Home > FIFA > UEFA > The FA > Premier League > Arsenal > Arsenal Truth > Summer spin - divorcing the facts from the rumours
Summer spin - divorcing the facts from the rumours
Wednesday, 08 July 09, 09:35 AM · Comments(11)
So here we are, 8th July and Arsene Wenger has only made one summer signing, Belgian centre-back Thomas
Vermaelen.
This summer, unlike previous summers, I have sat back and reacted with total antipathy to all the rumours flying around in broadsheets, tabloids and blogs.
What do we know so far?
Wenger has bought one player.
Fiorentina's Brazilian defensive midfielder Felipe Melo was touted as a Wenger target. Fiorentina mentioned a swap deal + cash with Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue. This seems unlikely, as Fiorentina purchased right back Cesare Natali on 4th July - why would they, or anyone, want Eboue for any other position?
It's conceivable that Arsenal made a play for Melo, but the price was too low and Fiorentina created an Eboue sandstorm to drive through a deal that will now take the player to Juventus.
I'm not disappointed, Melo looked average in the Confederations Cup - he was outshadowed by Gilberto Silva, who was past his best when he left Arsenal in the first place.
Rumours abound regarding other possible DM targets.
Gokhan Inler is one, but that story looks like a re-dredge from last year. Wenger isn't interested in Inler anymore.
Flamini back to Arsenal via Adebayor to Milan? When has Wenger ever bought a player back that he let leave? Forget it.
Other so-called targets include Clairefontaine student Blaise Matuidi. A 22-year-old midfielder with three toes missing from his left foot playing for near-relegated French side St. Etienne. Matuidi is too young and not the experience Arsenal are crying out for - he'd have to be pretty special, in which case why are only Everton eyeing him up? To me, that's offputting.
Marseille captain and midfield hard man Lorik Cana has also been touted as destination Arsenal (or Tottenham). He's 25, 6ft 1 and somewhat a cult figure in French football, even though he chose to play for the Albanian national team instead of France - and he was born in Yugoslavia. Wenger tried to get Cana on trial several years ago but the boy could not get a visa - but at least we know Wenger WAS interested at some point.
Apart from that, nothing realistic is on the transfer radar. Wenger appears perfectly happy to keep the squad as it is and perhaps add one more (two if Christmas comes early).
I don't see Wenger touting Adebayor, Eboue or Senderos across Europe - but if serious bids come in for any of those three, he won't resist. Arsenal may need to buy before the Champions League qualifiers, but they don't need to sell until August 31st - so any stories about Arsenal's three biggest chumps might run and run.
Contracts within the squad; new deals have been tied up for Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and (today) Robin Van Persie. A few youngsters have been dumped from the youth/reserves, but that's par for the course.
Elsewhere, never-ending stories about Fabregas moving to Barcelona can be placed in the dustbin where they belong. Thankfully, Fabregas has not spoken on the subject of his beloved childhood club for at least two weeks - so with no quotes to misquote, Barcelona's efforts will surely burn out.
Meanwhile, in the boardroom, CEO Ivan Gazidis has been trying to build foundations with supporters, following the disastrous AGM. He chats happily with Arseblog and elsewhere, but divulges little other than how he expects existing Arsenal youth players to step up next season and how another season like the last one will result in a definitive change of perspective - in other words, an admittance of complete failure.
One gets the feeling Gazidis is genuine and Arsenal have made a good appointment there.
Alisher Usmanov's attempt to raise money for the club through a rights issue, however, has fallen on deaf ears by the board. As a commanding shareholder they politely heard him out, but realistically this was not going to happen - not this year at least. Arsenal are perfectly happy with their existing financial model (albeit damaged by the recession) and Gazidis doesn't feel the club needs a major cash investment - at least not one that would significantly alter the financial equilibrium.
I agree with that, Arsenal have enough money to make the few purchases they require - and they only require a few - it's more about identifying the right targets than doing a Real Madrid.
Finally, Manuel Almunia has insisted that Arsenal cannot make the same mistakes as last season, and need to get off to a much better start. He puts Arsenal's 5 defeats in the opening 14 games down to lack of focus. I tend to disagree. It was the performance of poor players in a shoddy squad, weakened by a total misjudgment in the transfer market.
The same thing could easily re-occur if Wenger doesn't pull his finger out and purchase one or two more quality players. Bendtner, Diaby, Denilson, Song, Walcott etc., are not going to magically improve over the summer and the club musn't be complacent.
Still, it's great to see Rosicky and Eduardo back in training.
This summer, unlike previous summers, I have sat back and reacted with total antipathy to all the rumours flying around in broadsheets, tabloids and blogs.
What do we know so far?
Wenger has bought one player.
Fiorentina's Brazilian defensive midfielder Felipe Melo was touted as a Wenger target. Fiorentina mentioned a swap deal + cash with Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue. This seems unlikely, as Fiorentina purchased right back Cesare Natali on 4th July - why would they, or anyone, want Eboue for any other position?
It's conceivable that Arsenal made a play for Melo, but the price was too low and Fiorentina created an Eboue sandstorm to drive through a deal that will now take the player to Juventus.
I'm not disappointed, Melo looked average in the Confederations Cup - he was outshadowed by Gilberto Silva, who was past his best when he left Arsenal in the first place.
Rumours abound regarding other possible DM targets.
Gokhan Inler is one, but that story looks like a re-dredge from last year. Wenger isn't interested in Inler anymore.
Flamini back to Arsenal via Adebayor to Milan? When has Wenger ever bought a player back that he let leave? Forget it.
Other so-called targets include Clairefontaine student Blaise Matuidi. A 22-year-old midfielder with three toes missing from his left foot playing for near-relegated French side St. Etienne. Matuidi is too young and not the experience Arsenal are crying out for - he'd have to be pretty special, in which case why are only Everton eyeing him up? To me, that's offputting.
Marseille captain and midfield hard man Lorik Cana has also been touted as destination Arsenal (or Tottenham). He's 25, 6ft 1 and somewhat a cult figure in French football, even though he chose to play for the Albanian national team instead of France - and he was born in Yugoslavia. Wenger tried to get Cana on trial several years ago but the boy could not get a visa - but at least we know Wenger WAS interested at some point.
Apart from that, nothing realistic is on the transfer radar. Wenger appears perfectly happy to keep the squad as it is and perhaps add one more (two if Christmas comes early).
I don't see Wenger touting Adebayor, Eboue or Senderos across Europe - but if serious bids come in for any of those three, he won't resist. Arsenal may need to buy before the Champions League qualifiers, but they don't need to sell until August 31st - so any stories about Arsenal's three biggest chumps might run and run.
Contracts within the squad; new deals have been tied up for Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and (today) Robin Van Persie. A few youngsters have been dumped from the youth/reserves, but that's par for the course.
Elsewhere, never-ending stories about Fabregas moving to Barcelona can be placed in the dustbin where they belong. Thankfully, Fabregas has not spoken on the subject of his beloved childhood club for at least two weeks - so with no quotes to misquote, Barcelona's efforts will surely burn out.
Meanwhile, in the boardroom, CEO Ivan Gazidis has been trying to build foundations with supporters, following the disastrous AGM. He chats happily with Arseblog and elsewhere, but divulges little other than how he expects existing Arsenal youth players to step up next season and how another season like the last one will result in a definitive change of perspective - in other words, an admittance of complete failure.
One gets the feeling Gazidis is genuine and Arsenal have made a good appointment there.
Alisher Usmanov's attempt to raise money for the club through a rights issue, however, has fallen on deaf ears by the board. As a commanding shareholder they politely heard him out, but realistically this was not going to happen - not this year at least. Arsenal are perfectly happy with their existing financial model (albeit damaged by the recession) and Gazidis doesn't feel the club needs a major cash investment - at least not one that would significantly alter the financial equilibrium.
I agree with that, Arsenal have enough money to make the few purchases they require - and they only require a few - it's more about identifying the right targets than doing a Real Madrid.
Finally, Manuel Almunia has insisted that Arsenal cannot make the same mistakes as last season, and need to get off to a much better start. He puts Arsenal's 5 defeats in the opening 14 games down to lack of focus. I tend to disagree. It was the performance of poor players in a shoddy squad, weakened by a total misjudgment in the transfer market.
The same thing could easily re-occur if Wenger doesn't pull his finger out and purchase one or two more quality players. Bendtner, Diaby, Denilson, Song, Walcott etc., are not going to magically improve over the summer and the club musn't be complacent.
Still, it's great to see Rosicky and Eduardo back in training.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Note: Either respect the views circulated on this blog by its users and respond articulately or your comments will be deleted and ISP banned.
To read all Arsenal Truth stories, bookmark the main page <here>
Arsenal Truth©
Like this blog? Help spread the word: 
Posted by ArsenalTruth
| Comments (11)
11 Comments · Add yours
Click to read comments