Arsenal take on Chelsea in Saturday’s afternoon kick-off in China, but I think we should use the opportunity to talk transfers.
The Blues currently have two players from their title winning campaigns of the last three years looking for new clubs, and both could improve our squad.
Diego Costa helped their side to win the Premier League title in two of the last three campaigns, scoring 20 goals in each of those seasons, and has shown on a number of occasions against our side, just how difficult a player he is to play against.
Costa is claimed to be available for around £44 Million, with his replacement Alvaro Morata expected to be announced in the coming days.
Nemanja Matic is another big player who played key roles in helping left both of those PL titles also, and he is also expected to leave, with his replacement Tiemoué Bakayoko having already joined the club.
Roman Abramovich has apparently given him the seal of approval to join a rival having lost his place in Antonio Conte’s first-team plans, and he would be a huge improvement on Francis Coquelin in our squad.
Matic is a strong holding midfielder who is surprisingly impressive at finding a clinical pass, or even getting into goalscoring positions considering his priorities defensively, and would be a great addition to any Premier League side.
At 28 years of age, he is should only be entering his prime at present, and could give our squad the required grit to mount a serious title challenge this term.
Should Arsenal ask Chelsea about the likelihood of a transfer? Surely if Abramovich is willing to contemplate allowing Matic join United, he would allow us to talk to him?
Pat J
I think matic is not what we need…awesome player but eith xhaka, what we need is a dm in the mould of kante…a makelele type of dm, with great stamina and very mobile…for heith and the nice pass ee have xhaka…xhaka plus matic could make us too slow om the middle of the park and that could be suicide
About costa…we dont need him, we just bough lacazette for the cf position and we play with 1 cfz..we could asked for zouma i think but he already left chealse on loan
I believe Matic would be a great acquisition for us: Looking at our current players we are well situated in most places but for two: DM and RW – as per how Arsene has mostly used the current players.
GK: Cech, Ospina, Martinez – no need for a replacement
RWB/RB: Bellerin, Ox
LWB/LB: Monreal, Kolasinac
CB: Koscielny, Mustafi, Mertesacker, Holding, Gabriel,
DM: Coquelin, Elneny
BTB: Cazorla, Ramsey, Xhaka
OM: Özil
LW: Sanchez, Iwobi
CF: Lacazette, Giroud
RW: Walcott, Welbeck
I’ve not included the youngsters who are about to break into the first team. We also have Campbell, Jenkinson, Perez, Debuchy and Gibbs on our books but I expect them to leave during the remaining six weeks of the transfer window. Perez was never really given a chance by Wenger. Whenever given the opportunity, he delivered. I also really like both Walcott and Welbeck and want to keep them. We also need to look at the number of “not home grown”. That should bode well for Chambers and we should loan him out as a CB to gain some valuable experience. What happens to Wilshere? He is a class act when injury free but that’s a rarity. Jeff R-A and Akpom are not ready – yet – to deliver in big matches and may find opportunities very limited even with Europa League although Jeff still registers as a U21 player. From the 24 players listed on top, none are U21 players, 15 are not home grown… As such, we only have room for one of the +21 players mentioned in the text (e.g. Wilshere). IF, and that’s a big IF, we bring in Lamar, Mahrez or Matic, several players either have to leave or accept they’ll only be listed in either the PL or EL squad – not both.
What we need is only players who will improve our starting XI. A wide player and DM are the two positions that’s the easiest to improve. We also have to let some players leave, either permanently or on loan. Jenkinson as both an Arsenal fan and home grown should not be sold; he has shown to keep PL standard and is an acceptable back up. Gibbs on the other hand is with the acquisition of Kolasinac surplus. I also believe Elneny should be sold and Matic is an upgrade on both him and Coq. Elneny has done OK but not more. Xhaka needs to prove himself this season or should be moved on summer ’18.
Diego Costa I hate but would probably learn to love him in a Arsenal shirt. I don’t think he is the type off player Wenger likes at the club because he rocks the boat to much but he is the type off player we haven’t had in our squad in years. You know the bloke who gets in the oppositions head and makes them do things out off character and get sent off. Vieira and Henry used to do it and I think we have been missing it all this time. Matic I would live at our club and I think us targeting him is more realistic cause he is a loyal soldier who shows up and does his job week in week out. He is also the type off player that’s been missing in our squad and I think he will be a great addition cause not only is he a good DMF but he can link defense and attack as well.
C.O.Y.G
Let Wenger not repeat mistake of cole in exchange for Gullas
Costa would be a good signing
Lacazette and Costa provides competition and rotation
Plan A and B attack
Worth a consideration for a swap
Costa in an arsenal shirt is still chelski fc – we dont need that cocroach. We’re really not that far of of being formidable now – A few tweeks and we’r back in business. Honestly, put that diego thing to bed.
Matic would be an excellent signing but I think he has his heart set on Man United
I think Goretzka would be a better bet
I think if PSG offers £70 million for Alexis, we should take the money and run. It’s a lot of money and we won’t lose him on a free transfer, it’s a club in a foreign league and he wants to go.
However, we need to use that £70 million to sign a player of the same quality like Mbappe, Thomas Muller, Dybala. Someone big like them.
Chelsea fan here, honestly id be happy to work some Matic for Ox deal, maybe he will get his old form back, for us he has never been the same since the Ashley Barnes tackle back in the 15/16 season .
Costa great player but so hard to manage , trouble in the dressing room, really wants to go back to Atletico but they seem not so enthused . He is like an overgrown spoiled child with dodgy hamstrings . In his 3 years with us , first season he was great until Jan than he fell off, second season, comes back overweight, downed tools until Mourinho was sacked, he seemed to like Guus and his best performance was that Spurs game where they blew their title hopes .
Last season was probably his best, though he tried to leave last summer, than again in January, had a great first half of the season, only to go off the rails again in the second half . Arsene would end up murdering him . Fantastic player when he is on his game , but really not worth the headache all things considered .
After Cech i’d not want any more of cfc players its quite rediculous being a gooner and wanting matic. I liked him because he won me £98 after scoring a screamer in there 4-2 win last year. But i never ever dream of him in our shirt. Stubborn as it seems we can do better than matic – I think francis coquelin is gonna prove his doubters wrong now he has a pal of his in the team he should want to improve, right?