by our unwillingness to meet West Ham’s valuation and will only have ourselves to blame if we miss out on him, but it is good that we have a fine alternative player we can turn to.
Arsenal will NEVER get back to challenging for significant silverware with KSE as owners. Stan did say he didn’t buy Arsenal to win trophies. Fans need to stop capping and say it as it is. Arsenal owners are not football fans and that’s the underlying problem. The irony of the situation is that the way they are doing the Rice transfer is what they should have done with Havertz… Fans in England needs to protest and protest BIG
It’s “unwise” to consistently miss out on your “number one ☝️” target 🎯 and claim to want to win 🏆 trophies. Yesterday’s price isn’t today’s price. Big clubs get their number one ☝️ targets instead of making excuses.
We missed real targets like Suarez (the 1GBP fiasco, the most cruel joke in football history), Higuain, Benzema, these talents would have won us tons of trophies and we settled for Perez, Chamakh, Gervinho, Asano, Park, Sanogo. Seems AFC were winning trophies in your dreams year after year(Oh Yes, the Emirates cup and the “Top Four Trophee hehehe”) 100M GBP for a player with no intention to renew his contract ? Youri Telesman some 25-30GBP in the same situation last year. Mikel and Edu are smart enough although they are not ” Economics Professors” And sensible enough not the add that 1GBP!
Jon fox, are you aware of how your club has acted in regards to trying to buy Rice. The first offer was £60 million with £15million add ons you are not going to achieve any time soon, with only £15 million of that upfront and the rest over a protracted period. Not much change with the second bid. Neither of these bids 1. Show Arsenal in a good light 2. Are just wasting people’s time in the hope that Rice will try and force through a move that will not happen as is as Arsenal are a million miles away from the asking price and expected terms. I hasten to add I have no axe to grind with Arsenal, my Granddad was a Gooner and my best friend is but this is not how a classy club acts
Of course JW, most “classy clubs” go straight in, pay however much the selling team is asking (no matter the worth of the player), and accept the terms they insist on. No negotiating, just pay top wack and get the deal done 🤣.
You definitely have an axe to grind. Your insult of Arsenal is unwarranted and irresponsible.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Arsenal’s approach so far. It quite clearly suggests that Arsenal believe that Rice has been overpriced by WH. There are many others who also feel that Rice is overpriced.
There is a school of thought that would say that if Rice is that good then he should be able to achieve the outcomes put forward by Arsenal and thereby justify the add-ons.
OT: Juventus says they will take Partey from us , our only world class player and it’s for a peanuts fee.
Arsenal do have a reputation of doing exactly this crap.
Partey maybe Gone, No OverRated and Priced Rice, Xhaka near enough gone and we bought Havertz for £65m 👀👀 why??? He’s not going to make one damn bit of difference, a poor man’s mesut ozil 🤦♂️ Pepe all over again.
Our midfield looks horrible with what Elneny & Jorginho, again not here for long term either of them!
Why are we looking worse and Thomas leaving when we are just back in the champions league!! Yes he’s outta Contract soon but I’d rather have him here and help for the next season at least… For God’s sake we PAID Auba & Mesut to leave and let Laca go on a free!!
Sean
Havertz is a combination of Ozil and Van Persie with a little more running off the ball, that’s my opinion.
This is not a bad player, but this should be a signing you make after you get your main targets.
Though Rice is a good player, he’s not a game changer like Partey.
Even with a Rice , should be a Partey.
Am afraid our approach in the transfer window does not inspire confidence,
But a do think the gaffer and Edu have a Trump card up their sleeve.
If we are that tight and offering Partey for peanuts, why don’t we offer him in addition to our previous offer for Rice, would give West Ham and us a workable solution. I don’t see why we were so quick to add on 10m for Havertz, yet apparently refused do it for our no 1 target. DM is where we lost the PL and it needs reinforcing more so than the wings.
Partey is a game changer, ushering him out will be a step backward, selling Partey to a premier league club would be a serious crime.
The speed in which we sign Havertz over our priority area is a massive question.
get deal in time to stop competition from other teams we lack diret negociation that’s why we allways lost all the time we compete with other teams for good player
BothWest and Man City are playing dirty over this player. Where was Man City all this time, have they suddenly realised Rice’s existence now that they’re trying to complicate matters and West Ham are playing to the gallery. It may be sensible for Arsenal not to put all their eggs in Declan Rice’s and West Ham’s basket and look for an alternative. Rice’s purchase does not come with any guarantees
There is a recent report that though Arsenal is Rice preferred destination, he would respect what West Ham deemed an acceptable offer.
That sounds to me like a softening of Rice position or some arm twisting maybe going on behind the scenes.
Liverpool wanted Jude Bellingham, but when the price was too high, they went for MacAllister for a third of Bellingham’s price. You cut your coat to the cloth you have, that’s realism; that’s wisdom.
So if Arsenal walk away from the Rice deal to avoid a bidding war (which is what West Ham have always wanted), I support it. My only worry is Barella could be another Locatelli. These young Italian players are notorious for their desire to play at home. But if CL football can help us get him, I’d be fine with him as long as we retain both Partey and Xhaka. Let him be a replacement for Elneny.
Arsenal all over the Rice deal should have been done and dusted but Arsenal’s penny pinching has allowed Man City to take from under their nose. Arsenal are an also ran club. Never fail to disappoint.
So what would you guys all prefer? Spend $140M on Rice, and then that’s it’s? From the looks of it Havertz is the #8 on the left replacing Xhaka, more mobile, arguably a bit more creative, and younger legs. Now they need an another midfielder possibly Lavia, Timber and then we’re good. I’d prefer three quality additions to one major signing. Say what you want about Havertz, but everybody hated Xhaka until this season, and look at him now…..
Arsenal owners are damn useless. Let them quit
Keep one of them [Partey or Xhaka] and get Kessie instead of overpriced Rice!
Hear.. HeaR!!!
Let’s keep partey is better than all this nonsense arsenal always failed in there first target’s I don’t think we are not serious for trophy .
Let’s keep Xhaka and Partey. Sell elneny…we cash on another central defender and holding midfielder. Rice mat not be what lacked when we missed Epl trophy.
Partey is leaving because of personal reasons, reasons that could seriously affect the Club so no choice but to get rid of him, and although he’s a game changer, he is injury prone and we cannot have that at Champions League level. Rice is a good Midfielder but come on, there are better midfielders out there across Europe at half the price. Transfer business has been questionable in the past but we’re in a different place now and it has to be done right this time. Have faith in the Arsenal or go and support City or West Ham 🔴⚪️
Rice is over prized. He doesn’t worth the price. We don’t have to spend all our money on one average player just because he is English.
@Jon
There’s no need for that..
I think Arsenal must pursue and persist with Rice as not only he is one of the best midfielders in the world but his PL experience makes him a bigger asset than Varella. The fact we paid 65 million for Havertz than why dont we spend another 10 million to get Rice since we have already tabled an offer of 90 million and they want 100 million.
Tell me, do you ever visit Planet Earth?
We might bid 100 mil and City could counter that with more money. People need to understand we have our limitations financially and we might not be able to compete financially with City. It’s not like there’s a lack of effort from Arsenal to get the deal over the line, it’s just that Edu and co need to make sure we getting a better deal.
I’d imagine barella would be a good signing. If he is seen as an alternative to rice, I’m glad because he’s not a pure DM, which suggests we’re not looking to replace partey with rice. Of course, it could all be nonsense
Do you think that Arteta is planning to use Ben White in midfield to replace Partey ,and signing Timber will be used as right back along with Tommi as cover or Tommi as rb and Timber as cover?
Better go for Barella and leave this long and tiresome saga of Rice, English players always overpriced. Why sell Partey and no even a perfect replacement brought in, some decisions may come and haunt us later.
Rice is over priced yet Caicedo can do. Let’s pay the rejected fee by WH to Brighton before other hyenas show up for him as Chelsea is still sleeping.
I believe that there’s something in the West Ham-Arsenal transfer riddle that only the party-clubs can crack. Without that we should have turned to next page after Rice transfer saga. Rice asking price g cannot be more than the cost of our midfielders put together. Leave the club-owners out of Rice issue.