Arsenal in this summer’s transfer window didn’t come to play, as they are keen to make a bold statement about where they are headed with a series of high-profile transfers. Unlike in the past, they are not giving up on their targets this time due to their hefty price tags – in fact, they are willing to shatter their £72 million transfer record.
Ultimately, the big question is: Will the Gunners’ ambitious transfer pursuits pay off, or is it a gamble they can ill afford to lose?
Kai Havertz has already completed a £65 million move to the Emirates. Paying such a fee for a player who flopped at Chelsea has raised many eyebrows. But the hope is that he reaches his potential, because if he doesn’t…
Arsenal are tipped to break the bank for Rice, getting him for around £100 million. The thought is that once the 24-year-old joins, Arteta can build his team around him. But is it guaranteed that he will take them to the next level? The belief is that he will, but we will have to wait and see.
Arsenal is also set to sign Jurrien Timber at a premium. Ajax is firm on what price they want to let their star defender leave, they want around £50 million. Arsenal are poised to meet that asking price, so the 22-year-old, in his own right, will also be sold to the Emirates for a huge fee. As a Gunner, will he live up to his billing?
Romeo Lavia could also be signed for a record bid for a teenager. Reports suggest he could join for £45 million. Tell me why that’s not expensive for a player who some feel is still green and needs polishing? Like the other four, will he live up to his price tag?
Ultimately, the Gooners will hold Arteta and Edu accountable if these moves pay off and reinvigorate the club’s title ambitions, or if they flop and leave the club, counting the cost of their ambitious spree.
Darren N
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Every transfer is a gamble. Nobody knew that Pepe, Lukaku and Sancho would flop
This is why we need to find more hidden gems like Vardy, Mahrez, Kante, Martinelli, Mitoma and Caicedo
I think Arsenal chose to splash the cash on expensive EPL players because they really want to win EPL, UCL or EL next season
Players from other leagues could be much cheaper, but most of them would need time to adapt and won’t help Arsenal beat the homegrown quota
But them days are gone. Most of the clubs already caught on to that Wenger model more than a decade ago. It now only works for smaller feeder clubs like Brighton, Southampton, Leicester, West Ham etc.
We tried that “buy cheap and up coming players, develop them and may be they might win you the big trophies” modeñ. Wenger tried that from 2004 and we all know how it all ended.
With the impatience of our fanbase too they would never allow that ever again. They will be hounding out the Kroenke’s and each newly appointed manager for not winning the league / champions league in their first season as manager.
No patience whatsoever. Case in point: Emery and Arteta.
And to be honest you are 99% nailed on to not win the big serious trophies with such a model. You have clubs out there offering trophies and massive wages, those young players you develop will be using you as a stepping stone onto the big boys.. We have irrefutable evidence closer at home. We went through that for more than a decade.
Yes, I didn’t like it when our players used Arsenal as a stepping stone. Kroenke surely knows that the likes of Saka, Martinelli and Saliba could leave two years later if we don’t win anything major soon, hence the big investment
Investing big is OK if you are getting Matchwinner. Example City’s Halland if you acquire for 80M that almost guaranty you 25+ goals a season. But paying 65M+ for Chelsea reject which will not guaranty 10 goals is waste, for Mac Allister Arteta would have thrown 80M. in Comparison look how cheaply the have priced Bologun which is Homegrown also. I might sound pessimistic but Arsenal can not survive this madness with such transfers. They are paying over 250M+ for what they can get in 125M
On The Havertz £67 million tranfer I can’t argue with the pessimism. I am very very skeptical about that signing. How the fck do we pay full price for a player that had flopped? I still think we should have used that money in other key positions. I am still in shock that we went in hot and heavy straight to the £67 million mark for Havertz.
And about Havertz not guaranteeing 10 goals. We don’t know that. But I do definitely think he will hit 10 goals in that Xhaka position. Arsenal as a team create a lot of chances. Even the likes of Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard got in and amongst the goals this season ended. May be Arteta sees him as a Jack Of All Trades type and not too worried about just any one particular Stat.
But we will find out..
Did you use the same language when Mr. Wenger spent huge money on nothings like Ozil, Laca and the blah blah and more blah he signed when they could not even win the Carabao cup? Leave aside the EL.
Mikel reached in touching distance to win the EPL! Understand that injuries to Partey (usual), GJ (very unusual) Saliba (unfortunate) derailed our chances, hence the need for EPL ready players. Next season will be very interesting and exciting for us Gunners. Be part of it or be apart from it.
Havertz flopped at Chelsea. But he’s still a rare AM type with a tremendous potential, based on his stats in the final-third
Nedum Onuoha’s last interview at ESPN revealed those stats. I think Havertz’s stature and abilities remind Arteta of Van Persie’s
As for Balogun, we shouldn’t sell him less than £50m, because of his homegrown status. I agree with other fan’s idea to sell him in January if he doesn’t perform well in pre-season and in EPL, despite the possibility of reduced selling value next year
Gai, from my observation the french league do have good midfielders though some are Africans and they fit well into Epl bcos of the physicality. Arsenal can check out Youssouf Fofana I think he is a combertive midfielder with good strength. I also watch him play for France at world cup. If DRice is too expensive there are better midfielders to explore. After all DRice remains a gamble why spend much on him. Westham is no Arsenal.
Fofana sounds good, but maybe Arsenal need an EPL midfielder
If Arsenal want a tall homegrown DM, Loftus-Cheek is available around £20m. I think they chose Rice instead of Loftus-Cheek because of his experience as a CB and his age
😁😁😁😁LoftusCheek again, it seems we’re becoming a denes of rejects lol..no way!
So the gaffer has apparently shaken off the Citizens in an a massive move to make a huge marquee signing.
A signing of statement intent, every signing is a gamble but these are the players that moves the dial on joining.
When Arsenal finally pull off this deal, it will be a firm indication of the gunners demanding our rightful place at the table alongside the big boys.
Come on gunners this is how big clubs act.
Signing Rice, is not a gamble. Signing Haverz is a massive gamble. Signing Timber, is not a gamble. NOT signing a no9 is a huge gamble. Selling Partey for peanuts would be a disaster!!!!!!!!
Which quality players will relief our midfield? Especially Rice,
Of course MA and Edu will be held accountable, that’s the nature of the beast and always has been.
With regards to Rice, I don’t see this as a gamble, as he’s already played in the PL and is a full England international.
Havertz? His form dropped at Chelsea, who were in utter chaos while he was there and, before that, he was regarded as a very good player also a German international.
Timber? Been attracting major clubs in europe and he fits MA’s profile exactly. His signing will allow flexibility for the likes of White and Tomi.
Lavia? I agree, this is a gamble, but he seems to be one for the future.
The most important thing is that, if we do sign the four players, it strengthens the squad, gives competition for every position and allows MA to rest players.
Why your comment spares Trusty, Loconga, Mari, Tabares, Vieira, Pepe ….? Who is now held accountable for that?
No club get all their transfers perfect. In general we are doing much better these last few years than the likes of Man U, Chelsea and Spurs.
So who do you want held accountable and for what?
For every Trusty, Sambi, Mari and Viera there are Sylvestre, Andre Santos, Gabriel, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Socrates, Elneny, Gervino, Arshavin, Park, Sanogo, Perez, Chamak, Chambers, Holding, Ozil, Laca, Francis Jeffers, Stephanov, Richard Wright, Ospina, Petr, Almunia, Fabiansky, Vito Manone,………………………………………………. Just add the costs of these plus the inflation and then you know why someone got sacked 10 years too late, and me, lost 10 precious years iof my life’s moments hoping and waiting for glory with these ragtag players signed by some imbecile.
The biggest gamble is 65M for Havertz. I was also hopping we could get a target man especially in those final stages when a team is holding us for a draw and we have to hit those crosses or long balls to the box. The away game at City showed how important to have such option, city 3rd to 4th passes in the midfield was those long pinpointed balls to Halland and our press suffered!
It’s a necessary gamble. Otherwise we will not challenge City and we will not consolidate CL football. Of course pressure will follow, but so it should. Bring it on!
Every signing is a gamble. Messi bombed at PSG, nothing’s guaranteed.
On a lighter note, has anyone noticed how freelance “journalists” have been blathering on about the Rice transfer? I’ve been following keenly how their stance has been shifting from “imminent” to “could” to “still waiting for player’s feedback”. Just shows how a vast majority of them have no clue or are paid to do these “exclusives”
Gambling or No Gambling:
i) That is not the issue
The issue is over rate the players, eg:
Ben White; Fabio; Zinchenko; Saliba;
Value for money, we talk of:
Aaron; Partey; Odegaard; Takehiro; Kieran Tierney; Jesus; Gabriels; Trossard
Just being reported that our third offer has also been rejected by WHU!!!
Basically it’s not about management it’s about scouting. It would be a lot easier for the big clubs with no oil wells if they could find the kind of value Brighton seem to find. The key seems to be data analysis and how well its used. Unfortunately that’s a subject neither fans or sports writers know much about so we ignore it.
Spot on!!
That’s Football and how business works to be honest. Those individuals that are willing to gamble on starting a business or investing in a product are what the world economy depends on. You take a chance and you might lose out or win big..
Football is a business investment nowadays, these businessmen are willing to invest so much into their football club for different reasons.
The Kroenke are weird one. They absolutely don’t want to sell Arsenal. It seems like they are different from the Glazers or Stan Henry at Liverpool. How many rumours have we had in the last 10 years of other Billionaires willing to buy Arsenal from Kroenke but he won’t even entertain. I do think the the Kroenkes are here for the long haul. They are sports people. They have all sorts sports franchises in the US, Canada and Arsenal in England. I think this is their business and are not here to build up the price of Arsenal and then sell up. Have they ever sold any of their other Sports teams?
Just being reported that our third offer has also been rejected by WHU!!!
Source: Trust me bro
Seriously don’t see any report that our 3rd bid has even been submitted nevermind being rejected. any links
Not seen that anywhere Ken?
Think it may have been a mistake, a second bid was tabled but for Timber.
I will trust Arteta’s insight and knowledge much more than my own or anyone on here.
He obviously knows exactly how these players will integrate into the team.
People say they may be too expensive, but he will pay how much he thinks they are worth.
I just wish they would get signed sooner rather than later.
No concerns at all about Lavia and Timber. But Rice and Kavertz for north of 170M boggles the mind.
Close to 75% the transfer budget on two low-impact players: Rice and Havertz – who are expected to earn close to 500K per week. Clearly, a quick return to the Ozil, Auba era of excessive spending on luxury players.
Think the players-for-free era is really over. Think again. Rice and Havertz could very soon be prime targets for our deadwood treatment process. A humongous gamble!!
Surely, we would be better off instead using that money to add more quality players…including a commanding striker up front.
But Lavia for £40 million plus? A 19 year old that just got relegated with Southampton?
He is about £28-£30 million range to me. Not North of £40 million. We are being taken for a ride on these transfers but hey, that’s the reality we have all been asking, crying and hoping for for more than a decade and a bit. “Why don’t we spend? The Kroenke are not interested in Arsenal but only in making money. Why do we always let our rivals out bid us on our own priority targets? Etc.”..
Now we are willing to spend big and we the fans are panicking and nervous about it all.
😊
panicking and nervous cos we’ve seen this movie before..non-performing players that can’t be sold because of astronomical wage demands.
Very good point
The most ever painful thing in my life of 2023 is purchasing Havartz at 67m. surely howbeit this is total insane. How can we buy players including rejects at a high cost while our good players like partey we offer them for almost to 0 .it’s embarrassing and indeed disgusting
😁😁😁😁LoftusCheek again, it seems we’re becoming a denes of rejects lol..no way!
There is a risk in every transfer, it may or may not work out. There are hundreds of examples for every top 6 PL club where high money transfers have failed and moderate money transfers have turned out to be huge successes. The point though here is Arteta has seen something in Havertz and Timber so he is going after them. Rice is an established midfielder both at Club and international level whereas Lavia is young, highly talented with a lot of potential. I am with arteta and edu on the transfers and they know whaht they are doing to take Arsenal to the next level.
Man City bid for Rice confirmed
All transfers are risky. But Arsenal trying to reduce the risk by buying EPL players. Other than that, overseas players who are one of the best in their respective leagues and also did well in CL. If Arsenal really wants Lavia, then this is it cause next season Man City will have first option to buy back. We all only can hope for the best as Edu and Arteta only have the best interest for the club overall. We have only lost potential players due to overpricing, lack financial ability for bidding war and player preferences.