Arsenal may not need to splash out on Umtiti.
Speculation linking Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti with Arsenal is doing the rounds again, but it’s perhaps not as strong as it has been in the past.
The latest on this saga comes from the Daily Star, who claim the Gunners could be interested in signing the France international, provided Barcelona lower their asking price from the £50million they wanted for him last summer.
The report also mentions quite rightly that Mikel Arteta has highly-rated young centre-back William Saliba returning from loan at Saint-Etienne next season, while Pablo Mari has impressed on loan at the Emirates Stadium.
It certainly seems like Arteta could do well to give both Saliba and Mari a good run as regular starters before feeling the need to splash the cash on someone like Umtiti.
While we all want to see the most established, proven quality players at Arsenal, there’s not much sense in over-paying for someone with a poor recent injury record when we have defenders with us who are yet to get to their full potential.
Saliba looks a particularly exciting talent who could be ready to play regularly straight away, and it would be a shame if someone like Umtiti were to come in and block his progress.
Like it or not, Arsenal is a club that needs to accept operating on a stricter budget than most of our rivals, and that could mean more smart low-cost signings like Mari over Umtiti, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Our scouting will clearly be geared up towards that, but we’ll never know if we’ve discovered a bargain gem in Mari if we don’t give him the time to play and to develop under the expert guidance of Arteta, who will have been recruited precisely because of his ability to improve players like him and Saliba.
How can we judge Marri from one game and suggest him a permanent spot? Haste makes waste, which has happened too often at Arsenal.Money wasted on transfer fees, wages and no return on investment. UCL participation money gone, EL money going too, no profit on transfer fees, sick/injured / seldom used loan deals, etc.the club is badly run/managed. Is it Raul? Was it Ivan?Except Auba, Martinelli, rest all players signed in the last 5 years have been dull for us. Last exciting player was Alexis to have signed for us (other than Auba & Martenelli). A young inexperienced coach trying his best to wreck the progress of Martnelli, Saka having finished AMN while pampering Socrates, Luiz, Xhaka, Ozil, Lacazette, the future looks bleak.
Your last sentence is plainly so ridiculous that I want to know what is your personal agenda against MA and why do you have it?No true Gooner believes for a single moment that MA is “trying his best to wreck the careers of Martinelli, Saka…” Almost certainly the single most ludicrous sentence I have ever read on any Arsenal site , EVER. Shame on you for being so brainless. NO WONDER you are called Loose Cannon and are you sure you are not actually more of a Loose Spuds fan!
Agree 100% Jon, what an absurd accusation to make.
Do these people actually read what they say before posting?
Different opinions of course, but plain stupidity?!?!
Nice to have Jon and Ken in agreement for once, but gentlemen can you explain why is Martenelli benched and Laca played even Auba is moved to accommodate him? Ozil plays even though he cannot complete 90 minutes, I’m feeling sorry for that Chap to see him limping around. AMN benched after improvement?Saka benched after his heroics? Nothing personal against Mikel, in fact I watched some Everton games only because of Mikel. Apart being called brainless, I leave that for the intelligent folk to decide, hope Mikel remains as head coach on new years day
Ridiculous to judge Mari after only 2/3 appearances.
I would still prefer us to go for someone tried and tested in the Premier League. In regards to realistic options, Dunk is number one on my wish list. Wouldn’t cost too much, and a lot less if Brighton go down. Our problem is always having ball playing CBs. What we need is an old school, ugly CB, who loves defending.
TMJW, But do you REALLY see the Guardola tutored Arteta being content with a new CB of his OWN choice(unlike the 3 clowns he was left to try making into proper defenders) who is a “stop ’em over my dead body” type like Dunk AND NOTHING ELSE AT ALL who is to artistic forward passing what I am to flower arranging or embroidery! JUST WON’T HAPPEN AND I THINK YOU KNOW THAT AS WELL AS ANYONE ON HERE.
Coronovirus pandemic attack is at the moment ravageging through the landscapes of the globe which has forced Premier League football action in England to a halt. And moreover, I don’t think Arsenal are at the moment in next summer players transfer market mode as the club personnel are for now seriously battling on how they can avoid getting contaminated with Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. But at any rate, when the staff at the club overcome this devastating virus pandemic attack threat and put the attack threat behind them, of course naturally Arsenal will switch to the transfer mode latter probably in the mist of the resumed Premier League matches campaign that were temporarily halted but if the campaign does resume. But in another hand, i think Arsenal will be preoccupied with how they can improved on the club standing in the table to miraculously finish in the top-four places than to be concentrating on incoming players transfer. By the way, are Arsenal going to keep the Brazilian David Luiz for another season after his one year deal at the club expired at the end this season’s campaign? I think the club should keep him for another year because the guy is still good.
Can’t believe no mention of “ upamencamo”? Who we’ve been heavily linked with.cheaper than “tits” as well.
Like it or not, that’s the way our club has always had to manage in the transfer market, so nothing new or startling there then.
If we are not prepared to trust in these players, what on earth are we doing paying the salaries of the guys who bought them?
At some point, fan s have got to start trusting their judgement and get behind the club.
Salubas has been declared a great buy by most commentators and MA has first hand experience of Mari, so I have no problems with this and we still have the option of saying no to a permanent transfer with Mari anyway.