Because we make threads for just about everyone these days...
http://onebit.us/x/i/RL5Ryjm2LB.jpg
(Mario's worldcup sticker book)
:coffee:
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Because we make threads for just about everyone these days...
http://onebit.us/x/i/RL5Ryjm2LB.jpg
(Mario's worldcup sticker book)
:coffee:
/Delete thread
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/.../17/4890476/-?Quote:
Mino Raiola says that the Gunners are "a fantastic club", one of a select few who could afford to sign his client from AC Milan, with reports of an incoming £25 million bid
Mario Balotelli's agent says that "anything is possible" as regards a rumoured transfer to Arsenal for his client.
WORLD CUP LATEST
25/1 The Daily Mirror claims that the Gunners are preparing a £25 million bid for the AC Milan striker, currently on World Cup duty with Italy, and Mino Raiola indicated that it was a welcome link.
"Arsenal are a fantastic club," he told Sky Sports when asked about the report.
"Only eight or 10 clubs in the world can afford Mario Balotelli - like all premium players, and he is one of the greatest.
"[Will the move happen?] Anything is possible."
The former Manchester City striker has scored 28 goals in 51 appearances for the Rossoneri since returning to Serie A in January 2013.
He was on the scoresheet for his country against England in Manaus, netting the winner as the Azzurri got off to a strong start in Group D.
Time for Super Mario to come home.
Seems it could happen but even Seedorf had trouble with him.
Odds of him leaving after one season?
No way, Diaby will brokeback mountain his ass :cloud9:Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
Signing this guy will waste another season in our hunt for a long term striking solution. Plenty of other options out there for the kind of money we'd have to pay him and his agent. Wonder if this is all about merchandising or something like that?
Not fully committed to him but I'd take him over another season of Giroud and Sanago.
Wenger has got form with strong personalities, bad boys like Ade....oh
Ade wasn't a bad boy. He was just a cunt.
Still is. :coffee:
Always will be. :tea:
:horlicks:
feck off!!! :chai:
WTF? :wacko:Quote:
Originally Posted by Injury Time
Yeah there is plenty of talk. Mind you, if our interest is geniune and Balotelli wants to come I wouldn't put it past us to open the bidding at 10million or something like that.... :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Munchies
I thought Seedorf got on okay with him?
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/0...A3Q0N820140427
Quote:
(Reuters) - AC Milan coach Clarence Seedorf has no complaints about Mario Balotelli and believes the maverick striker is improving despite widespread criticism of his performances and behaviour.
"Balotelli's improvement can be clearly seen, the only people who don't see it are the ones who don't want to," Seedorf told Sky Sport Italia in an interview on Sunday, adding that the pair had a good rapport.
"It's not fair not to recognise his improvement. It's not fair to highlight just the negative things," he added.
Balotelli walked into another storm when he lost his temper in front of the cameras after his performance in Friday's 2-0 loss to AS Roma was criticised by Italian television pundits.
The 23-year-old, who was substituted for Giampaolo Pazzini in the 69th minute having contributed little, told the pundits they did not understand football and threw his microphone down at the end of the interview.
The former Manchester City forward was also criticised for an aggressive gesture directed at Adel Taarabt after giving the ball away during the game.
On Sunday, Italian media said Italy coach Cesare Prandelli was looking at alternatives to Balotelli to lead his attack at the World Cup.
"I didn't think there was a tantrum, it was a gesture I've seen a thousand times in my career," said Seedorf.
"He asked me the reason for his substitution against Roma, just as Keisuke Honda did against Lazio. We have an excellent rapport between two adults.
"I talk to him and offer constructive criticism but I do it in private and not through the media.
"His scoring statistics are good as this is the most prolific season of his career," added the Dutchman, referring to Balotelli's 14 league goals this season.
Talks of a swap deal for Mario. Milan want Campbell plus money.
If it was an absolute deal-breaker for Milan then I'd maybe reluctantly consider it, but I'd prefer to just pay the money - the figures being quoted for Balotelli so far don't look anything extreme by today's standards, so I don't really see the point in sending Campbell the other way if we don't have to? How much have we just made on selling Vela's rights? Surely that covers any saving we'd be missing out on?
Yeah just buy him outright unless the difference that is campbell is really too good to refuse.....but we haven't heard the price set at an extortionate rate.
I'd consider it a deal breaker - there is no way we should be parting with Joel Campbell. Balotelli is a major risk for starters. Whereas Joel Campbell is too promising and we need depth and competition in that position.
The way I see it, if we include Campbell in the deal, then we'd be getting one player for maybe 15-17m. If we keep Campbell, and just pay the money for Balotelli, then we'd be bringing in 2 players for 25-27m. I'd rather go with option 2 myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice
What’s the likelihood of Joel Campbell starting for us next season? He has bags of potential but so does Ox and Gnarby. The problem with these loan deals is that your setting yourself up for a fall because the player will be disgruntled if he’s called back to sit on a bench. If we really are going for Reus or Sanchez, it’s more than likely that Joel will sit on the bench. If Milan want him for Mario, Wenger has to really think about this strategically. There is no point in hoarding talent if we haven’t got the capacity to develop them.
I know all evidence suggests that Wenger would be likely to keep him on the bench for most of the season, and play his best XI whenever he can, but all the same, the aim should still be to build out a squad that's big enough and good enough to be able to effectively rotate players on regular basis, and cover for absences. If we want Wenger to change his ways in this respect, and start managing the squad's fitness and freshness better, then first we need to make sure he has the options to actually do it. If he then continues to run the same few players into the ground, at least he won't be able to turn around and say that he didn't have the players needed for it to be possible.
I can also see what you mean about players getting a taste for playing when they go out on loan, and then having to come back to a side where their place isn't certain, but unfortunately that is the reality of life at the top clubs - they have bigger squads, full of better players, so if you want to play for the best then that's the environment you need to get used to.
Dump a young and promising striker for a head case who has caused trouble wherever he goes and will fuck up our dressing room within 30 mins of being here?
This has Arsenal written all over it. Cleverley instead of Fabregas, Balotelli instead of an option that can serve us well for the next 10 years. Why not? If you're going to fuck up then go large.
Of course it's all media speculation, nothing to say we are even considering such a shitty deal. But if Milan want the player and we already have him, and he wants to come and play for us that should be cast in iron. No fucking around trying to save money at the expense of the team again. If we want Balotelli then ask the price and pay it. Simple.
We’ll probably end up signing Mandzukic and bringing back Joel Campbell. That’s the cheap and cheerful option.
Campbell has potential but we crap potential around Arsenal. We either cough up the money or set up some sort of loan/buy back option for Campbell. I wouldn’t want us to walk away from a priority signing just to make way for Campbell. That doesn’t make sense consider we have Ox, Walcott and Gnarby. Campbell would have to be a clear world class star with his name on the first team sheet before I’d comfortably say we should walk away.
Good thing we’ll get to see more of both player later today. But we need to moving a lot quicker and decide on what we’re doing. I just have a feeling Wenger will want to see how we do in pre season training before making major moves.
Not sure about Campbell. If he's so good why did Fergie buy Veron? Seems like a younger Podolski which is no bad thing but you could probably get a few raw talents like that from somewhere. Balotelli's potential is something that you can't find. Goes without saying that we should get both, but for the hypothetical situation of one or the other, gotta be the mentalist
:gp:Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Yep, totally agree with this.
:haha:Quote:
Originally Posted by Syn
Also, safe to say we should go Bartoli or go home.
:gp:Quote:
Originally Posted by Syn
Not entirely sold with Campbell. In terms of experience and talents, Balotelli >>> Campbell anytime. :coffee:
I haven't seen enough of Campbell to have formed a really strong opinion about him yet, but on the few occasions I have seen him, he has looked like he's got something about him?
I just don't see why it needs to be a one-or-the-other choice though? We have the money to buy Balotelli outright, and we don't need to sell Campbell - AC migtht have asked for him to be included in the deal, but that doesn't mean we have to agree to it. I'm sure if we said no, they'd be happy enough with the big pile of money instead - that's what they'd be looking at from most other clubs they try to sell to, so it's not really a huge setback for them. I think they're just trying their luck here (assuming there's any truth to it).
I also don't think that keeping Campbell would leave us too overloaded in the wide areas? In fact, I would go as far as to say that I think we could recall Campbell AND sign a big name wide-attacker, like a Sanchez or a Reus, and that would leave us just about right in terms of numbers and the balance between youth and experience:
- Gnabry is still very young, and I think he'd probably benefit more from going out on loan than Campbell would (again)
- Oxlade-Chamberlain fills in everywhere, not just out wide, and will probably me moved central sooner rather than later (maybe even immediately if the stories about Cazorla going back to Spain are to be believed)
- and Walcott is fairly injury prone, and will already miss the first few months of the season (and probably then struggle for match fitness for weeks/months after he's back)
(I know there's also Podolski, but I really don't know where he fits in at the moment? His goal return is fantastic for the minutes he gets, but I'm not sure he offers enough to be considered a genuine wide-man? I'd consider him to be more of a utility man, who can fill in anywhere across the entire front line, but even he might fancy a move back to Germany, if some of the rumours are right?)
So, playing fantasy football for a second, if we bring Campbell back AND make another big-name signing in the wide areas, I'd be looking at something like this as our wide options...
[Johnny Big-Name]
Walcott
Oxlade-Chamberlain
Campbell
...with Gnabry as an additional option, who we can either send out on loan for the experience if he's not needed just yet, or who we could keep, and include as part of our wide options in the event that we either don't make that additional big-name signing that I'm hoping for, or we decide to move Chamberlain into the centre. But whatever happens, we're basically looking at 4 decent options for 2 positions here - 2 more experienced players, and 2 younger ones - and I think is about right for a long season at the highest level (especially when you factor in international matches too). And in terms of effective rotation (which is ultimately the point of this), I'd be happy to split the games more or less equally between those guys all season, which would hopefully keep everyone fresh and happy...
I wouldn't actually be unhappy with Mandzukic IF we beefed up the wide options too - having a second, sharper version of Giroud could work well for us, if we were packed out with enough pace and goals all around them. That kind of set-up hasn't exactly done Munich any harm these last couple of years...Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Yes, I agree, keeping both makes sense and if we have to send them some extra money to do that then fine. We made £8m off that Vela clause. It shouldn't be a problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by I am invisible
But I disagree with anyone that says it's a deal breaker if we have to throw in Joel. That's if Milan are being absolute dicks about the deal.
Yeah, I can't see it being a deal breaker - I reckon they're just trying their luck. From what I've read, it looks like they're having to sell because they had a shit season, missed out on the CL, and now need to slash their wage bill and bring in cash - if that's true, then they should be more than happy with just the cash if we say no to Campbell...Quote:
Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory
Balotelli shite the other night.
What an awful decision it would be to invest all that money in him.
I don't think it told us anything about him that we didn't already know - potentially fantastic player, but one moment he's up and the next he's down. Sorting that out was always going to be part of the deal, and it's not something we're going to see miraculously change before our eyes while he's playing for Italy - it's something that we'd have to do ourselves, IF we signed him.
At least he had a decent game in his first match (which is more than some big names have done so far this tournament), and, to be fair, I didn't think he was any worse than most of the Italian side against Costa Rica, who all looked like they'd been thoroughly outfought and outplayed by a side who wanted it more. I also don't think he's a particularly good fit for the way the Italians play in general? They tend to knock it around the back, very cautiously and patiently, and he cuts a pretty isolated figure up front on his own for long spells - if you put him in a more direct side like Germany, who get a lot of men forward quickly, I reckon you'd see a lot more from him...
We won't.Quote:
Originally Posted by I am invisible
Mancini won't.
Mourinho won't.
Ancelotti won't.
De Boer won't.
Hoddle won't.
Dot Cotton won't.
No-one will. He is a nutcase.
Forget it.
I'd rather Balo than Loic Remy or presumably nobody....Quote:
Originally Posted by She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
There can be no more a damning statement of our transfer policy than the desire of some of our fans actually anticipating and wishing for a signing of the likes of Balotelli. It is simply desperation for something - anything even though if it happens, it is odds on to end in complete disaster and acrimony.
It's like stepping in front of a bus and thinking not only will you survive but it's gong to be fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve French