http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jun/05/manchester-city-fernandinho-signing-medical City are not messing about this summer. Another excellent buy, IMO.
It will be interesting to see how he does. Shaktar romped home in their domestic league letting in only 18 goals all season, but let in quite a few goals in the Champions league. Fernandinho really is a deep lying playmaker and not a traditional DM. If you look at the stats he was dribbled twice as often as Arteta, which isn't a good sign. He was also dispossessed a lot. Definitely a solid acquisition, but a few question marks none the less.
http://www.footballtransferleague.co.uk/newspaper_statistics.aspx Here are some stats that people might like. Not sure it has been posted before, but which papers are right about rumours the most. No surprise to see Metro at the bottom with just 11% correct. Guardian at the top with 34%.
http://www.footballtransferleague.co.uk/rumour_statistics.aspx Same site - You called it, caughtoffside are bottom, but with 4.9%. Talksport a shocking 8.4%
Word on Twitter is that Wenger is not commentating the French game tonight because he is on "Transfer business".
Hope the transfer business is not Mattias Ginter, German U19 player, a defender I think. We have been strongly linked.
Nothing wrong with that, all the players that are getting released need replacing. Even better when they are promising young players.
I just hope we are aiming for someone more expensive, a larger target. I do agree though, we need some younger signings.
Agreed 100%. Our quoted 100 mil kitty would be best spent on one or two major signings that are already proven with experience that can make an impact immediately (not that it would be an easy task to fulfill), someone like Cazorla and less like Giroud quality-wise. We have too many youngsters billed for guaranteed success years down the road. Case in point being AOC. Great potential but we don't have the time to wait. Especially after the comment from Koscielny about needing silverware to tempt him to stay and seeing countless exit over the lack of it recently (I will spare you all the names since they are mentioned so often undeservedly since they are now scum in my eyes).
See the full script of the interview with Kos, and the questions he was asked, then what he said wasn't as bad as some places are reporting. One of the questions he was asked was, "If Arsenal don't have a chance of winning a trophy would you leave?"
Granted the media ask certain pointed questions. You are correct. However everything else I wrote stands true due to Van Persie and co. even if Koscielny stays. We need quality quickly not over a lapsed time.
We are being linked to Benzema again. Stylistically I think he would be perfect for us. If Real Madrid do sign Cavani it could be possible.
Higuain said he is close to leaving. Arsenal and Juventus were reported to be interested. His brother and agent payed down speculation saying nothing has been agreed. I think we may be close to signing him as its how we do business. Id be really happy wih him as a first signing.
I think "Quality" is a very subjective term. You can argue that every player in a team that went 10 games unbeaten (8-2-0) at the end of a PL season competing for a CL place are "Obviously" quality, yet there are Arsenal fans that will claim half the team are not quality players. I would argue that we need one or two big additions, and then we need some squad players to come in. Young players with potential. I think we are very, very close. The run in showed that, and too many changes would be a far bigger mistake, disrupting the team again.
Would we want him and is he worth the money? Personally I'd want him for the extra bit of vigor and presence he brings but steep at the buy out price IMO. Everton chairman Bill Kenwright is adamant there is no pressure to sell players this summer but accepts he may not be able to keep hold of midfielder Marouane Fellaini. The Belgium international has a £24million buy-out clause and has long been linked with a move away with Chelsea and Manchester United - the latter now managed by former Toffees boss David Moyes - two of the clubs reportedly interested. "He (Roberto Martinez) talked about a couple of new signings and he talked about the squad and asked 'Do they need to go?'," said Kenwright. "I said 'No, they absolutely do not have to go' (although) there is one (Fellaini) that has a get-out which everyone knows."
