It would appear that the Arsenal net is closing around the Sampdoria midfielder Lucas Torreira with the latest news that the Gunners have got a medical team in place in Russia, to finalize the transfer of the Uruguayan to Arsenal before anyone else gets in there first.
The Express is reporting today:
Lucas Torreira deal to be complete this week, medical arranged
ARSENAL could complete the signing of Lucas Torreira this week.The Gunners are closing in on the capture of Uruguay ace Torreira after agreeing a fee with Sampdoria.
Yesterday it was revealed Arsenal had medical staff in Russia to get the deal over the line.
And now it is understood that the deal could be wrapped up and announced before Uruguay’s next World Cup match – on Wednesday against Saudi Arabia.
There are complications around announcing signings during the World Cup and Arsenal would need Uruguay’s blessing, but the signs are good with the 22-year-old keen to have things resolved.
He has agreed personal terms and is likely to undergo his medical at some point this weekend before the deal is announced if Arsenal are given the green light by Uruguay.
So could all these “done deal”s be true? Is Unai Emery making his mark immediately by changing half the team in one fell swoop. If all these deals are really in place then either our 50million budget was just a load of tosh, or Arsenal are preparing to sell just as many as they are buying.
Which do you think is true?
I will be so glad if we get him. My first time of commenting on this forum though I have been reading it for over 3years now. Maybe because of the new change. Exciting times for arsenal
Welcome on board Kelvin! Nice to have you
Please get it done already + Nzonzi = Power
Nzonzi clearly is not coming . He is 29, expensive, plus we almost certainly will soon have Torreira as DM anyway. This NZONZI HEADLINE IS A CLEAR RED HERRING. IGNORE IT, AS IT IS NOT HAPPENING.
ah man ?
I like this signing. Lucas is a great little player. The lack of physical stature could pose a problem for Lucas in the PL.
I am very worried about Lichtsteiner because the PL is physically the most demanding in the world and plays at a much higher speed than the Series A. This will cause major problems for a 34 years old if you ask me.
Also, a big concern for me is the contract extension for Xhaka.
Until we announce any new signings I am going to remain skeptical but even if we sign 4 or 5 new starters be prepared to wait one season before we get real results. Pep, Klopp and many other managers have needed more than one season to get their teams to play the way they like and integrating 5 new players most of whom might be new to the PL does not mean we will challenge for the PL or even for the top 4.
I can not wait to see our season opener. I am quite certain we will be more exciting to watch if we really apply the high energy, high p[ressing game.
I agree with both your points on Lichtsteiner and Xhaka, but for now will wait and see what Unai Emery does with them. He may surprise us all by getting the best out of both players…
Firstly, the hyped £50 mill only was always only speculation. Clearly, there will also be players leaving. I would sell the whole squad bar about 10 players, but realise this will take several windows and will need replacements at the same rate as selling. I would only keep, except for the short term, these: Ozil, Ramsey, Auba, Laca, Mykh, AM-N, Chambers, Nelson, Nketiah, Mavropanos plus Lichsteiner and the very young fringe players or those still not proven not good enough. We have NO regular defenders at all who are good enough(prior to Lichsteiner and not including the young keepers). Even Monreal is now only good enough in the short term. We need all WENGERS AVERAGE/POOR PLAYERS OUT AS SOON AS IT CAN BE DONE AND REPLACED. When you have people in charge who are dynamic and active they will make deals happen. When we had an inactive, desperate to ever avoid necessary change manager in charge, things just stagnated. Those days are now gone, thankfully.
I like your list but would seriously consider selling Ramsey and am disappointed we extended the contract of Xhaka by supposedly 6 years? Granted we don’t want him to play into the final year of his contract but if he earns a high wage he will be hard to move on. I don’t rate Xhaka and look forward to Emry to prove me wrong on him.
At the moment we have not signed anyone that makes me excited. Lichtsteiner has a winning mentality and might add value on the training pitch but I fear he will struggle in the PL with its pace and its physicality might cause injury to him ay his age
Ramsey certainly divides our fanbase like few other players. I like hiis passion , the fact that he goes in front of the ball , searching for goals and think he suffers by having to play near the abysmal Xhaka who is hopeless and one paced. If it is now true that Xhaka has been granted a new long term contract, I predict Emery will come to regret that decision. ONE PACED PLAYERS WITH A LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE NEVER PROPPER IN THE MIDFIELD IN PREM TEAMS. IT IS TOO FAST AND LEAVES THEM AS BYSTANDERS.
Xhaka has more than just the one pace, do you not watch Arsenal play? Xhaka has surprised the people who watch with bursts of speed in the final few weeks.
Xhaka is not a DM, Wenger played him as a DM, funny how AFC haven’t got the best out of Xhaka yet. Wengers fault IMO for playing him in the wrong role yet people like you are too happy to flame him so you can be part of the bandwagon.
You predict Emery will regret it?
I predict he will like it, I honestly do think that Xhaka alongside someone like Torriera would do a LOT better than being the DM himself which he isn’t and anyone who watches football will know it was Wenger who was undermining Xhaka… Well, anyone apart from you.
If we play a 433 formation then it allows Rambo and Xhaka to be CM without either of them being a DM, ideal!
You wouldn’t put Auba in goal and then claim he is a bad player…. Actually, you would! You would forget all the relevant details and throw them out the window and jump on the Auba is a bad player bandwagon.
Like you have done with Xhaka, like you have done with Bellerin, like you have done with most the Arsenal squad….
At least we agree that Xhaka has not yet performed for us but according to you that is because Wenger played him out of position. I hope you are right and I hope Emry will show him to be a deserving player in our starting 11.
However, you acknowledge he is not a DM. Do you suggest we play with only one DM in Torriera who is 1.67 tall and weighs 60kg? and have Xhaka and Ramsey to his right and left? I think the problem is Ramsey lkes to be in the middle as does Xhaka and your DM definitely needs to be in the middle as well. So these three together in a 433 would likely leave the flanks exposed as a result of their tendency to drift inside and too far up the pitch.
Also, it would have been nice if Xhaka had shown some burst of speeds before the final few weeks.
Midkemma is a very funny guy.
How can someone who is literally slow suddenly shows burst of speed.
Midkemma please tell me what his role will be in a 433 formation as you mentioned.
I will suggest a 4231 formation with xhaka and toreira playing just in front of the back 4.
In all of this, you all have forgotten Ozil (who is an central attacking midfilder, not central midfilder, attacking forward/winger).
on the right wing like in real and his time in germany or on the bench Igooner, i see him or miki gone as both are on high wages and very similar in playing styles. of course one is miles better than the other and that’s ozil hands down.
ramsey would be great as CAM if we pressed all over in a 4231 ofcourse you would lose the vision to unlock def and create space that ozil has. but on the other hand what you would get is a team thats hard to break in the middle, so buying a DM and losing wilshire is a must this window!!
i’m optimistic def will be sorted and hopefully the manager has different tactics to choose from with the quality we have. because beleive it or not we got some really good players in our team that are playing way below par so no need to slate them especially if the just extended new season ahead fresh page!! we also got kids with the correct mentoring who could be future stars. so we don’t need a wholesale like some our suggesting. we need to improve what we have and add steel to the mid and def.
welbeck, chambers, wilshire, mustafi,ospina and the rest who have been on loan for the past couple of seasons the forgotten ones!! that’s already five regulars gone so 3-4 signings to replace them and a couple of youngsters. that’s what i think will do or at least hope. Coyg
Not every player need a burst of speed to play, the Alonsos and Toni Kroos of these worlds do not need any burst of speed to play good for their teams, you need to understand players role better as there are a lot involved and the first question you ask yourself is whats Xhaka’s role in the team ?! He is a deep lying midfielder (the cartzola) role and Cartzola had Coq playing next to him so the question you ask yourself is who is playing next to Xhaka… that’s why they are getting Lucas
No, I very much do not agree that Xhaka shows speed on the pitch. He may well be able to run fast in a hundred yards race for all I know. But on the pitch he is always slow and looks lackadaisical, except when we are at home to lowly teams who sit back and let him spray his easily read long crossfield passes. Too slow, too careless and not aware generally. He is a luxury player when we cannot afford luxury. You differ and that is your right. Not many on here rate him much if you read the comments, as I do. Still think Emery will regret the long term contract given. Already been here two seasons and done very little. And I tell you what is so irritating which YOU do so often. It is when you put words in other peoples mouths which they have not said and then blame them for it. You do this childish thing constantly, as you have with me in your post. By all means argue with what others say. But only immature fools argue with what people do NOT say.
Why do you find it necessary to be rude to fellow supporters, perhaps try focusing on making your point rather than attacking people with silly words.
spot on!! nothing to add midkema.
I can live with Ramsey provided Emry can install some discipline in the timing of his forward forays. Like you said, combine him with Xhaka (and IMO Ozil who is also a defensive liability) and our defense becomes too often outnumbered and exposed.
Jon Ramsey was the same player before xhaka came … Runs around a lot gets in to the box a lot ( admittedly a plus when we were short of striking talent but no longer) misplaces passes a lot when he is not passing sideways and makes abject flicks endlessly … I don’t mind him in bench but at 200 grand a year that’s a luxury that would be easy to improve on … For me it’s a sell
I agree. Ramsey tends to stifle/mess up counter attacks with his terrible passing and his dribbling is nothing to write home about. I’m using Mkhitaryan as the template for a top class midfielder worth 200k and clearly, everyone here can see Mkhitaryan is MILES ahead of Ramsey. Mkhitaryan doesn’t neglect his defensive responsibilities unlike Ramsey and a good portion of our team.
But who exactly would you want us to sign for those positions?
“We need all WENGERS AVERAGE/POOR PLAYERS OUT AS SOON AS IT CAN BE DONE AND REPLACED.”
No, you are wrong, simple as that. Moan about Wenger players but fail to point at Gazidis signed players who has hurt us more, Welbroke compared to Laca, who is the better CF?
If the players are as bad as you are claiming then we should have been relegated with a manager with zero tactical skill, the simple truth it, they are good enough but didn’t have the right game plan for most of the time.
Either Wenger was wrongfully blamed by yourself and the players was as bad as you are now claiming or Wenger was at fault and we fin 6th because of him and his inability to train the players correctly.
We fin 6th, not 16th!
Seeing your BS is infuriating, not this time but reading how you justify it previously with your age… Urghhh. Try debating, explain yourself, if you can’t then you know what you was about to say is BS.
Finally we are getting change. Funny how it comes from people Gazidis has hired to do his job for him!
The days of Gazidis hasn’t gone, he is still here.
Tight fisted spending will still happen, just like it happened in Jan and we spent all window trying to penny pinch on Auba. But hey, don’t take my words, watch the politics and watch things happen.
What are you on about? Our last 3 signings before this window were Laca, Auba and Mkhi.
I would say Gazidis is doing ok. Don’t get why you can’t see the very obvious
That reported £50 million was mentioned when referencing the managers spending, not Arsenals spending.
That reported £50 million got bumped up to £70 million and latest was £70 million plus what we make from player sales.
Sokratis is about £16 million (£16 million total)
Torriera will be around £26 million (£42 million total so far)
Leno will be around £22 million (£64 million)
Soyuncu is around £30 million (£94 million in total).
Seems like we need to find around £24 million from sales of players…
If we buy 2 CBs then Mustafi could easily be the difference.
So…. Not as simple as claiming the 50 million as tosh (failed to say either pound or euros, as we deal in both… would be nice to read a confirmation of which one in the article) and not as bad as having to sell just as many as they are buying.
I wonder which players are covered in that 50mil meant for Unai. In other words which of these players have been hand picked by Unai?
1. Leno
2. Torriera
3. Soyuncu
4. or Sokratis
I do think Emery has been pushing for Nzonzi but Sven has just slapped that idea down. Maybe Torriera is the one? Sven appears to be hunting Germany for fresh faces and I did read that he was pushing for that Watford CM instead of Nzonzi, oh and no rumors of us pinching a BvB DM currently, maybe Torreira is an Emery pick?
He has said he wants Rambo to be a key player and we all know Rambo style of play.
Xhaka has been given a new deal but we all know Xhaka is no DM and Emery must know this.
If those 2 play then we NEED a mobile athletic DM to sit behind…
I would say Torreira deal is Emery picked. Also, Emery wanted Seri but that ain’t gonna happen, Torreira is kinda similar. Better def discipline… but both aggressive players who have a trick in their bag, both put in the energy and both have an eye for moving the ball forward and not pass back to CBs again like Xhaka did so often 🙁
Don’t forget, Torreiras fee is in INSTALLMENTS. So the fee paid this window might be much less (10-15 mils).
Rumours were of 50m + a 20m budget extension allowed by Kroenke.
We got/seem close to be getting:
Sokratis: 16m
Lichsteiner: Free
Leno: 20-25M
Torreira: 25-30M
So we’d still be under budget with these players that were the established targets.
The other rumours are just that, rumours (although the Gelson Martins wouldn’t affect the transfer budget as it’d also be another free anyway!)
remember we are not paying for toreira at once it will be installmentaly which means we still have half of his buy out clause in our pocket for the transfers.
Just because some moron journalist, who just need to be heard, quote a ridiculous figure and people start to believe.
People!
How can people believe a serial liar.
Unlike some clubs, Arsenal operate in a secretive and professional manner.
Don’t believe in UK lying journalists, who for convenience, quote an inside source. F..k off.
?
WHAT!!!
Xhaka in a two man midfield,what will he do, did you watch our matches last season?,he is a complete liability,are you saying he can fill CAZORLA’S role.
Even when we have coquelin at his best together with CAZORLA, we didn’t came close to winning the league, wake up man, don’t let your mentality change.We are a club that should be competing on all fronts and Xhaka should be taking away completely from the squad just because he is not good enough to play for this football club.
I really want to know who recommended him for us in 2016
Replying to John Mayor.
Admin what happened,I pressed reply to John Mayor and my comment end up here.WTF
You must have been after the 5reply limit
Cazorla injury made us lose the league in the leceister season
Exactly mate.even though could not watch all matches but felt carzola injury really hurt us
do you guys know how many players we sold last year to buy auba n lacazett we will never move forward with this board n just wait after 4 game fans will turn on kroenke
?? That Loser only wanted to pay peanuts.
we actually made profit lol
I have watched forsberg… He’s not what we need.
We only need players with strength and pace
I seen some fans trying to suggest players as potential signings after ONE single match.
My goodness, that is exactly the chronic illness that makes Arsenal FC sick— deadwood players, ie those who are rewarded huge pay rise contracts after just few good games.
I rather we have proper scouting done than to sign on impulse.