No way do I want Theo Walcott back. We would be crazy to pay him140,000 a week. It's crazy enough already that Liverpool pays him that much. I'm also not convinced that Chamberlain is that great as a central midfielder as opposed to being on the wing. He could grow into that role, but it would probably take him some time.
I don't really think anyone discussing them coming back is agreeing to those sort of wages... More of a what if..
I reckon we'd be OK on Walcott's wages as long as we could persuade Liverpool to keep paying him. Vin
Regarding role, it could easily prove the reverse of Lallana's move to Liverpool, or that of many other attacking mids before him: having the use of a greater share of possession makes that sort of player far more effective, and there are simply too many like-minded options at Arsenal to allow such. And yeah: if he was some other young, direct, exciting, attack-minded full international, I doubt there would be a debate.
I would counter that by saying we already have a young, direct, exciting, attack-minded full international at right wing. And that I doubt there would be nearly as much enthusiasm if Chamberlain weren't an ex-Saint.
And we have seen how he can change games...and how much we miss that presence when he's not at his best. I don't think that two such players is too many, particularly as there's little guarantee that the current iteration will remain past this season.
I suggested him as an option earlier this year. I would take him back in a heartbeat. We haven't really had someone who can play on the right wing since, well, Chamberlain. I really can't see a Chelsea or a City buying him. Liverpool, maybe. But I suspect our biggest competition may well come from London, assuming that he likes it there. West Ham or Palace. Does anyone know how he found Pardew as a manager? It was Pards who gave him his professional debut with us, as I recall.
I don't disagree. IMO, Chamberlain is roughly the level of Mane on the right. And in the middle right now would be better than JWP and maybe as good as Davis (though they are all different sorts of players). He could be better, he could be worse, but I'm just going with a rough estimate. And that's right now, as a floor. He still has potential to improve in a lot of different directions. So yeah, this is the exact kind of player we should be looking to acquire. If he were to somehow fall into our laps (which he won't), I'd happily snap him up. But he's not definitively a better player/prospect than others out there, or some we already have. He's another bet. And while I fully agree that two bets are better than one and we should play the field if we can, some people are acting like he's a sure thing. I don't think he's necessarily been misused by Arsenal. People are slotting him in as an attacking central mid, but that's the same role that Wenger wants to use him at vs wing and so if his development has stalled because of being moved around, it would continue to stall if we played him the same way. And I think it overlooks the fact that Chamberlain has been injured quite a bit. Which I think is the major reason he hasn't played that much as Wenger seems to like him. And injury has derailed the careers of many would-be great players, regardless of coaching. For a guy who is still very young to have missed so much time, it's a significant red flag. You have to wonder if he can stay on the field enough to reach his potential. Or if his ceiling hasn't already been lowered due to the various groin and hamstring pulls, plus ankle and knee, etc. So it just comes down to price. If we could get him for an Austin-like price and pay him 75k a week, I'd be quite happy with that. If we could get him on a year loan with option to buy like with Bertrand, that would be great as well. But I don't think that's going to be the case. If he costs us in the 15-20m range... I don't know. 15m is right at the point where I'm kind of 50/50.
£15m is the going rate. We've been paying £10m+ on most of our first team signings for the last three seasons, so I don't understand why a few here are bulking at the price. Charlie Austin is very much an exception, rather than the rule of the transfer market. The injuries are a concern, but as are Arsenal when it comes to injury. In my mind there is more of a question mark over how that club cares for their players as opposed to individual players. Personally, I would be thrilled if we signed him and it would be a huge plus to the club. Pre-Liverpool we had a debate about how dull the football had been. This is a player that gets bums off seats
Ox would be a good signing at the right price. Would be a great signing if his father was not involved, but unless he gets hit by by a bus, I think it will be so a tough call? When you go back to a club you are rarely as good or better than when you left. Lots of players who leave find out that they are not as good as they thought they were as it was the team together that overachieved not the individual. When they are pitched in with a load of Prima Donnas it's a bit of a reality check. Never mind the moneys good so sod it!!
We've actually never paid 15m for a player. Except maybe Osvaldo, depending on the source. And that didn't work out so well anyway. VVD=13m, Austin=4m, Mane=12m, Long=12m, Soares=5m, Bertrand=9m, Pelle=6m, Forster=10m, Wanyama=12m, Clasie=5m, Romeu=5m, Fonte 1.2m. JWP, Targett=free, Tadic=11m. You basically answered your own question. The reason to balk at paying 15m is exactly because it's the going rate for a player of his attributes. It's no longer a slam-dunk good deal. TBF, it's also not a bad deal. So that's pretty much where you have to trust the Black Box that out of a pack of similarly talented players at similar prices, Chamberlain is the one who either the market has undervalued, or whose playing style fits ours and therefore he will play "above his level." If that's the case, fine. We have to pick out someone from the shop window. But if we don't pay 15m, that's understandable as well.
While we haven't paid 15m for a player yet, we soon will. Having already reached 12-13m previously on a number of occasions, we're now looking at a 30%+ increase in revenues, so a 15m going rate for a player will quickly become pretty mundane high-end transfer stuff.
There are two reasons why I would welcome Alex back, and I don't get why some are getting bogged down on price when this is so hypothetical. Leaving the money aside; 1. He is one of those players who runs at defences and add him to Mané, Long and Jayrod, and we would have options when form dips on any of these. Secondly, his personality is a great match for Saints-obviously! He is another Acadamy lad who has always come across as grounded and professional despite not getting the playing time. The money? I will let all you FM experts argue that one BTW, does anyone else remember him scoring two goals from the right wings in almost consecutive matches-crazy that they went in but I guess L1 keepers are not great.
Too lazy to look it up but I think one of 'em was an outrageous strike which I'm sure he meant as a hopeful cross which then sailed in over everyone's head. I'd have him back just for the look on his face here - please log in to view this image
I'm interested in this topic for sensible football reasons and silly sentimental reasons, but (just to rain on our parade) how often have we've been said to be interested in a player, only to have Ronald look all bemused because the player has never been mentioned between the hallowed walls of St Marys. I think our interest in Oxo is unlikely solely because so many think it is likely.
