There is no doubt that there must be some defenders leaving Arsenal this summer, especially if Gabriel Magalhaes joins William Saliba in our back line, but how much money can we realistically recoup from selling the 32 year-old Greek Sokratis, who must surely be surplus to requirements?
But the fact is that he still has one year remaining on his contract with the Gunners, so we should be demanding a transfer fee, however small.
The Sun, however is reporting (via an Italian source) that Sokratis has already spoken to the Napoli coach Gennaro Gattuso about a move, and wants Arsenal to release him from his contract early so we get him off our wage bill, but don’t gain anything from his transfer.
According to Wikipedia, Arsenal paid a whopping £17.6 million to Dortmund for his services just two years ago, so is it right that we should receive absolutely nothing in return this time around?
Or should we just be happy to have one less person on the wage bill?
Try to sell of course but being realistic, which club would pay any serious money for this dreadful player whom we should NEVER have bought. If necessary, let him go for no fee. WE STILL SAVE HIS WAGES AND HE IS NO USE AND NEVER WAS.
it’s a bad precedent for sure. I doubt Aresnal would expect anything over 5mill for him. He’s a cheap buy and if Napoli cannot muster that money together they are joking themselves.
If we aren’t getting offers for him, I think it will be wise. He’ll leave anyways at the end of his contract if we don’t get a buyer. If there isn’t buyer, letting him go will wise!
If it convinces GM to sign then yes, but we should not be in this situation in the first place.
It is not a sustainable way forward. Buying high then giving away free.
Maybe that is why we are sign up all these youngsters that everyone else is letting go.
Hmmmm
They don’t learn. Mari and Soares on loans have also been given contracts. They keep on making same mistakes
Mari and soares aren’t bad decisions. The club needs depth and these two give us that.
Perhaps his wish is not granted for now, he’ll certainly leave at the end of his remaining 12months!… For Papa to man up and suggest this is very wise of him… Arsenal’s defence right this moment is bloated.. I would fancy Bellerin, Musti, Chambers all leave. If Kola n niles should be left as cover. Willock n Nelson out on loan!
Be nice to get a few million for him as only brought 2 years ago but if not will still get his £90 grand a week off our wage bill. Bring in GM then sell Kolasinac, Mustafi and either chambers or holding. Will still have Mari and Soares as cover. Also keep Niles as a utility player.
NO! It only puts more money in the player and agent’s ‘s pockets.
With Arsenal every pound counts.
Two years older, in the midst of a Global pandemic and economic recession, free him and put him down as yet another example of mismanagement.
They can have him for free if they drop their interest in Gabriel!
No. It’s like buying a TV for £500. Realising it’s not as good as you thought it was, giving it away for nothing and buying another one for £600. Anyone in their right mind would put it on ebay to at least get some money back.
We can sell him for £3m.
Add to that Mustafi, Chambers and Kolasinac we could get in the region of £25m for all 4.
Not forgetting Guendouzi, Elneny and Mkhitaryan which would bring in just south of £40m. That’s a potential of £65m.
Put them all up for sale and then reconsider towards the end of the transfer window if there are no takers.
That’s if they want to leave. Like Ozil if they want to stay and run down their contracts there’s nothing we can do.
I think cutting our losses with him won’t hurt and I would be cutting Luiz as well.we need to cut dead wood from the squad quickly so we can bring in players. Fulham have bid 12 million for chambers so I’d sell him to. Out of Mustafi and Holding Mustafi would get more money and interest so I’d cash in on him. Bring Gabriel in and if Juve are serious about a swap with Bellerin for Rugani I’d make that happen. Bellerin hasn’t been close to his best for two seasons and I’d be keeping Maitland Niles and starting him at right back. Rugani and Gabriel would be my new centreback pair with Mari, Saliba and Holding as back up. We also have Medley coming through and he could be part of the first team squad for depth. Soares to back up Maitland Niles and Kolasniac to back up Tierney and at centreback if need be too saka can also play as cover which gives our squad flexibility and we have Bolo coming through as well. I’d then sell Lacazette to help fund a Guendouzi plus cash deal for Aouar and stop pissing around and pay Partey’s release clause. Elneny and Mikhitarian both look to have new homes and I’d use that money to buy Ozils contract out and bring Ceballos back to form
our new midfield of Aouar, Partey and Ceballos with a front three of Willian, Auba and Pepe.
Getting the squad Arteta wants should be the priority at all costs so that it gives us the best chance of getting back in the top four sooner rather then it dragging out over 2-3 years because the club won’t act in its own best interests. I think Auba hasn’t resigned because Willian on a free isn’t enough to convince him so going and making a big statement and just paying the fee for Partey might be what shows him we have the same ambition along with bringing Gabriel in. Players would be reluctant to sign also with Auba waiting and watching so doing the Partey deal might convince Gabriel sooner to just sign. I think that squad would be a top four certainty and with the likes of Xhaka, Willock, Martinelli, Nielsen, Torriera and Smith Rowe filling out the squad we would have great depth all over the pitch..
i think you are living in a dream world sorry to say !! Ceballos is not coming back fact and something we have to get use to. Loaning a player like him without a right to buy clause was utter madness and shows why Sanellhi had to go what a waste of money to pay someones wages and bring them on as a player just to let him go back a better player ! You and many other all rave about Partey being the defensive midfielder we crave for, ok yes he is a great player but a defensive king pin i beg to differ, You only have to go watch some of his games to see he likes to get forward when possible leaving holes in the midfield for someone like Xhaka to defend, that makes no sense at all. xhaka is so weak in that job as a defensive midfielder and has been found out time and time again. We should be looking to Diawara of Roma as our defensive king pin he is a guy that loves to hold his position and cover the back four. He adores playing that defensive role and is a far better tackler than Partey or Xhaka !! in an ideal world i would have Partey and Diawara together and bring in Smith-Rowe as our play maker. The boy is special without doubt and has the ability to fill the void left by Ceballos and Ozil !! Aouar is a great player without doubt but realistically he wont be coming when other clubs can offer him Champions league football.You talk about us buying Ozil out of his contract i dont know if you are aware but we have offered him this already and he has turned it down point blank and wants to see out the remainder of his contract !! With regards to Medley the guy has been moved on and no longing at the club !! Regards to Xhaka just sitting on the bench again i think you are living in a a dream world again !! Xhaka will not want that and will demand first team football week in week out !! Torriera wants out and again will not be happy to play a bit part player when needed. Xhaka will be kept and will be starting with Partey if we manage to sign him and that is a fact. Personally i would sell Xhaka and Torriera and bring in Diawara of Roma and Partey. I would also sell Laca and bring in Wout from Wolfsburg a player that can play on the shoulder of the defender and use the channels or play as a target. He is strong and can tackle and has pace to burn and scores for fun !! But again that is not going to happen Laca will be at the club come the start of the season . Rome wasnt built in a day and Arsenal will not break the bank in one transfer market. never in a month of sundays will that happen !! Getting Willian on a free and Signing Gabriel and maybe Partey plus getting Abua to resign would be a great transfer market. We have to concentrate on getting rid of players as well as bringing them in and that takes time too !! Elneny Mikhi Sokratis Koslasinac and Torriera will be moved on to make space before we sing anyone else after gabriel !! fact then we might be able to concentrating on getting Partey. Also Luiz is not going anywhere after all said and done we have just given him another year contract !! please do not get me wrong of course you are allowed to dream and want the best for the club but you have to be realistic as well !! I personally think Partey will not be coming and if that is so then Diawara would defo be a good choice and far cheaper choice !! but failing both Doucoure of watford would be a good shout !! and a alot cheaper choice. He would jump at the chance of staying in the premier league and would not need champions football to get him or a silly signing on fee and wages !!
Sokratis has a contract and transfer value so we should look to sell him and not free transfer him.
Mustafi/Sokratis should fetch £15-20mil
Kolasinac £15mil
Elneny £5mil
Torreira £30mil
Guendouzi £30mil (hope he sorts himself out)
Mkhitaryan use to sign a Roma player
Lacazette £35mil
Spread the payments over a number of seasons and could possibly get more in.
Complete Gabriel deal, bring back Cabellos and if Elneny/Torreira/Guendouzi all leave add another midfielder.
Totally he should be allowed to leave on a free transfer !! 90k a week salary we will save that equates to 4,680,000 savings !! its a no brainer !! at 32 yrs old Sokratis isnt worth alot and holding out for an unrealistic price which no one is going to pay makes no sense at all. We need to clear space for extra players and keeping hold of him when he wants out is no good for the harmony of the club. I would say thank you for your services to the club and grant him his ability to join someone else where he will be happier !! and save the 4,680,000 salary !! and put that money else where on players that want to be at the club and will play !! or just save it completely and let some of our youth through !!!
Why should we release him, if we could demand fee for Koscielny, why will Papa case be different.
As fans we undervalued our assets, no matter how bad our defenders are, they were once international players with pedigree, which some team somewhere are willing to bid for
What’s he done to be allowed to do this? No…
the Squad next season will be this. Leno Bellerin Gabriel Saliba Tierney Abua Xhaka Partey?? Smith _Rowe Pepe Laca with Martinelli Willock Saka Nelson Kolasinac Holding Soares Martinez ?? Maitland- Niles ??
Pure guesswork on your part mixed with some hope. No one yet knows precisely who will be here next season and who won’t. Not even MA himself. You are also assuming MARTINEZ WILL NOT START AND THAT IS DAFT,since Leno will still be unmatchfit.
He is 32,if Gabriel comes,he will be ranked 8th in the list of defenders at the club,he is not attuned to the arteta principle of being comfortable with the ball at his feet and has not really been consistent for us really,plus he is obviously declining and we would get his wages off our wage bill and in good sportsmanship spirit would be consoling Napoli for losing out to us again on a player(Leno, torriera,Pepe and now Gabriel).so yeah we should let him go for free,it’s a win win