Okay readers, let’s play a game. by Dan Smith
As many readers will know I spend many international breaks filling time with lists. So with Arsenal on a winter break I thought it be a good day to start our own kind of ‘Fantasy Draft’.
Essentially, we will go through each Premier League team and pick one player to sign. This, though, is Arsenal we are talking about, so let’s pretend you can’t spend more than 50 million on each player. Therefore, there is no point in selecting Aguero, Pogba, Salah, Kane, etc.
The idea of the game is to explore if there is any value out there. So, let’s use our imagination and be on our recruitment team.
Just a bit of fun, all opinions welcome, no right or wrong.
Here’s our next 5 ….
Crystal Palace – Van Aanholt – 12 million
I would love to write Zaha but I stressed the need to be realistic. Contracted till 2023, Palace have every right to value him as they want. Even structured payments would be breaking my own rules. So, I make this pick based on value. By the summer the Dutchman will have less than a year left on his deal so they can’t ask for silly money. A squad player who gets up and down like Arteta want from his full backs. Is he better than Kolasinac?
Everton – Yerry Mina – 50 million
When Everton originally paid 30 million for him, I wanted us to bid for the Colombian. He was a monster at the last World Cup. He is a threat from set-pieces and at the age of 25 will only get better around better players. He is surely using the Toffees as a stepping stone for something bigger?
Leicester – Iheanacho -30 million
The Foxes are one of the hardest teams to pick from based on my own criteria. They did a great job of tying their young talent down to long contracts, meaning they can ask for serious money for the likes of Madison, Barnes, Chigwell, Ndidi, etc. I was tempted to suggest their keeper, but I know that many gooners rate Leno. I’ll go for Iheanacho based on that I see him getting frustrated over a lack of starts, which was the reason he left Man City. This is a youngster who scored 21 goals in two years at the Etihad despite never starting. So, he might not be interested in signing an extension to a deal which runs out in 2022. We could lose Auba and/or Laca in 12 months so here’s a cheap option, one who’s been trained by Arteta before.
Liverpool – Shaqiri (loan)
With Lallana set to be a free agent he’s naturally been linked with us because again the Kroenke family love value. You don’t lose anything by offering him a contract, but you would have doubts if he can stay fit enough to be the player he was, so I think it’s worth asking about Shaqiri. He can’t get in their squad, and Klopp’s not the type to not want to help a top 6 rival (I think we still are?). He is a poor man’s Ozil so might get criticised for his work rate, yet, in terms of someone who can come off your bench and do something special, why not?
Man City – Phil Fodden (loan)
I know, he’s meant to get more game time when Silva leaves. Yet Silva’s been injured quite a bit this season and so has Sane and Gundogan, while Fernandinho’s been asked to play in defence. All of that and still the kid can’t get a run in the team which has probably cost him going to the Euros. If Pep wanted to loan him out so he played each week who better then under the guidance of his former assistant, so you know he will have the same ethos as you.
Who would you choose from these teams?
Dan Smith
Well any squad assessment tells us a quality CB is the number one priority.
In order of importance:
1) CB – We currently have ZERO quality CBs
2) CAM – We have ZERO playmakers
3) CM – We only really have Xhaka and Guendouzi for this position, and they are both not good enough
4) One or two new wingers needed – If Pepe doesn’t improve, he’ll need replacing. I really like Saka, but he seems better at LB. Nelson is our only other winger, and he’s just a squad player.
Even if Auba and Laca leave, I wouldn’t want us to sign another striker, because why hold up the progress of Martinelli? He has huge potential, and by signing one or two new wingers, we allow him to regularly play upfront in his natural position.
Buy Robertson and Alexander-Arnold. At any cost. And forget Upamecano. Far to slowly for PL.
Buy Robertson, Alexander-Arnold, Henderson och Milner. They are infantry soldiers and for infantry soldiers it’s an honor to be the first one to die on Omaha beach. Like the heroes of the 6th of june 1944 in Normandy. There are no such players in Arsenal today. What do we have? OK, no names. It would be to embarrassing to compare. But that’s the main difference between a team of men (73p) and a gang of boys (31). Buy Liverpool, Kroenke!
And sell Arsenal!
Ndidi would be an ideal DM .Physically strong,quick,high energy and game intelligence all rolled into one. Docoure of Watford is a box to box midfielder who would also be a very good acquisition.Either of these two would represent a meaningful upgrade on our current midfielders although I still have high hopes for ESR , Willock and AMN in this area.
Phil Foden on loan? HE IS THE NEW PROTEGE TO TAKE OVER FROM DAVID SILVA AND CITY WOULD LAUGH LIKE A DRAIN WITH DERISION IF WE EVER ENQUIRED FOR HIS AVAILABLIITY. I have nothing against playing irrelevant buying games(that will never happoen) if it keeps you happy, but if you are going to indulge in fantasy, please warn us first! How about Messi and Ronaldo on loan too!
Did you just compare Foden to Messi and Ronaldo?
Send back Pepe where he came from and use that money to buy Zaha instead.
I wouldn’t buy Zaha with your money, not up to standard and very very inconsistent. Oh maybe he would be a good buy for Arsenal then! Lol
There are plenty of affordable defenders in the Premier League. I’d prefer defenders with Premier League experience
We wasted money on Mustafi, Chambers, Sokratis. We spent nearly £70 million on those 3 alone (£35m-Mustafi, £16m-Chambers and £17.5m-Sokratis). We should have spent money more wisely
No chance for these players
ST – V Osimhen (Lille) – 30m
DM – Soumaré (Lille) – 30m
LB – Reguilón (Real/Sevilla) – 30m
Winger – Brahim(Real) – on loan
CB – Kabak (Schalke) – 25m (if funds permit, and Sokratis can be sold)