Well sure, but the thing is, we're literally at the point where anyone we can get on the bench who can kick a ball in a forward direction is worth having around, especially as there's little sign we're bringing any signings in.Originally Posted by 21_GOONER_SALUTE
I wonder whether Arteta's blown it with the Kroenkes, having wasted around £70m on a crock who's always injured and a midfield bovver-boy whom the club was apparently very sceptical about signing
Who can say? I suspect that the Kroenke family take a very light touch approach to the club. The money that has been spent has met their objective of getting back into the top four. Beyond that I doubt they take very much interest unless that top four spot is imperilled. And perhaps Arteta or someone else at the club has got on the blower to Colorado to convince them that it is (two weeks ago I didn’t think that was the case. Now? I’m not so sure…our injuries seem to be growing)
Nothing's for certain, but the vibe around the club seems to be that there is not a lot of money to spend. Agree with you that the Kroenkes do not seem to take a particularly keen interest in the day to day running of the club, but it's not so far-fetched to think that as money men, they see the £70M spunked on Merino and Calafiori and £30M on Raya - £100M last Summer - on top of other fairly recent transfers and a huge wage bill - the latter more than Liverpool and Chelsea currently BTW - as precluding more big spending in January. I think we are paying the price for previous years of failure to make acceptable returns on player sales. Ironically, I do not really blame the present regime for this - it's what happens when a team is unsuccessful and has a legacy of signing dross. I don't even blame Arteta for signing Merino. He is clearly only a squad player but Partey's fitness and form has taken everyone by surprise, and with an ageing Jorghino the need for reinforcements in MF would have seemed a pressing issue in the Summer.
Depressingly, I am beginning to think that the cupboard is pretty bare for Arsenal money wise, and that the owners would rather see us try to limp to a top 4 place rather than go for the title. And that's where the smart money says we will now end up.
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
This Vibe seems to have been shattered by the news that we appear to have agreed to sign Zubimendi in the summer. This strongly suggests to me apart from anything else that we expect to lose both Jorginho and Partey in the summer
How does a prospective Summer signing shatter the current vibe that there's not a lot of money to spend? If anything it supports it. I think that it's pretty obvious - and has been for some time - that Partey and Jorghino will be gone in the Summer...
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
Because we will lose them both in the summer for nothing and we are prepared to spend 50 million to replace them
It tells me that it’s not the money for transfers that’s the issue, but upsetting the wage bill. Because we make space for Zubimendi on the wage bill by getting rid of two players
If a winger/forward comes in it will most likely be to replace Trossard, although if that article Letters shared is more accurate that could be difficult because Trossard coming from Brighton isn’t on massively high wages
Hmm I don't know that this is an accurate analysis - albeit that I am with you on the wage bill (that I made reference to). I'm not suggesting that Arsenal don't have any money to spend, rather that the club either doesn't have or won't make available funds for an emergency signing this January. The club clearly has long term policies in place. Jorghino's contract extension was only short term. The decision not to renew Partey's contract and allow his 5 year deal to run down was also planned. Zubimendi has been a long term target and I suspect that the news about him coming out now is a carefully planned leak to try to dampen disaffection about what may well be a refusal to bring in reinforcements this transfer window.
My concern is that the club will not deviate from its longer term strategy by bringing in a forward now - even if this means accepting that to all intents and purposes this means the league is likely to be gone. Arteta has been reluctant to use Sterling, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if the owners take the view that he is the replacement for Jesus, and gamble on this keeping us in a postion to finish top 4 pending a March return for Saka. The best we can hope for IMO is a loan deal for a forward this January if the opportunity arises. But for me the Zubimendi Summer talk for a number of reasons indicates that we are going to be disappointed this transfer window.
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
I think in all likelihood we are talking at cross purposes, about the difference between the money not being available full stop and the club/owners not making the funds available. And on the latter I think you probably are quite right. It appears that any attempt to bring in a player to supplement our attack will be on loan because the club and perhaps the manager as well look at a signing as to the benefit for the club in the long term rather than in the here and now. However this gambling on the fitness and reliability of the attack last season as we know is not a gamble that has paid off.
I guess it depends what we mean by disappointed, if we are expecting a permanent transfer yes I think you’re almost certainly right. If it’s a player on loan that depending on how they do between January and May, could become permanent? Well that’s less certain
I'm not even confident of a loan signing. In a perverse way I do understand the logic in refusing to deviate from a longer term strategy by signing noone, even at the expense of the league/CL. For a start, it's by no means guaranteed that bringing in a forward now would see us overhaul Liverpool. The damage may already have been done, and I can even see an argument that we are generally creating chances and our horrific finishing form cannot last forever. I think that we have fundamentally decided that we will not be a reactive team - and this makes sense when we see the likes of Manure and Sp*rs who have adopted a scattergun approach to signings. Jesus aside, we are looking at 2 months without Saka...and apart from that nothing much has changed from the first half of the season that sees us in second place. If we are honest, Jesus' mini revival was always tempered by the doubt that he would stay fit or on form for an extended period.
If we have a long term plan for investment in a forward then I can see the club and the manager taking the view that the basics are there and we push on next season. There is a real risk that our competitors for the title will be stronger then, and admittedly a feeling that this was our season to get to the top. I worry also about Saliba; Saka and Big Gabi's contract situations, and whether they will be affected adversely by a perceived lack of ambition. But signing anyone who is available now is also a risk, and one that could hamper our longer term plans. Unlike some other teams, I think that the purse strings at Arsenal are quite tight and this, along with the factors above is more likely to dictate transfers this window than not.
Putting the laughter back into manslaughter
For £51mill - pocket change in the current economy. They can get that back with a couple of sales and from letting Partey and Jorginho go. It's net zero, give or take a few million on the wages I suppose. 51 mill seems to be such a small clause in the modern game, but that's what it is reported to be.
Last edited by Niall_Quinn; 15-01-2025 at 02:40 AM.
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