I really hope we get the LB from Wolfsburg. I'm a big fan of his. I would sell Gibbs and Get Him and Monreal to compete for LB.
We are linked to yet another CB, and another Italy based CB, a Jeison Murillo from Inter for £15m. I've never heard of him so can't shed much light but at this rate our defence is going to be pretty well stocked if all these transfer rumours come off! http://www.teamtalk.com/news/arsenal-lead-trio-in-race-to-sign-inter-centre-half-report
This transfer concerns me for a number of reasons. 1. Wenger clearly stated that he would be bringing in 3 new faces. The first is Xhaka. We need a Striker and a CB first and foremost. 2. As much as I rate Rodriguez (he's top quality). Left back is hardly a position we are in need of reinforcements. Monreal just had an excellent Season and I would rate Gibbs as decent backup. 3. Im more than a little concerned Wenger is going to spend all his money in other areas and not address the giant Giroud shaped problem with our side.
I would like to think if offers came in for Gibbs the club would sell. It is the sensible thing to do. I strongly believe we will get Morata. A ST is coming definitely. I wouldn't put too much stock in him saying he's getting exactly 3.
I agree, our priority should be in attack and defensive cover. However we have Chambers, he should be able to provide defensive cover to Merts, Kos and Gabriel. An area we definitely need strengthening, is a Striker. One could even argue we seem to have spent an awful amount of money on Xhaka - in an area we seem to be really strong.
My personal opinion is that we should def look to strengthen CB and Striker, they are absolute priorities, anywhere else is a luxury. If we can bring in a top notch replacement for Merts (a player that can be a great foil for Kos is a must) and someone who can be a regular, consistent and dangerous goal threat then the team is pretty strong - Xhaka should make us a lot stronger, more physical and defensively sound in midfield and hopefully will improve both the protection of the back 4 and our transition from defense to attack. We have strong fullbacks in Monreal and Bellerin with very good cover in Gibbs and Jenks (with Chambers additionally covering). Of course if we can upgrade on Gibbs by getting Rodriguez or upgrade on Walcott/Oxo by bringing in Mkhitaryan (bonus points for being another scrabble player!) then it's a no brainer tbh. Though our diminishing Home Grown quota would take a hit if we lost Szczesny, Gibbs, Flamini, Oxo & Walcott all in the same window...
Absolute priority is a striker this window. Wenger is a stats man and he will have seen that we created the most chances of any team last season albeit with one of the worst conversion rates. That stat screams FINISHER !!!
I should add to the above that my personal preference would be to get Lukaku out of all the strikers (supposedly) available, or failing that to get Aubameyang as I think either would make a massive and instant impact to us - both in our chance conversion (and ability to create gaps and panic in an opposition defence) but also in making a statement that Arsenal mean business this year.
Aubemeyang would be an amazing signing. If there's any chance we could get him we should bust the bank to bring him to Arsenal. I think he would be the key to making us title challengers.
I'd also love Mkhitaryan as well, as I think an attacking midfield three of Sanchez, Ozil and Mkhitaryan would get us lots of goals and create huge amounts of chances. But it's probably pie in the sky to expect Dortmund to lose arguably their 3 best players all in the same window (Mkhitaryan, Aubemeyang and Hummels)
Guys is anyone else worried that bellerin could be off to Barcelona. Alves is on his way out if bellerin has a good euros surely they will find some dna
If you look at the Arsenal site, why does Flamini still have a squad number? Did anyone else notice that there was no big comment by Wenger about him leaving after the last game and instead all the fuss was around Arteta and Rosicky? I think he may be pending to see who else we can get first. They've updated all other squad numbers and Arteta and Rosicky do not have any so why would they leave Flamini's????
Don't know about good Euros, I thought he was only drafted in as a replacement, so may not even start. However not worried, we have lost key players in the past.
Ilkay Gundogan: Man City sign midfielder from Borussia Dortmund Very good signing by City and like us, are getting the players in early. Hopefully we can get a striker in before the Euros start. But the reported fee of £50m for Morara is a little high for just potential. But then again, transfers nowadays have gone a little crazy.
I think getting a striker in is going to be the trickiest signing personally, because of the level of competition for each high level player. And I'd imagine lots of selling clubs would want to wait until after Euros have inflated the value of the strikers to sell. This is particularly true of Morata who Juve will have to sell back to Real 1st so that Real can then sell on for an big profit. One or two may move quickly - such as Ibra, as he's out of contract, and perhaps Aubameyang as he's rumoured not to want to sign a new contract (though that could be bull). But otherwise I see us signing a striker after the Euros. I hope we get a defender in before the Euros though as there seems a lot less competition and we aren't aiming for one of the top, top players in the world in this position, so there's more choice as well.
I think Bellerin will probably end up at Barca one Seems like a typical Guardiola signing. He signed Thiago at Bayern and now Gundogan at City. Its funny because he always tries to emulate the same midfield set-up he had at Barca.
Well it seems to work pretty well, and to be fair City's midfield needs a major overhaul - Yaya's work rate is shocking and he's on a downward spiral, while the partnership of Fernado and Fernadinho doesn't really work. From everything I've heard from Bellerin he doesn't seem to want to move anytime soon. He's said he feels a cockney, London/Arsenal is just as much a home as Barca is, he's enjoying life here, Arteta and a few others were like father figures to him, he has a deep respect for Wenger ect. Plus he's on an upward curve because of us and Wenger trusting him over Debuchy and Chambers - breaking into our team, being in the Prem team of the year, earning his 1st international cap, breaking into the Spain team and going to the Euros. Being a highly sought after RB in Europe.
That from the horse's mouth. He seems to like it over here and is happy to continue the very good work and development that he is currently achieving. But as he gets better, he will get courted more and more.
That is true, in a few years things could change but hopefully not, or at least not for a long while. Especially not if we start buying what we need and start winning the big trophies again!
http://www.skysports.com/football/n...s-the-juventus-striker-the-answer-for-arsenal I think this is a very well written article about Morata, covering all of my main issues and the main pluses I see from signing him quite succinctly.
