Seems like we're linked with half a dozen centre mids (Bissouma, Neves, Colhalnoglu, Brant etc) but none of them strike me as the first choice targets. I'd like to be pleasantly surprised by who we actually go for.

Saw someone mention earlier today that we seem to shut down lines of communication to journos - signing Ryan was a surprise, so was Odegaard till a few days before he was actually loaned in and as a result, a lot of the tabloid speculation on our transfer targets is even less informed than usual. Hope that's the case and we pull something good out of this window.

goon wrote:

Seems like we're linked with half a dozen centre mids (Bissouma, Neves, Colhalnoglu, Brant etc) but none of them strike me as the first choice targets. I'd like to be pleasantly surprised by who we actually go for.

Most of this is rubbish. Let’s see what Edu does

Gunnerblog was quite interesting to listen to on arsecast extra. You always have to ask yourself who the source of the story is and what they would have to gain by putting it out there. Given that it's highly unlikely to be anyone from Arsenal, there's no point stressing about being linked to any player x or y.

goon wrote:

Gunnerblog was quite interesting to listen to on arsecast extra. You always have to ask yourself who the source of the story is and what they would have to gain by putting it out there. Given that it's highly unlikely to be anyone from Arsenal, there's no point stressing about being linked to any player x or y.

I liked the discussion. It helped put all the rumours in perspective. We are linked to at least 10 players right now in the news. How much of that is real.

Claudius wrote:

goon wrote:

Gunnerblog was quite interesting to listen to on arsecast extra. You always have to ask yourself who the source of the story is and what they would have to gain by putting it out there. Given that it's highly unlikely to be anyone from Arsenal, there's no point stressing about being linked to any player x or y.

I liked the discussion. It helped put all the rumours in perspective. We are linked to at least 10 players right now in the news. How much of that is real.

Yeah, I figured I had a good idea of how it all worked and to be fair I think I did, but a couple of bits were illuminating. For example when he mentioned that one journalist will pick up a tidbit of information form a source, lets say the players agent. Then all the other journalists will pick up on it, check with the same source, get the same info and publish it too. We all assume the news is widespread so it much be true, yet it's all come from that same snippet of information.

Clrnc wrote:

Claudius wrote:

I liked the discussion. It helped put all the rumours in perspective. We are linked to at least 10 players right now in the news. How much of that is real.

When Bell says it, its real. The rest not important.

Nah, not anymore. He clearly had good source with Partey's inner circle, but it's unlikely he'll get the same insight with every player out there. 

These days I don't think there's much difference between anything he says and guys like Wheatly. In fact most of what he says is second hand information.

goon wrote:

Gunnerblog was quite interesting to listen to on arsecast extra. You always have to ask yourself who the source of the story is and what they would have to gain by putting it out there. Given that it's highly unlikely to be anyone from Arsenal, there's no point stressing about being linked to any player x or y.

There are plenty of parties to any transfer though and some have an interest in generating publicity. Partey was linked to us for months before we signed him.

I'm not saying it's all nonsense, I'm saying there's no point getting worked up over what is very likely a source with an agenda.

Saliba should be there, and ESR isn't a winger.

Clrnc wrote:

Imagine if we have a good window where we strengthen everywhere we wanted with our top transfer target and sold all the liabilities/unwanted. On paper it looks like this.

-----------Onana
Celik--Tapsoba--Gabriel--Tierney
----Partey----Neves
Saka---Odegaard---ESR
--------Auba

Still don't fill me with confidence that we can break the top 4. If the top clubs just signed one of their top transfer targets, Chelsea/Haaland, City/Kane, United/Sancho, Liverpool/Konate, we still look way off on paper.

That team playing Artetaball will score fuck all. All the same problems from this season remain.

Ridle Baku isn't exactly on the market but nobody wants to play for or live in Wolfsburg for long, coming off a massive season too. Dodo who plays for Donetsk might be worth a shout too, other RBs are either in the wrong age bracket not attacking minded enough or not attainable for us I think.

Edu and Arteta present thee with the grand “Treading Water Window” and it looks a little something like this:-

Xhaka out Neves in
Ceballos out Joan Jordan in
Bellerin out Trippier in
Willock out - Odegaard in

Fin

Fucking hell that's too real.

jones wrote:

Ridle Baku isn't exactly on the market but nobody wants to play for or live in Wolfsburg for long, coming off a massive season too. Dodo who plays for Donetsk might be worth a shout too, other RBs are either in the wrong age bracket not attacking minded enough or not attainable for us I think.

I watched the Euro U-21 final and he really caught my eye. Superb RB, complete package.

Jed wrote:

jones wrote:

Ridle Baku isn't exactly on the market but nobody wants to play for or live in Wolfsburg for long, coming off a massive season too. Dodo who plays for Donetsk might be worth a shout too, other RBs are either in the wrong age bracket not attacking minded enough or not attainable for us I think.

I watched the Euro U-21 final and he really caught my eye. Superb RB, complete package.

He’s a rare RB in that he can do both sides of the job.

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

Edu and Arteta present thee with the grand “Treading Water Window” and it looks a little something like this:-

Xhaka out Neves in
Ceballos out Joan Jordan in
Bellerin out Trippier in
Willock out - Odegaard in

Fin

Trust the process.

Yep exactly the sort of forward we should be in for.

I like him but I'm surprised you do, lacks the physical edge that you like in your EPL ready strikers. He's not Giroud but not exactly rapid either, even if he starts filling out which he would have to that'd be somewhat limiting him. Great feet and ball control for a kid of his size though.

there's been a dearth of info on laca and eddies future. we need to make a decision on those 2 soon. the likes of daka, isak and edouard are out there.

Now Daka is a transfer I'd love

Isak would be fine too, Edouard no thanks

jones wrote:

I like him but I'm surprised you do, lacks the physical edge that you like in your EPL ready strikers. He's not Giroud but not exactly rapid either, even if he starts filling out which he would have to that'd be somewhat limiting him. Great feet and ball control for a kid of his size though.

He's very young, add a bit of muscle and his ball control would allow him to hold it up and bring people into play. I'd hope as he gets stronger he'd improve in the air with that height too. Pace I'm not that worried about for the CF, we don't generate the space to exploit Aubas pace as it is.

Clrnc wrote:

Linked with Isak especially if we decide to offload both Laca and Nketiah.

He's raw but now thats a signing I can get behind.

We’ve been searching for Sanogo’s replacement for years!

I have wishlisted Isak forever. He’s raw but he’s got that athleticism like Adebayor. Would be a massive headache for any defender given his range of skills. He also builds up well. I would happily lose at least one of our veteran strikers for him.

Will be a great transfer to get done, but is there any serious link? Will still leave us short a creative player though.

About Onana.

Love your work HomeSteak.

As always great work Homesteak.

Hopefully one day I see a link from you announcing signing Lokonga

Homesteak is this forum's Ornstein (that's meant as a compliment btw).

Clrnc wrote:

Lokonga and Tyler Adams will be very smart buys

Lokonga yes, Adams not so much. Not sure he's ever actually played RB and not as a wingback, Transfermarkt says as much. Either way if we were to go for a Leipzig player I'd rather Mukiele for right backs, for CM pretty much every other option they have is more enticing.

jones wrote:

Clrnc wrote:

Lokonga and Tyler Adams will be very smart buys

Lokonga yes, Adams not so much. Not sure he's ever actually played RB and not as a wingback, Transfermarkt says as much. Either way if we were to go for a Leipzig player I'd rather Mukiele for right backs, for CM pretty much every other option they have is more enticing.

Good thoughts. One question: how different is Mukiele as a RB from Chambers?

He's similarly well rounded but a lot more athletic, doesn't get out muscled as easily and a lot stronger in the air. Been linked to Bayern PSG and Atletico so we probably shouldn't even bother preparing a bid

Onanas ban reduced to 9 months. Back in November. Wonder if we'll move in for him now.

Wasn't aware that the ban was even longer than that initially. Think I read something about us being in for him anyway and that the ban length is mainly just changing the price.