TRANSFER FACTS OR FICTIONS
Arsenal have been linked with a whole host players over the course of this transfer window, the credibility of these links however may vary due to various circumstances. Looking at some players that we’ve been linked with though we can easily guage our chances of signing such player. Nevertheless what the club is looking out for exactly might not be known, given opportunities might arrive in the market for players we’ve not actually been linked with beforehand But let’s run through likely signings we might actually make with transfer facts or fictions.
VICTOR OSIMHEN: The Nigerian striker who has been linked with a move to Chelsea all summer has been recently mooted as a potential transfer for the Gunners. Given his strained relationship with the club he has handed in a transfer request but doesn’t fancy a loan move to Chelsea. For Arsenal to negotiate a deal for the Striker however might get complicated due to high wage demand and an even higher transfer fee(over £100M), this might be one of the players whereby I think we hold only an interest and nothing further, things could still develop however but for now it’s a transfer- Fiction
VICTOR GYÖKERES: Another striker on this list, gooners alike believed that we would be signing the swede as a Sesko alternative but we’ve failed to make things concrete, with news that Sporting Lisbon have lowered Coventry’s sell on clause it has been suggested that they are getting ready to cash in. With links to Arsenal being there all through the transfer window, if he was a top target then I suppose we would have signed him by now given how early Sesko signed a new contract, with that being said the transfer fee might also be a stumbling block given he’s yet to be tested in a Major league- Fiction
LEROY SANE: The Bayern winger is reported to be a ‘one to keep an eye on’ towards the end of the window given how Bayern might still shape up, he’s said to be ready to assess his options if he feels to be surplus to requirements. Arsenal are then reported to be keeping an eye closely monitoring his situation in the case of a likely transfer opportunity. This is a signing I could see Arsenal doing given the quality, experience and premier league know how he posses.- Facts
WHO’S ARSENAL MORE LIKELY TO SIGN AMONG THESE THREE ?
KENNETH BENJAMIN
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Who knows now? I’m not totally convinced that even Edu does, but we’ll see.
The latest name in the frame (albeit not an out and out striker) is apparently French winger Kingsley Coman.
It seems Arsenal may be looking to secure his services on loan for 2024-25, with Bayern Munich prepared to let him leave as part of a clear-out after their disappointing 2023-24 season. Watch this space – as well as all the others.
I don’t believe we have enough space in our budget to buy a top striker. Our budget is constrained by FFP and PSR rules.
If we were to be able to sell players for cash (not loan with option to buy or obligation to buy) this summer, amounting to 80-100 million, perhaps we could spend up to 50 million on a striker if we also buy the much-needed Merino. However, that kind of money is not going to get you Osimhen or Guykeres. Also, if we were to have unlimited space to buy a top striker, leaving it late reduces the chance of a successful purchase since the selling team needs time to buy a replacement. This leaves players no longer wanted by their clubs like Sane or players on their last year like Ivan Toney, who could both be 50 million or less. Sadly, it seems Toney is not like for his personality, and we don’t want to disturb the chemistry in the squad.
I do believe we need another real goal threat to improve our chances to win major trophies. Saka alone is not enough. Every season his work load is more likely to catch up with him, and you do need another player who can create a goal out of nothing in big games and the only other player we have would be Trossard, but as good as he is, he is not that player.
A dream player to have in the squad would be Isak, but capable (but lesser) alternatives could be Watkins or Toney.
I don’t expect a big goals threat to join us this year. If we lose Nketiah we might look for a similar replacement with potential for the future but don’t expect a big name addition.
(Nice Williams could have been a nice signing as well.)
You could well be right. Arsenal’s current inability to offload anyone (except ESR) for money up front has – and is – limiting their options, I think. In order to raise the kind of money needed, we’d probably have to sell Eddie, Ramsdale, Kiwior.
I’m not that confident of Arsenal’s PL title chances without the additional firepower of a proven striker, but we’ll have to see what, if anything, Edu can do both buying and selling in the few weeks remaining.
Chelsea are getting it done with creativity in their purchases. They just bought Neves for ~50 million pounds! I read that they have spent ~200 million pounds already this season!!!
I like our stable financial model and don’t want us to get crazy but here and there we can maybe structure deals more favorably to take advantage of FFP loopholes.
All that being said, I like Gyokeres for us. Not an astronomical transfer fee, proven ability in a good league, good size/speed/finishing, and his salary should be reasonable coming from the Portuguese league.
Just my opinion…I do not follow the Portuguese league. My opinions are from YouTube clips. And I know that has its problems.
I have a feeling Chelsea will pay a price for their creativity. I think one of their tactics has been to buy players on very long contracts at high wages, this will become a potential disaster if the player doesn’t perform at his wage level.
I agree with you. Yet FPP and PSR doesn’t seem to stop Chelsea.
How they do it is give the players long term deals, and this means the FPP and PSR gets “omeletted” I think the term is, over the years, allowing more spending.
For example, they have given Neto a SEVEN year contract. I’m pleased Arsenal are not doing this, given a player 7 years who has been unable to play much for three seasons in a row doesn’t sound like sound club ownership to me.
I haven’t looked it up, but I’m sure someone said Chelsea are omeletting round the rules.
But you understand me right, what happens when getting round FPP and PSR by doing omelettes and other tricks, maxi’s out even that option? Omeletted to the eyebrows, forty-six players sitting on 7 or 8 year contracts regardless what they are actually bringing to the matchday performances? I for one interested to know how it plays out in the coming years.
Beware the Siren voices Arsenal, keep doing the sensible thing! We don’t need no extra forward, Man City won lots with false number nines.
You are right about Chelsea. I am sure they are setting themselves up for disaster.
However, I do think we need some more goal threats upfront. It is true, we scored a lot of goals from many different players, but a disproportionate amount of those goals came from a stretch of games against lesser teams. Against better teams, like Bayer, all they had to do is stop Saka, and we would pretty much be neutralized. We either need Martinelli to become a legitimate threat, or we need a Nico Williams type second goal threat winger. We also need more depth on the right side. Too much of a drop if Saka doesn’t play and he has been played too much. (I do think Jesus could be a decent right wing alternative to Saka0
Was it a coincidence that City only won the CL once they signed Haaland?
I believe the term you’re looking for is amortized. That is, the acquisition cost of a player is booked as an asset and the cost is expensed each year by way of amortization over the life of the contract.
For example, if a player is acquired for 60 million and is given a 5 yr contract, the contract cost is amortized (i.e. reduced) by 12 million (and an equal amount of expense is recorded) each year until the contract is either terminated or otherwise modified in some way. If the contract were for 6 yrs rather than only 5, the annual expensed cost would be only 10 million rather than 12.
And I think Chelsea signed a few players to 7 year contracts!!! Imagine they signed one or 2 Pepe’s and have to keep paying them inflated salaries because no one wants to buy them??
Yes, and in addition, when the calculation is made to determine the net profit is less or the loss is more on the player with the longer term contract because the unamortized cost of the player still on the books is greater. Unfortunately, the financial rules do not effectively address form over substance and Chelsea (and others now) are structuring the transfers to mitigate the situation.
Actually 8 year contracts e.g. Mudryk.
That made the rules change so that they can sign them on long contracts but only amortise the deal over 5 years for FFP purposes. But it only applies to contracts signed after the rule change ofc.
Haha thank you! I couldn’t figure out what the omelette thing meant until I read your post.
After Chelsea started offering 8-year contracts, the rules changed so that any future contracts could only amortise over 5 years for FFP purposes.
Mudryk and co were before the rule change, so they can be amortised over 8 years, but Neto is after that so his contract can only be amortised over 5 years as I understand it.
Bayern seems to be in desperate need of clearing out their star players. Mazeaoui and De Ligt going to United, they earn 150k and 300k a week. Conan and Sane linked with loan moves away, both earn +300k a week.
Only United are fools enough to match their wages. I would welcome Coman on a loan BUT I wouldn’t be comfortable us covering his ridiculous wages.
There is nothing wrong with these top talent links to Arsenal, that shows we are a big club doing something right.
But as it stands Arsenal doesn’t need a new top striker, what’s the use getting a twenty goal season striker and disrupting the chemistry hence cutting our win rate.
This has the potential to be a massive year for several of Arsenal attacking players, Martineli could jump to another level so too could Saka and the Big German, all three best years could just be a few weeks ahead of them.
imo, very few of all the links to players are likely reflective of any real Arsenal interest.
Osimhen is/was our no1 target. We are not willing to pay the total package. There is a game of chess going on and Arsenal hope the price will drop.
Plus, we won’t buy anyone until Nketiah is gone.
That’s possibly true, but potentially bad news if it is as OM seem to be wanting to stretch out the payment terms for Eddie (longer now than after the reported one-year loan period has ended). Perhaps someone else will come in for him. Anyone. But quickly.
I think it’s only window shopping untill we move out the likes of Nelson and Nketiah.
I don’t want to sound like the advert girl who says “I’m not getting a new phone, I love my phone” but – it wouldn’t be end of world if both Eddie and the Beast stayed as they know our system and drills very well, particularly how to tuck into defensive shape, and the sort of movement and positions their long time team mates like to make.
I also thought Sesko looked very raw in the Euro’s btw
Eddie is unfortunately one of those players who is probably too good for Championship, but not good enough for top teams in the PL.
I hope he goes for his own sake as well as ours, he deserves to play somewhere and I wish him all the best.
And yet, he had that run of starts when for a couple of months he looked like one of the best strikers in the Premiership.
Putting it in the onion sack I’m sure is a mentality/confidence thing. If Eddie gets a run of games in a Prem team and hits 6 in 12, I think he is capable of the mindset to kick on and make that 12 in 24.
Not going to happen. Havertz most effective role by far has been a striker. And MA wants success for Havertz. Have to justify that expenditure
None of the strikers widely linked with Arsenal are good fits without risk. Osimhen poor injury record & massive ego. Gyokeres, lots of goals in one season in a 3/4 team league, players that Bayern want rid of, most with little or no EPL experience. The best buy/ least risk at the moment looks like I Tony…but strange that no other top team has come in for him yet.
There is the start of a domino effect.
Spuds.got Solanke so now Bournemouth might want Eddie ! And probably for a lot more than £25m !
Also if Newcastle.or Wolves want Ramsdale then either. Swap plus cash or straight cash deal gives more
So if eg Nketiah to Bournemouth for £30mn +and Ramsdale for £30mn+ then that pays for Gyokeres or perhaps wages for Coman for a year which gives Nwaneri a year to come through
A LOT happens in the last few week and I suspect the following:
Edu waiting for Newcastle to commit to Guimares / Ramsdale swap or else would get Merino
Nketiah gone and we bring in Gyokeres who can compete with Haverts and Jesus. We need 3 strikers to compete for EPL and CL