Winter Transfer Despair and Bafflement.

[Marc Overmars]

We’ve also made the best part of 100m in sales over the last 6 months, taking a load off the wage bill as well.

I fully appreciate the fact we can’t just drop x amount of money on any player we fancy like United and City, however it’s just bizarre how this club operates sometimes, we really do ourselves no favours in reasonable situations like this.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's the bigger picture. This public pursuit won't look good if we come back empty handed. It's not as if Dortmund have slapped an unreasonable price tag on him that's unheard of. We're talking £55m for one of the worlds best strikers. If we fail to land him, you're right to point out the ramifications. I'm all for keeping funds back for another manager but that's clearly not the strategy we're going for here. We're actually trying to sign Aubameyang and despite a new director of football, head of recruitment and contract negotiation guy, it's still looking like the same old Arsenal. What's changed?

If we don't get our guy it's just another example of us falling short. God knows why Herb and TEG are trying to justify the peanuts we're squabbling over. If the fee we're talking about was close to £100m, OK. It makes sense to hold your horses. But we're not far from matching their negotiations but the longer we drag this out, the more likely we are to not get a deal because it's the January window.

Signing Auba is STEP 1 on the to do list. The EASIEST of the challenges ahead. If we can't even do this then forget cup wins and top 4 finishes. Forget it all. The club, the players, the fans will all be at rockbottom as we head into the notorious business end of the season. Wenger has made so many mistakes, but this will be right up there with the worst of them. Who will ever believe a thing this guy says again if this Aubameyang pursuit turns out to be yet another case of misdirection to stretch things out to the close of the window? The fans are going to hate his fucking guts if sabotages this deal.

At least you would hope so. But this is Arsenal so you never know.

[HCZ]

I feel totally indifferent to the whole thing

I don’t believe we will finish in the top four regardless of whether we sign him or not

Whilst I can appreciate us not wanting to spend 60million on a 28 year old who we at best will get 2-3 good seasons out of, I can appreciate those saying money should not be an issue for us especially when we have made a profit in this transfer window as well as significantly clearing the wage bill.

If I believed it was the difference between us keeping Wilshere and Ozil and not keeping them I would be agitating for the move but I don’t believe either are going to stay anyway.

So for me, whatever happens happens

[Globalgunner]

Youre totally right in that no number of new players will make tiniest difference to our prospects with Wumger still in charge, we will continue to win occasional games against Chelsea and regularly stumble against the likes of Burnley and Bournemouth.. The fans just want to see new players. Its the hope that keeps you going even when deep down you know there is really no hope. Deluded optimism syndrome.

Well you never know. Spuds and Pool have a lot of Fk ups within them. We could just as easily end up 4th as 7th. Leicester are really starting to worry me. Damn you Claude Puel!!!!

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I feel totally indifferent to the whole thing

I don’t believe we will finish in the top four regardless of whether we sign him or not

Whilst I can appreciate us not wanting to spend 60million on a 28 year old who we at best will get 2-3 good seasons out of, I can appreciate those saying money should not be an issue for us especially when we have made a profit in this transfer window as well as significantly clearing the wage bill.

If I believed it was the difference between us keeping Wilshere and Ozil and not keeping them I would be agitating for the move but I don’t believe either are going to stay anyway.

So for me, whatever happens happens

Have you written the next season off too? You do know we will still continue to exist after this miserable season right? Moreover, in the summer we need to be looking to improve the playing staff anyway. I realise the manager staying will probably hold us back, but a better group of players tends to me mean better results....as rudimentary as that may sound.

I didn't think you were that bothered about Wilshere signing but I find it hard to believe signing a world class striker and one of the best in the world right now has absolutely no impact on whether Wilshere and Ozil might be more inclined to sign.

Even if the pair of them publically declare they aren't signing today, I'd still want Aubameyang. World class forwards don't grow on trees. He is comfortably in the top 10 forwards in the world right now for me. There's not a single other on that top 10 list we have any hope of signing for 60 million.

[HCZ]

Have I written off next season?

Wenger will be manager so yes

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

So you want us to sell players and not replace them? His contract is 2 years not 20.... He will go at some point!!

[HCZ]

I said I was indifferent

If we sign Aubemeyang great it’s a nice thing for the fans

But no I don’t think it makes a great difference.

Our football will still be shit

[Xhaka Can’t]

He will go at some point!!

This craziness belongs in the Mindless Optimism thread wherever that is.

[HCZ]

You’d like to think he will go at the end of his next contract, if he can’t get back top four either season and he’s just letting our best players run down their contracts....whilst they will never sack him. Not offering him a new contract isn’t the same thing.