Summer transfer joy and happiness

[Marc Overmars]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48502300

Lichtsteiner is going. There’s a start.

[Özim]

He was awful, there was little doubt he was going, offered nothing really, was sceptical about signing a player of his age when we did.

Hopefully the start of many, though Cech, Ramsey, Welbeck already gone as well.

[I am invisible]

Elneny must surely be done here? Ospina too?

[Bumble]

He was awful, there was little doubt he was going, offered nothing really, was sceptical about signing a player of his age when we did.

but people at the time thought signing him was a good move, add experience, attitude, desire, winning things, minimal risk etc. just in hindsight it didn't work.

[Bumble]

Talk of a £300k a week offer for Auba from China.

Whether true or not, it brings into focus something I’ve mentioned a few times. If the club are staying true to their word, there’s a decision to be made about Auba. Two years left on his contract. Are they going to give him a new contract? Can we afford to, given the situation with money and Micky and Ozil’s contracts? If not, are we going to sell him as the club said we would with players in this situation? No one seems to be talking about this anywhere which I find odd.

If the offer is good enough then given his age then we should sell. He has had a good season and China is one market where we could get decent money for him.

[Özim]

but people at the time thought signing him was a good move, add experience, attitude, desire, winning things, minimal risk etc. just in hindsight it didn't work.

People often give it a positive spin when we sign someone, however unsuitable/poor they are, I guess it's because they don't think they have a choice as he's signed for the club.

Just look at Welbeck as an example, literally was a laughing stock with the whole fanbase before he signed, they laughed at how awful he was and how he missed sitter after sitter, then it comes out we're signing him and some people changed their tune and said he's got potential to be top notch and he'll be very useful etc.

Couldn't see how a guy like Lichsteiner who was never really a top top player in the 1st place in his mid 30s could every be any use personally.

[Bumble]

If we could somehow lose Ozil, Xhaka and Mkhitaryan without it costing us to much it would be amazing, all 3 are liabilities we could do without. I'd settle with losing all of those for free without having to pay off thie contracts, I'd even settle for us paying some of it just to get rid of these guys.

Surprised Mustafi not in that list. I would actually keep Xhaka as he is the youngest and not awful and at least seems to try more than the others. And at the end of the day we cant get rid of half our squad (Cech, Ramsey, Welbeck, Jenkinson, Ospina, Elneny, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi) some have to stay.

Also rumours Kos could be on his way, might be nice move for him.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I said at the start of the season, that I didn't really see why signing and playing Litch was preferable than playing AMN there. By the end of the season, Emery was playing AMN at every opportunity and even Jenkinson was in the frame at times over the season.

I also said, that if we didn't get into the CL, then our summer transfer strategy would have failed. I hope we have brighter ideas this summer.

[Letters]

People often give it a positive spin when we sign someone.

Something you could never be accused of.

[Özim]

Surprised Mustafi not in that list. I would actually keep Xhaka as he is the youngest and not awful and at least seems to try more than the others. And at the end of the day we cant get rid of half our squad (Cech, Ramsey, Welbeck, Jenkinson, Ospina, Elneny, Ozil, Mkhitaryan, Mustafi) some have to stay.

Also rumours Kos could be on his way, might be nice move for him.

Mustafi is gone IMO, that's why I didn't mention him, those three though may well stick around. Xhaka is awful IMO, look at the amount of goals he's cost us (the highest in the PL), how slow he is and how little he offers, IMO he needs to be moved on and the sooner the better, even on a free, with him in the team we're always going to struggle.

Well we kinda have to with those already leaving, if we hadn't started with such an average load of players we wouldn't need to, the way I see it we shoudl get rid and start again, bring a few in and play some kids like EMS, Nelson, Willock, Nketiah, Mavropanos, I'd even give Chambers a go, but only in midfield (I never want to see him anywhere near the defence again) and see where it gets us, can't be any worse than those we have.

At the end of the day we're not going to win anything or get anywhere with this lot, so whether we finished 5th or 10th doesn't make a huge difference.