put in a motm performance yesterday though.

otfgoon wrote:

Gunner89 wrote:

"We were interested in him when he was in France and the year we wanted to bring him in, Rennes did not want to sell him," said Wenger in the Arsenal matchday programme.

Wenger responding to Yann M'vila stories.

As for Moura. No credible link and you can see why. PSG paid 35m for him and don't need to sell.

Not that i'm too upset on missing out on M'vila but that's such bullshit, as if you can't get a club like fucking Rennes to sell a player.

Its a bit like how Monaco told him they didn't want to sell Martial.

Yep, the problem is that we weren't willing to meet their price as always. I reckon most managers have stories like that; they just also have the good sense not to talk about their transfer failures in public.

Wenger should have just come completely clean and admitted that neither Rennes nor Monaco wanted to sell their star players for a reduced fee but with a bag of crisps included.

We have this idea that we shouldn't unsettle players and yet we shouldn't pay over the odds either. We could have forced Rennes hand or we could have stumped up their asking price. Instead Wenger choses to miss out and leave us short time and time again.

That's why we don't get the players! We signed Özil and Alexis because Real and Barcelona wanted to sell. How often does that happen?! It is especially difficult when you are dealing with smaller clubs where you are trying to sign THE star man for them. Of course they don't want to sell! Dortmund didn't WANT to sell, Götze, Lewandowski, Sahin or Kagawa, but big clubs came in and forced their hand. It is absolutely maddening that we don't do that!

Gazza M wrote:

more links to neves as well. we've been at the last 4 porto games scouting him apparently

Will we do business with Mendes though?  Massive prospect though, he'll be playing against Chelsea on Wednesday so will be interesting to see him play.

Also being linked to Nolito again today.

You'll like him, Jazz. Last time he played Chelsea they weren't in this decline and he completely embarrassed them out there.

Does anyone know what the Portuguese league is like? Is there any competition nowadays? Would Porto sell a key player midseason if a big bid came in, or would we have to restrain ourselves until the summer?

Liga Sagres is probably at its most competitive in years, Sporting with Jesus as their new manager are first, even Braga are playing some great football and providing competition to the big two. Regardless, Porto are known to never sell below their valuation, plus Mendes will try and push either the fee upwards or delay the transfer to increase his value, all to boost his own cut.

This is a complete pipe dream for us, think Wenger will have his eyes on the Bundesliga if we're getting anybody because of the relatively reasonable transfer fees there. Wouldn't hold my breath though.

Rex wrote:

That's why we don't get the players! We signed Özil and Alexis because Real and Barcelona wanted to sell. How often does that happen?! It is especially difficult when you are dealing with smaller clubs where you are trying to sign THE star man for them. Of course they don't want to sell! Dortmund didn't WANT to sell, Götze, Lewandowski, Sahin or Kagawa, but big clubs came in and forced their hand. It is absolutely maddening that we don't do that!

I agree with you but all the examples you chose was probably wrong as all of their contracts either expired, had a clause or was expiring and the player didn't want to renew (Kagawa).

Is Neves a holding player?

From what I've heard and seen, he can play the holding role and the box to box role.

The kid has some passing range, but what really has stood out to me the few times I've watched him is how much time he seems to have on the ball. I always thought that was a hallmark of a great midfielder. They make that space for themselves by being quicker in the mind than the rest.

We should really make a strong effort for these top young talents (Tielemans, Neves, Rabiot, Sane, Embolo, etc.). I'd hate them to go the other PL teams.

According to all reports, Neves has a release clause of €40m which is £28.8m. That looks like a bargain for a player of his age, pedigree and experience at a young age to me.

Klaus wrote:

You'll like him, Jazz. Last time he played Chelsea they weren't in this decline and he completely embarrassed them out there.

From what I've read he does sound quite a prospect, seems a good build, great passing range and very good defensively. Some are quite shocked at how a player so young looks so mature. Definitely fits the profile of what we should be looking for. Someone who could replace Coquelin but also play with him if required. Most importantly the ability to dictate the game from that position, because we don't have anyone who does that to the level we require.

We are scouting him often but Jorge Mendes will be our biggest stumbling block. Admirable in a way how we haven't dealt with him but that guy has become so big it has to happen at some point.

Klaus wrote:

The kid has some passing range, but what really has stood out to me the few times I've watched him is how much time he seems to have on the ball. I always thought that was a hallmark of a great midfielder. They make that space for themselves by being quicker in the mind than the rest.

True, you think of top players that touch and quick mind always had them a step ahead of players around them. Remember when Fabregas first broke through and how some big midfield brutes would always be out of the game from just one touch.

Zelalem has that. He will surprise you, because he will be like a new signing next summer. Wenger's excuse for not signing what we need in the summer is already taking shape in that head of his...