Had a rough start but overall he's played well this season.

Jed wrote:

With him we'll win trophies. I'm sure he can see that. All we need is that level of striker and we're set.

It's not like he'll be winning them there with Real and Barca around.

It's not that simple. He's been in great form and settled in his current club. He doesn't know he'll be winning anything here either. It's a World Cup year, why shake the boat for the great unknown?

He can easily leave after the World Cup and perhaps to a club which would pay him even more if he's just patient a couple of months.

Volante wrote:

Atletico Madrid aren't obliged to sell:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/sid_lowe/01/29/atletico.buyouts/

Doesn't that article say that they ARE obliged to sell? But they can demand that he buys himself out, and then we would have to pay the clause plus 44 % to Costa which would be £43m or something. Or did I misunderstand?

Also the whole article sounds like bullshit to me. "Arsenal sends scouts..." To do what? He's not exactly a low profile player. If we're trying to buy and there is a valid release clause, we'd be sending negotiators not bloody scouts.

Can anyone point out any article that has correctly predicted an Arsenal transfer months in advance?
Obviously the scattergun guessologists like geoff do not count!

flobaba wrote:

Most of those are debatable. Especially the etc.

Bold Tone wrote:

Can anyone point out any article that has correctly predicted an Arsenal transfer months in advance?
Obviously the scattergun guessologists like geoff do not count!

flobaba wrote:

Most of those are debatable. Especially the etc.

Podolski was being reported months before it happened.

I refer your answer to my second sentence posted 7 mins before yours.

ps joke!

IIRC Costa's transfer to the scousers was all but done but he refused the move because Liverpool had no CL football and he'd have been better off staying where he is.

I don't think he has any loyalty to Atletico. Doesn't strike me as the loyal type anyway. After all he turned his back on his country.

It's all about the money at the end of the day and how much success we can offer him. If we offer to triple his wages in January, would he say no? He's on very low wages apparently and we can easily offer him a significant improvement on his current salary.

Then there is the Wenger-pull factor. Players just want to play for him.

As for his World Cup spot, the man is a world class striker. He has a spot already sewn up whether he stays or leaves.

Let's say that the SportsIllustrated article is right. If the buyout clause is £30m, we could have to pay £43m including VAT if Atletico turn down our £30m offer. Would we (not Arsenal, but you guys) be okay with that price? I would. I honestly don't see any other realistic options of that quality.

He's only 25 as well.

Wilshere wrote:

Let's say that the SportsIllustrated article is right. If the buyout clause is £30m, we could have to pay £43m including VAT if Atletico turn down our £30m offer. Would we (not Arsenal, but you guys) be okay with that price? I would. I honestly don't see any other realistic options of that quality.

And why wouldn't we be? We're fans, not club accountants. They are the ones who are supposed to worry about the finances.

£43 million is pushing it imo.

Yeah, he's not worth that kind of fee for me either. For 45m I'd expect a genius type of footballer, not an upgraded version of Giroud. However, we have an excellent chance at winning the title and if Costa is willing to move now I'd go for it. We don't desperately need the money.

I'm still hesitant to pay so much for someone who might turn out to be another Diego Tristan. I like Costa but if we're talking pure short-term perspective there has to be a number of strikers who could come here and score ₁₅ league goals for us from january and onwards, provided they get the service. Just sign someone who makes the runs and has a bit of hustle on him and we'll take our chances from there.

The optimal right now would probably be to sneak a deal for Lewandowski in january, but it looks very unlikely to happen. Would give us a solid player for a few seasons while we could pursue the hunt for a real genius striker though.

Could Pato hit the ground running in January?

Have a feeling he might but I've only seen highlights from his time in Brazil. There's the new club factor to consider though. Sometimes it works to our advantage. He'll be eager to perform and put in six good months, which is all we need from him really. If we can't find a transfer with less resk involved it's worth a punt imo.

Klaus wrote:

I'm still hesitant to pay so much for someone who might turn out to be another Diego Tristan. I like Costa but if we're talking pure short-term perspective there has to be a number of strikers who could come here and score ₁₅ league goals for us from january and onwards, provided they get the service. Just sign someone who makes the runs and has a bit of hustle on him and we'll take our chances from there.

The optimal right now would probably be to sneak a deal for Lewandowski in january, but it looks very unlikely to happen. Would give us a solid player for a few seasons while we could pursue the hunt for a real genius striker though.

I agree with most of that, but do you think we'll get a better striker than Costa if we wait until the season is over? The best forwards (Ibrahimovic, Suarez, RvP, Falcao, Cavani, Aguero, Lewandowski) all seem unlikely, and I think Costa is in the second tier, behind these guys. Along with Negredo, Benzema (who I don't want), Rossi and others I can't think of now.

I think we'll be able to pick up Benzema in the summer and there's much bigger potential in him imo.

Get Benzema and Kruse, sell Giroud.