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William Saliba signs for Arsenal

glospur

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2015
2,608
9,806
This whole thing still seems very, very strange. I wonder if we did put end up putting in a bid in at all. I find it really interesting that Sky never reported the same line as all those journos in France, and then early this week said we never bid. Usually they're extremely quick to jump on anyone else's work and take credit for it. Makes it seem likely that we were used as a way to get the Scum to cough up.

I know it's petty and probably ultimately doesn't matter, but PR-wise if he ends up going to them it's actually not great for us either, even if we didn't actually bid.
 

EQP

EQP
Sep 1, 2013
7,958
29,657
This whole thing still seems very, very strange. I wonder if we did put end up putting in a bid in at all. I find it really interesting that Sky never reported the same line as all those journos in France, and then early this week said we never bid. Usually they're extremely quick to jump on anyone else's work and take credit for it. Makes it seem likely that we were used as a way to get the Scum to cough up.

I know it's petty and probably ultimately doesn't matter, but PR-wise if he ends up going to them it's actually not great for us either, even if we didn't actually bid.

If we end up getting the other players we've been linked with ( GLC and Sess brothers) and somehow tie Eriksen down to a new contract and keep Toby for another season, we can easily drown out any Saliba related PR.
 
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SpartanSpur

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
12,552
43,063
Agreed. For a team that's allegedly a joke they were a gnat's cock away from beating us to 4th last season. If they hadn't lost 5 consecutive away games or something stupid we'd be in a completely different situation right now: no Ndombele, Eriksen 100% gone, less money to spend, etc etc.

Thankfully, regardless of their signings, I think the loss of Ramsey and most likely Koscielny will take a huge toll on them next season. They'll have to spend very big indeed to fill those holes and even with Tierney, Ceballos, Saliba (who looks great but won't be there for another year) etc I think they'll still really struggle.

I agree with your second part but I do think they simply blew a golden opportunity to finish above us under favourable conditions. For the majority of the season we looked a different level to them, and we had a lot more issues with no signings and a preseason ruined by the World Cup which caught up with us late on.

At the end of the day they will be in and around the top 6 because they are one of the top ten richest clubs in the world, but I don't think saying we are much better placed than them going into next season is ignorance or bravado. I think it's fair.

All we need is Kane and Dele back and on form and we end up at least 10 points better off next season, neither of whom looked quite right all the way through. Son hasn't got to contend with 2 International tournaments and suddenly CM looks much healthier with Ndombele joining the much improved Sissoko and Winks. Eriksen is a worry but I do like the look of Lo Celso.

You make a great point on Ramsey and Koscielny. Two of their top players in key positions gone, and no sign of a replacement for the latter yet.
 

austinfh

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2016
1,205
7,819
Considering the fact that A&C was withholding the information ITKs had about Trippier and Rose, it's entirely possible that things are going on behind closed doors that might be too sensitive to be made public, even if some of our targets are already public. Who knows tho (definitely not me)
jj winnered this btw so let's stay positive (y)
 

hellava_tough

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2005
9,429
12,382
Do people still believe that arsenal have only got a £40M budget?

Emery said they’re after 4 big players. They’re just buying Saliba for £30M, they want Tierney and have bid £25M for him. They want Zaha and bid £40M for him... yes they undervalue everyone but even if they get them for that amount, that’s still £95M plus wages. And Ceballos if he goes there will pick up a few million too.

They’re not in as bad a state as some think they are. I still firmly believe we’ll finish above them etc but they’re not anywhere near as fucked as some think.

Let's just wait and see how this deal and their whole transfer window pans out :)

They were supposed to have signed this guy once already, so there still may be some twists and turns in the saga.

Also, it sounds like they can pay for Saliba next year, or at least defer payment of a large chunk of the fee until summer 2020. So the relative low transfer budget might still be in place, even though they're signing players. Essentially, the payment plans are helping them in this area.

Further still, their strikers seem to be targets of other clubs as well; will they be able to hold onto them? Their captain has already gone into meltdown, will other players follow suit?

Like I said, let's wait and see...

PS
 

SdB

Well-Known Member
Aug 23, 2013
1,367
1,878
Considering the fact that A&C was withholding the information ITKs had about Trippier and Rose, it's entirely possible that things are going on behind closed doors that might be too sensitive to be made public, even if some of our targets are already public. Who knows tho (definitely not me)

Of course developments are sometimes kept behind closed doors. If you're running a business and someone is leaking info you don't want to be out in the public domain that affects your ability to do deals you'd surely be able to plug that leak. Info from agent sources is a different matter though.
Some of the reaction on here about ITK is absurd, God help some parents at Christmas time.
 

GetSpurredOn

Well-Known Member
Jun 18, 2006
5,022
8,922
Never certain this guy is the right player for us. Poch seems to setup with the CB’s shifting wider when we play out, so the balance of a natural left footed seems more important.
The young Monaco CB seems a better fit.
 

rossdapep

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2011
21,907
78,644
jj winnered this btw so let's stay positive (y)
Good to know. I still have a feeling a targeted player has not come out into the press yet.

Happens quite often Sanchez, Son, Stambouli (yeah I know, bad example), Llorente, etc....They all came with very little or no links prior to signing.
 

morriss

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2004
2,575
1,078
He’s Arsenal’s player. Let’s just all move on. We’re better than them. That’s all we need to know. Saliba or no.
 

Japhet

Well-Known Member
Aug 30, 2010
19,232
57,391
Really can't get upset about a player I'd never heard of 2 weeks ago. and especially since they need CBs now, not in a year's time.
 

Khilari

Plumber. Sort of.
Jun 19, 2008
3,461
5,287
Would have been a great future prospect from the way French football experts describe him - but he hasn't yet had a full season in the first team and he represents raw potential.

If he's chosen Arsenal over us and we had a made a serious bid, then fair play. Berbatov chose us amid late Man Utd interest whilst Dele you could argue also nearly joined Liverpool.

Sometimes it's about the feeling you have from a club who have courted him for some time.

Whether we really did bid for him is unclear (but seems likely) and whether our offer was amenable to him remaining at St Etienne is also unknown.
 
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