Winter Transfer Ignorance and Dart Throwing.

[I am invisible]

I was hoping we would eventually sign him permanently, but that looks less and less likely. I also don't think the fee reported is ridiculous given his ability and age. Sometimes you just watch a player love and become convinced of his fundamental ability. That's how I feel about Ceballos. I think people are quickly forgetting that he amongst any other is as willing to 'put a foot in' on an opponent when useful.

Still utterly underwhelmed by Soares as it's the type of signing that stops you getting worse rather than makes you any better. Even if as a signing it is of some use, he will still need to be playing, in theory, better than AMN is to justify being put in ahead. Otherwise, still, what is the point of him playing? The fact he is an actual right back only really matters if he can play better than whoever we currently have there.

I guess you can’t blame him for holding out for his chance at Real Madrid - he’s done the hard bit, and is already one of their players, so he just needs an opening. I’ll look forward to seeing him in an Arsenal shirt until May, but I’m more interested in tracking the development of Willock, Guendouzi and Smith Rowe on his loan.

Soares doesn’t really bother me one way or the other - as I said, it feels very much like a temporary marriage of convenience between the two parties: we need depth at RB (with question marks over Bellerin’s fitness, and Chambers out for a year); and Soares needs to put himself in the shop window for 6 months to get the best free transfer he can. Unless he turns out to be brilliant, I don’t see it going any further than that...