Winter Transfer Ignorance and Dart Throwing.

[I am invisible]

Sounds like Flamengo are digging their heels in about making it an immediate purchase - might not bean option for us until the summer, though, depending on how close we're already sailing to the PL spending rules? Will probably come down making that 'option' to buy more of a 'promise' to buy.

All very odd, but it wouldn't be an Arsenal transfer without some weirdness. If we really want him, I suspect it will get done - you don't let you a player fly out half way across the world to speak with another club and have a medical unless it's mostly there...

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Hopefully it gets done eventually. He's a good age, tall and seems like he has experience commanding a back line. I've always been quietly worried way to much will be expected of Big Willy who himself is the same age as Martinelli....something we seem to be forgetting and has had a few injury issues of his own like Holding has.

Somehow, Rob Holding is 6 years older than the both of them!

[Niall_Quinn]

Isn't the fee around £7mill? If we can't get that done we must be in some real shit financially.

[I am invisible]

Isn't the fee around £7mill? If we can't get that done we must be in some real shit financially.

Something like that.

I get the feeling this is less about the size of the fee and more about whether we can get it to show up under next season's expenses or not.

[Niall_Quinn]

Something like that.

I get the feeling this is less about the size of the fee and more about whether we can get it to show up under next season's expenses or not.

7mill though. How the hell can that have any serious bearing on a club the size of Arsenal? Just pay it. Get the player in. Sell Mustafi, or let him go on a free. £7mill will be the least of our worries if we have to go with Mustafi for the remainder of the season.

[Özim]

Arteta thinks he can turn around Mustafi's career. Oh dear.

Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi, 27, was linked with leaving the London side in the summer but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta believes he can turn around the German international's career at the club."]http://Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi, 27, was linked with leaving the London side in the summer but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta believes he can turn around the German international's career at the club.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...rsenal-career/

Maybe this is why we don't want to pay what's needed for the South American. Anyone else sick of this nonsense, having to put up with mediocre players and having to hear your manager telling you they can make it, despite 4-5 years of being awful? Didn't we have the same thing with Wenger?

[KSE Comedy Club]

Fuck me.

I thought this transfer was nailed on.

Seems we cant even afford £7m now

What the actual fuck is happening to all the money at this club!?!

[I am invisible]

7mill though. How the hell can that have any serious bearing on a club the size of Arsenal? Just pay it. Get the player in. Sell Mustafi, or let him go on a free. £7mill will be the least of our worries if we have to go with Mustafi for the remainder of the season.

All true, and of course it won't have any bearing on us whatsoever. But it doesn't matter - if the PL rules say that clubs can only add X amount to their annual expenses each season relative to their commercial income, and if we've already maxed out our limit for this year, then our hands might be tied? (*That's just a guess, but it would explain why we're trying to structure any and every potential deal as an initial loan with an option to buy later / in the next accounting period.)

Would love to sell Mustafi, but that's easier said than done, as we found out last summer. I'm not even sure we can give him away at this point? If he's decided to sit on his fat Arsenal contract and would rather rot than go elsewhere for less money but more games then there's not really much we can do about it. Feels short-sighted to me, but he's legally well within his rights to do it...

[Niall_Quinn]

Arteta thinks he can turn around Mustafi's career. Oh dear.



https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...rsenal-career/

Maybe this is why we don't want to pay what's needed for the South American. Anyone else sick of this nonsense, having to put up with mediocre players and having to hear your manager telling you they can make it, despite 4-5 years of being awful? Didn't we have the same thing with Wenger?

This would be a miracle too far.

I suspect this is code for: "Nobody will touch him with a bargepole!"

[Niall_Quinn]

All true, and of course it won't have any bearing on us whatsoever. But it doesn't matter - if the PL rules say that clubs can only add X amount to their annual expenses each season relative to their commercial income, and if we've already maxed out our limit for this year, then our hands might be tied? (*That's just a guess, but it would explain why we're trying to structure any and every potential deal as an initial loan with an option to buy later / in the next accounting period.)

Would love to sell Mustafi, but that's easier said than done, as we found out last summer. I'm not even sure we can give him away at this point? If he's decided to sit on his fat Arsenal contract and would rather rot than go elsewhere for less money but more games then there's not really much we can do about it. Feels short-sighted to me, but he's legally well within his rights to do it...

If true, it makes the Pepe deal even more bonkers. Almost as nuts as the the gossip about Lemar coming on loan. Why would we need him?