There is not long left before the summer transfer window shuts but there is still more than enough time for Arsenal to complete some last-minute transfer business.
According to the latest reports, Arsenal is making serious moves to shore up the weaknesses in their defence and will be making one last concerted effort to sign Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney.
Sky Sports News is claiming that they have been lead to believe that Arsenal is very confident of completing a deal for the 22-year-old before the deadline on Thursday.
The Scottish international is said to be carrying an injury that could keep him out for up to eight weeks but it is not thought to be a deal-breaker.
Arsenal has been chasing after Tierney all summer and any bid tabled this week will be their third attempt to land the young defender.
Celtic have stood firm and will not allow the player to leave for anything less than the £25 Million they value Tierney at.
Arsenal is fine with paying that amount but want to structure the payment terms which currently are unacceptable to the Scottish Champions.
This one is likely to come down to the wire now but the feeling seems to be that this deal will be done.
He’s out til October ffs! That’s half way from one transfer window to another!
Maybe he is a world class LB in his prime, but I wonder why Arsenal have to gamble on an injured player and did not look for a healthier one instead
Besides, the RB and the CB positions are more worrying
If Arsenal insist on getting Tierney, I think they would try to offload Kolasinac in the next summer
I’m also thinking Monreal is playing well, and Kolasinac is still marginally better than AMN, so CB and indeed RB are more worrying at the moment.
Sokratis + Chambers + Mustafi as our CBs at the beginning of the season – that has to be more worrying than Monreal + Kolasinac at LB.
And if something happens to AMN, we’ll be playing Jenkinson there who is championship material.
If something happens to AMN? AMN should not be within spitting distance of the Emirates!
Forget him. It will most likely be longer than 6 weeks.
We need a player fit from the get go. We have Monreal and Kolsanic for LB anyway
Focus on a CB.
If we can’t sell Mustafi, I highly doubt we would buy another CB
I’m also not sure about loaning Rugani. Juventus would not let him go if he can compete with the old Chiellini and Bonucci
gotanidea, Rugani can’t compete with Chiellini and Bonucci, two of the best CB’s in Europe?
Keep calm Innit, think long term, a top full back for just £25M and all we’ve got to do is wait 6 weeks? That’s the trouble with you youngsters, you want everything to happen instantly. Life doesn’t work like that, be patient.
Thank you Kenny for putting things in perspective. Wait 6 six weeks to lock up position for 10 years at only £25 million.
Saliba, Martinelli, and yes Tierney are long term buys and good to see club move in that direction.
No more 34 yr old stop gaps or 27 yr old with little resale value. I’m hoping we get Tierney done otherwise we’ll add him to the long list of would have, could have, and should have.
Also the length of his recovery time may be a smokescreen to try and put off Arsenal, so that Celtic can retain Tierney.
Arsenal have had the whole transfer window to make their defensive signings. I’ve watched all the pre-season games and one thing stands out. The defence is poor. In fact without Kos it’s worse than last year. Hard to understand how we have no defensive incomings, because we’ve lost Bielik and Kos. Bizarre.
Groundhog day!
I dont understand at all why we havent addressed our defensive problems. It’s just crazy! We have a new manager and new people upstairs, yet same as it’s been last 10 years, defensive issues. Maybe they see something I dont, maybe they actually think Mustafi is a decent CB, who knows.
Why sign an injury prone player who’s injured ffs
We bought kallstrom didn’t we?
He’s not injury prone, reportedly. Only injured these last months. But despite his surgery Celtic boss said yesterday that Kieran is still in pain every time he kicks a ball, so maybe we should indeed wait it out for a few months and sign him in the winter if he fully recovers. Monreal and Kola should be enough until then.
Patience is the key word, the coach and the recruitment team knows there’s an urgent need for a center back, Arsenal fans have become very accustomed to complaining and being impatient. I would say you all should wait till the transfer window ends before you judge.
OT: it’s being reported that a bid from Arsenal from Upamecano has been rejected. This is a sign that we know we need a CB and I feel more confident now that we will get one before the window closes.
Boubacar Kamara would be an excellent addition. At 19 years old and free agent next summer, he would come at bargain price. He had a very decent season with Marseille.
But with Kosc leaving, I think we could do with another senior CB as well.
Get Grimaldo!
Arsenal should come sign my grandfather! he may be old but he defends better than uncle Mustafi
We do not only need a CB, we need a LB and RB as well. The pepe signing has got be buzzing but the defence should have been the first priority this summer. Mait-land Niles isn’t a RB, Kolasinac isn’t a defender, i don’t even know what he is and Monreal is way past his prime. No need to even talk about how poor the CB options are.
There is nothing you said on this article we didn’t know last week.
Am expecting a surprise signing, am not excited about this tranfer at all, 8weeks out already, he may have delay or come back early, before he will gel with the team/EPL, maybe January. Why not wait till january for this last bid
Emery doesn’t rate defense like he does offense. I’ll never forget his words “I’d rather win 5-4 than 1-0”.
At least he’s honest I’ll give him that.
Defenders repeating mistakes, and only Holding improved defensively and probably due more to the player than the “coach.”
Kola still can’t defend, Monreal’s lack of pace big concern, Mustafi and his blunders, Sokratis more wrestler than defender, Beliek not even given a look at all.
But hey we have Pepe, so many 4-3 and 3-2 games in our future, just like Emery wants.
Emery was stuck with these defenders last year, but chose to stick with them this year. Pining away for Kos like a jilted ex not best for the club.
He should be held accountable for these decisions like Wenger was, to the same standards as well. Emery has nearly a dozen new signings in his time here, over a year’s worth of coaching opportunities, no more blaming ownership or management.
Durand, Emery will be held accountable for decisions within his brief. If Arsenal Management and the Board are not satisfied with his coaching, team performance and achievements, his contract will not be extended into the optional third season. From then on it will be a year by year proposition, unlike his predecessor.
Where did the KT out for 8 weeks come from? ?
Last I heard from Lennys interview was that he is kicking the ball around now but the osteitis pubis problem is lingering causing him some discomfort still but they are still optimistic he will be back in team training soon ?♂️
If he will be out that long then I hope we keep the money and rely on Monreal and Kolasinac until January and then go back in for KT as the lad is quality, whereas, the reported back up option of Grimaldo seems too much like another Kolasinac to me – good going forward but poor on his defensive duties, admittedly haven’t seen much of the guy so could well be wrong just first impressions on what little I have seen.
MadHatter, this could be a smokescreen, because Celtic and particularly Lennon, want to discourage suitors and keep Tierney.
These guys at the helm of Arsenal’s affairs are setting us all up. While the story starved media guys are feeding us the same rubbish day in, day out, repackaged and regurgitated by the hour, nobody knew Arsenal was bidding for this Upamercano guy. I mean, no one had a clue what was going on.
Let us wait for the window to close before talking with so much assurance that we won’t sign anybody. Pepe came in without us knowing he was on the way. Am sure they will sneak another one or maybe two in before the window slams shut.
?
Let’s see who we bring in first. Arsenal have a tight budget so without player sales, we seem limited to loans and structured payments (we would never spend 72 million up front).
Out of the so called top 6, I’m guessing Arsenal and Spurs are the lowest spenders. Spurs spent nothing last season and although the didn’t win anything (as per usual), they did manage to get to the CL final.
As for buying defenders, other posters have suggested buying English ones from lower PL or Championship teams.
I agree with this because the English game is more physical and less technical plus, foreign defenders will take time to adapt or not even be able to cut it in a different league.
? Why is it that LB Leipzig, Lille, Monaco, Leicester City, Southampton etc can scout these young prospects and Arsenal can’t?