That's what I mean - That's the only way I can see him being able to play for us, and Wenger being so confident of signing him. As I can't see how he'd get a work permit otherwise. (unless this is all just a classic Wenger-ruse and we're really going for Reid, or some other target totally off the radar instead)
I was reading somewhere that although Paulista would fail the test for gaining a work permit on the number of internationals played,the club could argue that he is an exceptional talent as he is playing regularly for a team who are currently 6th in La Liga.You would also assume that the club have looked into the chances of him getting a work permit.
Henrik Hindby@HenrikHindby 2m2 minutes ago Wenger on whether or not Gabriel Paulista will be Arsenal's last signing in January: "Not necessarily.”
Jim van Wijk@jimvanwijkPA 12m12 minutes ago From AW comments 2day looks that Gabriel Paulista deal will be agreed with club. Arsenal still face home office red tape but been done b4
Let's hope so and that he's is available to play for us now. If this goes ahead then the management deserves a big pat on the back for getting our essential transfer out the way at nice timely manner. If he proves to be the real deal then this could significantly improve our consistency in the league
All interesting and promising stuff - It'll be excellent to have 6 players who can play CB (Kos, Merts, Paulista, Chambers, Monreal, Bielik) - in order of skill. (hopefully with Paulista is that good), and that we'll have an on form and dramatically improving Bellerin and Chambers at RB, and Gibbs and Monreal at LB - hopefully Monreal should improve (though he was v.good against City) now he won't be messed around and moved to CB every other game. And we still got Debuchy to come back towards the end of the campaign! I noticed a traditional Wenger phrase though - we'll sipend the money on players IF they are good enough to match their price tag.
According to a ITK who seems to contract with Arsenal and is usually pretty reliable, we are going to sign Paulista regardless of if we get the Work Permit in time, and then can work to get the Work Permit (or appeal a rejection) after the window has closed. Personally it seems a very silly thing to do, unless he is really really good (but then why hasn't he had any U21 caps for Brazil?) I also hope we sign a DM who can play CB, or a player who can play across the defence as well, just in case Paulista can't play for us!
In his press conference AW says the transfer needs to be done now. I said in an earlier post that I think we have a chance of getting him a work permit as a exceptional talent as he's playing regularly for a team who are 6th in La Liga
I hope your right GC. If so then hopefully he can be signed straightaway to integrate very soon, and then the WP can follow sharpish, so he can be available on the 2nd against Villa is it?
As Cym says, you would think that Wenger (or a rep from the club) would already be investigating the work permit issue to ensure that he's eligible to play as soon as we sign him.
Apparently Paulisto is a done deal - no news on the work permit issue though, make of that what you will!
And in completely unrelated news, Wenger thinks we should do away with work permits. Fat Sam doesn't agree.
I think what he was trying to say is that they should be amended and relaxed (as they are proposing, or even further than that) rather than gotten away with. As currently its easier for exceptional talent to go to Spain/Portugal than it is to come to Britain (where we are stuck with the Andy Carrols/Francis Jeffers instead)
Slow Sports News@SlowSportsNews 10m10 minutes ago Arsenal are on the verge of signing 17 year old, Angel Di Maria, subject to a work permit
It's great news if we get this deal done as it gives us sufficient cover at the back! I wonder if we can find a DM before the window closes if this deal gets wrapped up nice and quickly...
