Arsene Wenger has finally admitted that Arsenal’s attempts to sign the Monaco midfielder Thomas Lemar has no chance of succeeding now, and he has enough players to be able to cover his absence. “It’s dead because Monaco have closed the door definitely, I think,”
“They’re still on cases like Mbappe and Fabinho. They lost already Mendy, Bernardo Silva and Bakayoko. Monaco is at a stage where they’ve closed the door.”
“We have the numbers and quality to deal with that.”
It also sounds from that that Le Prof is not expecting any other arrivals as he feels that the Gunners have too many players already on the books, and he is sure has enough strength in depth for the coming campaign, in fact too many. “I am completely happy with the strength of the squad.” Wenger continued. “I have said already we have too many players. Some players have no chance to play,”
“If you have too many players of confirmed status you are in a difficult position to give a chance to young players.”
So for now it would appear that Wenger is still just trying to dispose of many of his out-of-favour players, and has little interest in any new arrivals. If Wenger sells just one of Mustafi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil or Alexis, then the Gunners will finish the transfer window having made a profit!
There may be a few unhappy fans around though!
Darren N
past experience has proven
the club is 99.99% will not sign any players unless a major first team player leaves
If fans want signing and improvement….this is the right time to make the demands
and not mid season or etc….
If he doesn’t expect more arrivals, it means Sanchez, Chamberlain and Ozil will stay. There is no problem if Lemar doesn’t join, but Draxler, Jean Seri, Sergi Roberto, Rafinha and Goretzka would be great additions.
If Sanchez, Ozil and Ox stays, means they will leave on a free transfer
its unlikely they will sign a deal in their final year, especially Sanchez and Ozil both can negotiate with foreign clubs in Jan…
150m write off…together with Carzola and BFG
which could potentially means no signing or limited signings next season
Guys check out moley on twitter my source says he’s up to date on afc transfers. My friend/sources info has gone quiet.. that seems to be the case in general now from arsenal. Some news on alexis leaving is averrable on moleys account.. take a look at it. And btw everything mole said about lemar is true that is why everyone in the club thought the deal was done..
You know you guys talk about how the club should keep players etc: If you had a signifcant part of your net worth in afc and were a board member there is no way you would let alexis walk on a free. Cmon lets all be real here.. Its a business to kroenke. Hopefully someday flamini buys the club..
Will this be yet another transfer window full of Wenger promises and very little actually happening?
I have lost count of how many times this has happened.
And what is worse; again it seems the new players are not players bought to help strengthen where we need it most.
Pathetic.
AFC needed to strengthen the LWB role and CF role, we have with Sead and Lacazette, how was they not bought to help strengthen where we needed it the most?
As for Wenger promises, he never promised anything, he did say 2-3 players and we have 2 already so… more like you forcing his words to fit your dream.
Then I have to point at funds, AST said we had £90 million… I been thinking £100 million but I can be wrong. If that £90 million is true and add ons is kept in the bank to ensure we can afford to pay it while collecting interest in the meantime then AFC had £38 million left over after Lacazette transfer. Add on the £20 million we got from Szcz and Gab sales and that is £58 million.
AFC also have a CEO who deals with the money, he is the one who took over Deins role of CEO and Dein was the one doing transfers, he is the one who has consistently undervalues stuff and it can be seen with the sponsorship deals as well.
That person is Gazidis.
Nobody has shown evidence to disprove it yet people prefer the thought of Wenger being at fault for everything as it is nice and easy, blame the figurehead without thinking for yourself.
Pathetic indeed.
oh pls just look at our total outgoings and total income there is a difference of around 130 Million a year for the past three years before cooperation tax which is 19%
we spent some money last year and some this year don’t know what will bring in sale of players but which ever way you look we have way over 200 Million not necessary in cash in the bank but in share or investment of some kind that we can cash
end of October is Arsenals end of year accounts when they publish just look
We’ve been crying out for a centre back, a commanding leader for years and years but he simply refuses to listen. Wasn’t part of the deal regarding the latest two year extension agreement that he’d finally accept he doesn’t run the ship solely along his lines, that he takes advice from others, that he finally buys a few players? The guy’s done exactly what he always does. It’s identical to years gone by. Does he seriously think he’s got the team to win the leaugue or even get into the top 4?
All these while, when most people do not believe the board and Wenger promising to show more ambition and wanting to win the EPL and CL, I thought they were jumping into conclusions and are not patient enough, but now it seems they are right afterall…
We have the numbers but not quality, I believe if we really want to clear the deadwoods we would do all we can to clear them….
Once again, it is excuses and we haven’t really changed….same of the same…
It is because we have a CEO that is useless.
Man City hire Txiti(sp?) to get transfers done, that was the guy who worked at Barca and signed TH14 from AFC…
We hire some City supporter who has experience in American sports, not a top EU football team! City supporter… I may be wrong but it makes me question the volume of sales we made to City and the one big sale to UTD that pi$$ed of so many people, RvP said the board tried to sell him to City and messed him about.
It frustrates me as a AFC supporter, someone who loves the club… to watch a CEO bumble about while other teams hire real professionals in that area and they get their job done. Vity is the perfect example, they spend and get players but they have a DoF who came from Barca and used to ‘winning’ transfer bids.
If City fail to achieve a target then what happens to the manager?
What does our CEO do? Grumbles, lets things pass him by then backtracks on what he has said previously.
I want someone with balls in that role, someone who knows football and what it takes to win, someone who has the knowledge to get a better manager if/when needed and a manager who can win us things.
Same of the same?
Same as Wenger and Dein winning the EPL?
Or same as Wenger and Gazidis winning the accounting book game?
Wenger seems to be happy with him, even put him in his place when he tried or lied about changes. The only leeway I give Wenger on players and contracts, is when we are in the middle of season because then he cannot be involved with contract situations as much as he’d like to be. Identifying players, ones to sign and ones to keep, that is all Wenger. Talking players into signing for us, again Wenger travels and is involved. We had to wait for him to return from commentary at world cup, just because players are at it doesn’t mean he couldn’t talk to the agents and the clubs, that is who they talk to anyway when agreeing terms. He put his commentary duties above our need to strengthen. Wenger is culpable one hundred percent, it’s way too late in the day to try and defend him whilst sticking all of the blame on somebody Wenger could have replaced tomorrow if he wished. Gazidas was brought in to grow our commercial success, he’s done that to a degree. Arsene is happy taking up much of Deins old responsibilities, he loves it, he loves being in charge. If Gazidas had any real power Arsene wouldn’t have slapped him down in public like that. Gazidas rightly or wrongly spoke about changes being needed. Arsene basically then gave out the same tired old lines, the man is blind to his and Arsenal’s own faults.
Thought we moved to the emirates to compete with Bayern’s and reals of this world
Lol liars
Best thing I ever did handing back season ticket an buying studio ….
Haha, it is obvious that Arsenal is very profit oriented than achievement. The contract rebels have had enough with Arsenal, but the club owners know the loyal fans will stay put.
Its like being stuck in an abusive relationship without the great make up s*x.
LOL yeah it’s like having a sassy and violent girlfriend that you wouldn’t break up with, because she is so hot and seductive.
@Incarnate – lol, you’re funny.
But in all honesty and sincerity, what do we need in this team? Am so confused…
Our display against Stoke was embarrassing, and imo the game was not a tough one….
We can excuse the defence as we know its wasn’t a proper one….I think we really lack a playmaker…
We badly need a playmaker, Ozil is so one-dimensional and far from a complete playmaker, we need someoone like Payet, Cazorla…
Imo, there is no much difference between Xhaka and Ozil…Xhaka is just a bit more defensive…this team lacks structure….
Correct, Arsenal really need a real playmaker that can dictate the tempo. It was not like this when Cazorla and Sanchez fit.
I remember Arsenal dominated Manchester City’s midfielders with Cazorla and Coquelin, in the Etihad Stadium. But that was when Pellegrini was the coach.
Currently most Arsenal players are often rushing when possessing and passing the ball. If they can lower the tempo and wait for better chances, Arsenal would be much less predictable.
The problem is producing more touches requires high skills, otherwise they will keep getting robbed…
David Dein wanted the move so we could invest more into the team and compete.
That dream died with him.
Dein dream died and was replaced by the old boards dream of a big payday, that dream has now been replaced by Silent Stans dream of more wealth…
The old board was the ones who hired Gazidis, they wanted a nice payday after seeing to mega rich guys buy shares, one of them known for his love of profit so what would they do to encourage Silent Stan to bid more? Usmanov was bidding no matter what and he would have his own limit, profit I doubt was his main concern. Silent Stan would only bid more if there was profit in it for him.
What do you think Gazidis was asked to do?
Guys this is it what we have is what we got so lets get on with it and sport our boys but always complain about management even if we are doing well 🙂
BUT he ( AW ) did say last few days of the transfer window is the most busies time where he gets calls from players/agents/clubs wanting to join/offer/sale
i think we should go after Van Dijk then call it “not a fantastic but a good window” that is if we keep Sanchez
And WHO is going to give the nod you. Don’t think so. Wenger said that Monaco had closed the door behind on Lemar that’s lies .He will go to utd before long. Where’s the 200 Million for new players gone considering we only bought one and got one free. Wenger says squad is to big. But he promised that Arsenal would have new players lies. Get him out and take Stan.
NOD to what?
i’m just stating facts which we learnt and know from past ten years ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN the board will not buy with their harts or supporters ambition but only with profits
its not me its the same old arsenal you know that, they have been dangling that war chest for years just before season ticket renewal time then it disappears,
£200 million… WTF, where did that come from?
AST claimed £90 million after looking through the published accounts.
I read the media claiming up to £250 million as money can be put back in from transfers but that was potentially up to that much, not a guaranteed figure, a figure that included the sales of Ozil and Alexis…
We dont need a CB we need an attacker or a goal scoring winger to score goals
Our defence was good against Stoke apart from 1 error
We dominated Stoke and if Welbeck had took his chance we would have won 4 – 1
and our defense against Leicester? 3 mistakes 3 goals
we have a good attacking team with Sanchez our best player its our defense which is letting us down
If u think our attack is good,then you need to see other teams in Europe dismantle defenses, I’m sure you will change your mind. There is no spark without Sanchez, no invention,no craft,no creativity and these used to be what Arsenal was known for.
A mistake called Xhaka
Just read in the Sun that Van Dijk reps are meaning in London with Arsenal, fingers crossed ?
Meeting*
Express too
Same s*** different day.
The window already closed after we made the first paid signing.
Penny pinching AW must be sacked. Sorry to say, he doesn’t deserve to be allowed to leave us peacefully.
After all those lies, it is clearly what this guy deserved.
Thanks but no thanks. He is destroying the club. Come next season, we will have trouble asking players to come. After Sanchez leave, we will belong to same class as other mid table teams.
Come next season we will be 150m poorer plus less money due to no champ league earning this season…..
What are the chances there will be signings?
We have numbers YES
Enough Quality NO
Wenger has no clue whatsoever
Wenger is so predictable. So only Lacazette and kolasinac this window? Lol. Its ok though, arsenal fans are used to not winning the league, so its not a big deal right, no need to strengthen the spine of the team. Just give us the same as every other season, we pretty much expect it at this point. At least give us top four and fa cup again ignorant old man.
Wow its becoming very painful to an arsenal suporter, actually let me say the club is working so hard to make fans feel down and sad for the last 14 years. The fans are just spectators. Van gal was shwn the door that very day he won the FA Cup for man united, thats there standard, David moyes was shown the door just 10 even before the league was over. But wenger 14 years 3 FA cups. Why man city shown the door there previous manager after he won the league. Arsenal please respect the fans.
We have seen that the negativity from last year is still brewing at the surface. Wenger conceded that the negativity he caused over the uncertainty of his contract harmed our performances and thus cost us CL football.
I think the negativity to start the season with 3 key players in the final year of their contract and unwilling to sign a new contract with us will only contribute to more negativity especially in January when they can all talk to new clubs and go for free. What if Ox, Ozil, and Sanchez are all important contributors this season and you lose them all for free? Do we really think we have the money to replace these three players next window? Keep on dreaming.
Embarrassed to say that I bought into the whole “catalyst for change” chat at the end of last year and I was extremely optimistic coming into this season. How wrong was I.
Time and time again arsenal have proved themselves to be completely incompetent in the transfer market.
I am delighted with the signings we have made, don’t get me wrong but yet again we are left wondering what if…
I did too
I was saying Wenger Out last season
Then when I saw Lacazette and Kolsanic and were getting Lemar, I bought into it as well
I feel like a right MUGG
we all did
No – WE all did not . . .
We have the numbers in midfield and attack but our defence is a bit lacking.
Where is this ‘quality’ that he speaks of?
We have a large number of good players, but not that many very good/excellent. Added to which we might lose 3 of our better players in Sanchez, Ozil and Ox.
Hmm. He does talk some crap sometimes.
Deluded as always. I’ve gone back on thinking he had changed….he hasn’t, and he can’t (or won’t)..
Early in the transfer window we were crying for early signings but most of you bashed us and said its too early and that we should judge him once the transfer window is closed hehe…by the way do u people think Wenger really gives a f*** about us?!
I warned u guys earlier not to get ur hopes high Arsene is still in charge.
am saying it again Arsenal will never win any major trophy wit Arsene in charge.
Arsene has turned Arsenal into a joke. Pathetic.
Lemar could join Utd if they meet the asking price
just like Martial
They calculate how many points will Lamar bring to Arsenal and that will be the decision to buy or not whether they need him or not that’s the difference between us and Man-U City Chelsea operate,
Chelsea have over 38 players out on loan, that’s Chelsea buying players so that their direct competition cant get and as a loan player you cannot play against your parent club
Get rid of the deadwood – starting with Wenger
We finished 5th last season, 18 points behind leaders Chelsea. But Wenger claims this squad is strong enough??? Its beyond laughable.
After the defeat to Stoke: I’m not happy with the defensive performance…… Really I wonder why
The club can’t even get our best players to sign contract extensions. By the time we sell a few more players, our net spend with be Zero this summer lol
Shambles FC
Were all mugs simple.
Nothing has changed. This squad is basically the same than when we started the summer except for 2 new additions. I understand then that Wenger is focusing on the EPL as we seem ill equipped to compete in more than 1 competition but even than I would be surprised if we challenge and win it:
1) Kolasinac deal was probably wrapped up in January and Lacazette deal looks like an anomaly with the club shedding a record bid. With a club being labeled as a big one it is baffling. They aren’t top in the world at there position let alone the EPL to stop spending.
2) Jenko is the 1st certified deadwood out of the club and it is only a loan!! 7 days off the window shutting we still have: Perez, Gibbs, Debuchy, Campbell and probable loanees in Maitland-Niles, Bielick & Adelaide! And if you think like Wenger add Chambers to the fray (inexplicable) and even Mustafi from the looks of his conference. I would also add Walcott which isn’t championship pedigree.
3) Our wage bill is extremely high for such a squad: around 200m/year. It is 10m off a Man City squad that are expected by anyone to challenge and win. It is 30m off a Man U squad that fixed all there issues going into the season. And finally hate to say, but it is 80m higher than a spurs squad with 0 contract issues for there best players.
4) We have haggled over fees (once again) for players we wanted gone as they were 3rd or even 4th option at there position for various reasons yet we put a big price tag instead of facilitating there exits to better strenghten considering there wages. Nobody wants them because commiting so much money on a player deemed as such (inconsistencies and injuries).
5) Ultimately we gave out pricey contracts to players who probably weren’t fully deserving and we are paying for it and with the window winding down clubs know we have more pressure each day to do so.
6) Because of all mentionned above we didn’t move quick enough to secure our main targets and now we find ourselves exactly at the same place every summer. Waiting for and wanting more.
7) We have a need at CB with what seems more to come there as outs and with Kos injury prone and Per retiring. We have a need in midfield with Wilshere and Santi unknows and again Elneny and Coq not at that level. We have a need for a winger with Walcott inconsistencies and one dimensional play…there is options out there (Van Djik/Coulibaly; Goretzka/Seri/Carvalho; Draxler/Brandt…) yet we look to not do anything
We go into the season with more questions than answers yet one thing that hasn’t changed is that Arsenal the club I love dearly are a club unable to address there needs properly.
Great post Raoh, succinctly addresses what an abomination this club has become and how depressingly incompetent the Arsenal hierarchy is in running it.
Praying that a marriage made in heaven between a Russian and Nigerian can save our beloved Club from a pending disaster.
F OFF to the Three Stooges that have forced me to boycott Arsenal until there day of reckoning is upon us.
They closed the door on Lemar and not on Mbappe right? Wenger and lies are like 5&6
Called this after Lacazette deal, yet certain people on this forum couldn’t stop posting Lemar rumours and a bunch of other nonsense. I don’t see that account around here as often strangely. What a coincidence!
People already had Lemar in their line-ups…that time if you would have said Wenger out they would have crucified you!
But seriously what did we do wrong to deserve this?!…it really pains me alot.
Of course Wenger is right regarding the difficulty to transfer Lemar at the moment as Monaco has already lost many players in this year alone and it will be difficult for any club to let go any more players in same year. On the other hand, I am still waiting for one or two arrivals and some clearance at the end of the transfer window. Because, this is the usual approach of Arsene Wenger to the transfer process and medias.
I’m at a loss. Players like Debuchy who are never going to play again are still not sold, Jenkinson has gone on loan again (why?) yet we’ve sold a good squad player in Gabriel and now are talking about letting Mustafi go. This leaves us two ageing and injury prone CB’s, two kids (however good) assuming Chambers stays and three full backs who seem to be seen as stand in CB’s or CF’s or something. I see us needing to use Giroud as CB come Christmas time because of injuries etc. I’m also seeing a stream of talented youngsters leaving the club. There seems little point in us having an academy at all.
I hope the next seven days prove me wrong!
..even without lemar, we ought to have been looking at others. ( if ) we fail to sign any other new players then there’ll be lots more unrest @emirates stadium and quiet stan, wenger, gazidas will have themselve to blame. it seems wilshire is our ‘new signing’ and we’re promoting a few U23s and waiting for santi’s recovery and that’s gonna be it.
i guess the management will love not having to lay out anymore funds on replenishing the team, while our rivals are active in the transfer window and go from strength to strength. its quite sickening really.
“..even without lemar, we ought to have been looking at others.” Absolutely!
Same thing last year with getting fixated on Vardy. I’m so sick of hearing how Wenger and Arsenal are “tracking” players when others are actually landing them. Often we are linked for 3-6 years for players who could really make a different and we don’t move or make pitiful offers that are sure to be rejected, losing them to others. Then if we do eventually land them we pay way more than we could have an have also missed out on their contributions for one or more years.
..its sickening and the board don’t give a hoot, coz if they did suin would have been done.
If we had bought Lemar in July , we could have sold Alexis to any team who was ready to pay.Instead we wasted our time chasing Mbappe even when we were aware that he won’t be coming to Arsenal.This is the best trick that Wenger has played on fans.Convince them they he is changing and then slowly return to his previous self.
All those people saying Gazidis is the problem if thats the case why is Wenger still in club,If he doesn’t have freedom why did he extend his contract for 2 years?.He had won FA cup and he could have easily left on a good note.What if next season he doesn’t win anything. If he leaves,he can easily get the job as manager of any national team. Why did Wenger stop appointment of director of football.
So Wenger understands his squad is over crowded with many top top talents fighting for every positions. Good, as a result Bellerin played as a left in the two opening matches. Seri, Goretzka are excellent addition to this club without spending much. Debuchy, Jenkinson, Campell are surplus to this team a season ahead still he can’t offload them. Club can save their wages and pay to Seri and Goretzka. Sell Wallcot for 25 million and buy Lemar for 70 million so you can offload an inconsistent player like Wallcot and reinvest in Lemar means your cost is only 45 million. Act wisely by selling the deadwoods ASAP and investing smarter way is the best thing for the club. Unfortunately we’ve a clueless manager with stupid, idiotic thinking with wasteful decision to ruin this club
why the f@@@ did Wenger want 2 more years … he’s clearly not interested in appeasing the fans who are sick of a dozen years of failure or even improving the squad let alone the first eleven … just the death wish of an arrogant French technocrat deluded by “les dix glorieuses” ..
AW n Stanley are simply Le Liar of the league.
We would be champions year after for 14 years in a row, in league of liars with these two as the star players.
No club managements have ever done that, 14 good years and counting.
It’s a revolution, return my previous Arsenal Crest of old. Make the Canon right…
can’t take it anymore
If you look at what has happened over the last 10 years we should not be surprised by what we have seen this year. Each and every year The Specialist and the board promise to do better and each and every year it does not happen. We have not competed for the EPL in more than 10 lomg years. How does The Specialist keep his job with such a record over the last 10 years? Would any other club put up with his constant failure. And this year I think he has totally lost it. He has always been poor on tactics but what has got in to him playing 2 LB’s at CB even though other CB’s were available and then playing very rightfooted players at LWB. No wonder we have conceded 4 goals in 2 games against mid-table sides. He is ruining our club. What does it take for The Specialist to be shown the door?
“I am completely happy with the strength of the squad.” Wenger continued.
Aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
That one really sets me off! Either he’s extremely delusional, has no serious ambitions for trying to compete for a title, or both.
IF “strength of the squad” includes Alexis, Ox, Ozil staying and IF they play flat out all season and IF either renewing or not distracting the team with their stay/go drama for next year a and IF the bulk of the squad stays uninjured the bulk of the season and IF Wenger actually shows some strategic sense on a regular basis and IF a brilliant season and IF massive screw-ups by most or all of the other top 6ish teams we could still pull it off. That’s way too many IFs to be likely. And the fewer of those IFs that are met, the less likely even top 4 and maybe even top 6 finish becomes.
And AW is totally happy with the current team. I’m now moving from IFs to Fs – F bombs flying all over in my head right now for AW and Arsenal management That quote just may have been the last straw for me.
All right, deep breath, I was going to try to remain calm for another week before going crazy, will try to calm down now and get back to that thought.
AW is totally happy with the strength of the team. He’s going to set a lot of the fan base off with utterly moronic statements like that.