Winter Transfer Missed Opportunities and Regrets

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I get all that, but we did sign Saliba to a 4 year contract in 2023 - so is your point that we should have tied him down to 5 years? That's only one year more - and I'm not sure even a 5 year contract would prevent RM from sniffing around now? Also, contracts are not one sided. It's more than possible that in 2023 - with our project still in the formative stage - Saliba's people were not willing to extend this term.

It's pretty common for even the most well organised clubs to start renewal negotiations 2 years out. And for a club like Arsenal (unlike Chelsea or Citeh with unlimited funds) you have to plan for these not to turn out the way you want.

I'm not sure we have (yet) mismanaged Saliba's renewal. Our problem is that unlike Liverpool or Citeh, we haven't won anything, and that will count against us to a greater or lesser degree.

If he is not prepared to commit to a new contract, then the one thing we can't afford to do is risk him running his present one down and not cashing in on a valuable asset. Balancing this situation is tricky...my fear is that we won't have the nous to manage it.

My point was, there was no reason for us at that time, to do the bare minimum and agree to a 4 year contract, when it was clear we were in the stronger bargaining position. He'd played for us for only 7 months, he was already injured and still about 20-21....who in their right senses does the bare minimum to keep someone at that age who has impressed you so much within such a short space of time?!

Yes, it should have been at least 5 years and lets not forget for 3 years we'd been paying his salary and allowing him to get cuddles from mummy while sleeping at home in France.

Yes, an additional one year would never stop Real Madrid from sniffing around, after all they are Real Madrid for a reason i.e. insatiable ambition. You'll never see me complaining that the likes of RM or PSG want our players...its a good sign like I pointed out earlier in another post.

I just can't see the justification for us being a weaker position now, because all this should have been expected i.e. all big clubs want young talent and will try and get it cheaply off you if they can. Even without the Mbappe example, young players can afford to run down their contracts, they are just at the start of their careers, its just common sense.

I've always complained about our transfer strategy. In the last 30 years we've produced some of the best young players in the world and only been compensated properly once IMO, the Anelka transfer which some people here weren't even alive when it occurred. That's a big shame for a big club like ours.

Anyway, it's not the end of the world, but I wish some posters will stop making it sound like we are always doing our best when a lot of things we do show small club mentality. Also IBK, I'm sure the Spuds , who don't have a limitless budget do the same with young players and longer contracts

BTW, I don't believe winning trophies would stop a player like Saliba from leaving. He's never really hit me like that type of "trophy driven" player. If he leaves it will be a cultural thing (and probably because he is young), all I am saying is they should have expected it knowing his bio, at least I do (and a lot of the press to it seems).