Got to say one thing that has baffled me this window is Rodgers talking about the need for experience in attacking areas to help Luis out only for our main targets in the window to be Sturridge & Ince, one who only has 1 full professional season under his belt and the other has never played in the premier league. As for Butland, I am not personally convinced. £6m+ for someone who will not even be a starter for us? What was the point signing Brad Jones on a new contract if we were going to spend on a new keeper a month later? More ridiculous waste of money from the club if we get Butland.
Butland would be one for the future. What if we dont sign him and then in a few years Reina leave. Could end up spending £25m on a suitable keeper. Rodgers alsso has to live by our youth rules.
Keepers do not cost that much as a rule. If you look at the premier league hardly any of the keepers have cost a lot, De Gea & Lloris apart. Vorm - £1.5m Krul - 220k Reina - £6m Cech - £7m Szczęsny - small compensation fee perhaps? no reported fee though Friedel - free Joe Hart - 500k Mignolet - £2m And we'd be paying more than most of those keepers for a kid who might not even develop into a top keeper? That would be absolutely mental, which is exactly why I'd expect our club to sign him.
Infact... http://www.cricbeat.com/2011/06/most-expensive-goalkeepers-ever.html Obviously that list doesn't include Lloris but it shows how little keepers cost as a rule, as the 7th most expensive one only cost £7.8m. It would be mental to pay near that for someone who might not even be a starter and might never. I'd much rather we looked in the Dutch/Spanish/Italian/German leagues for a young back up keeper if we really want one. Would probably cost much less aswell.
This is what our club does these days. We don't scout for cheap but quality players. We buy media overrated players based in Britain and then wonder why we fail to improve. If I was the owner, I would be seriously looking towards our scouting team and why we fail to uncover the gems that other clubs do. Take the 20mill or whatever they were going to give us in the summer and invest that into a good scout network.
Just put this on the rival thread... Cracking goal by Theo, very Henry like too. He's starting to change my opinion of him, playing very well this season and that was his twelth of tge season. Eight in last ten games
I wouldn't say I want us to sign him but I'd no longer rather chew my left nut off I agree with SM though, its very unlikely he will leave Arsenal now, I reckon a new contract will be agreed before the summer.
Don't understand why we don't go in for Demba Ba. Wenger has said Arsenal aren't interested. The likes of Man City/Spurs/Man Utd/Chelsea won't be interested as they have enough forwards or in Chelsea's case they are aiming for someone more glamorous so we would be one of the favourites to get him if we wanted him. He scored 16 in 34 games for Newcastle last season & has already got 12 goals this season in 20 games. £7m release clause too, surely that's a transfer that can't go wrong?
Lucaaas... There are issues with his knee/s meaning he is unable to pass a medical. No medical certificate means the club can't insure him. What club would risk £7m? Actually...
If Wenger signs Ba, Walcott surely has to walk away. I think Walcott is the perfect fit for us. Let Arsenal have Ba.
Walcott is exactly the sort of player we need, down to a tee. A wing forward who regularly supply's goals and assists, and whether you rate him or not he has always done that, throughout his career thus far.
Not sure about that but an attack array of Suarez, Sterling, Borini, Sturridge, Walcott and Ince would certainly give us options! No tall players in there though.
