Summer Transfers 2025 Missed Opportunities and Regrets

[Letters]

Initially the Madueke transfer was annoying but he’s a decent player and when he pulls on the shirt he will get full support I’m sure.

Asked a Chelsea supporting mate about him. He said:

He's had plenty of chances at Chelsea but he has never shone like Palmer or Pedro - positives he's quick and he does bundle the ball in the net a bit, negatives he generally puts his head down and runs at speed into defenders or off the pitch, he can't control the ball, he doesn't look up before passing, he often shoots wide, he's never tackled, if he does track back he'll commit a foul

He said he's better than Sterling though. He had bloody better be!

[Marc Overmars]

So a headless chicken then…

In all seriousness I’m not really of the opinion that Madueke will be hit here. Obviously hope to be proven wrong so we shall see.

[Mac76]

Deffo this.

I know I was being hasty with my daily posting but historically we have been there too many times in the past where we have been let down.

Initially the Madueke transfer was annoying but he’s a decent player and when he pulls on the shirt he will get full support I’m sure.

Berta has been a huge difference maker in our plans this summer though (which I said he would be a game changer) and we seem like we are showing the correct level of intent.

I’m really looking forward to this season now, I hope we also get Eze over the line, and who knows, if Trossard goes we could even see a late attempt at Rodrygo too

Surprised to see you cave in so much, you've been talking a lot of sense so far

I'm far from satisfied, while I think the defensive signings were necessary, we have definitely overpaid for Madueke who should have been no more than £40m, also unless we also get both Gyok and Eze (neither of which are official yet) or at the very least Gyok and Rodrygo, it will be an underwhelming window for most fans I think

I'm reading Spuds are in for Eze plus Liverpool might go for Mateta, which means Palace would be more reluctant to sell Eze - we need to pay up and get on with that signing

Either way, Madueke will be on very thin ice with the fans, not least because we overpaid for him (something people like Arteta never seem to bear in mind when spending too much money on players)

[IBK]

Surprised to see you cave in so much, you've been talking a lot of sense so far

I'm far from satisfied, while I think the defensive signings were necessary, we have definitely overpaid for Madueke who should have been no more than £40m, also unless we also get both Gyok and Eze (neither of which are official yet) or at the very least Gyok and Rodrygo, it will be an underwhelming window for most fans I think

I'm reading Spuds are in for Eze plus Liverpool might go for Mateta, which means Palace would be more reluctant to sell Eze - we need to pay up and get on with that signing

Either way, Madueke will be on very thin ice with the fans, not least because we overpaid for him (something people like Arteta never seem to bear in mind when spending too much money on players)

Unless the Madueke signing prevents us from making any further forward additions, £8M (on your figure) difference for Madueke is neither here nor there. In any event - we have not (IMO) paid more than the current going rate for an EPL player. I'm not arguing that he is the second coming, but sometimes I think the club can't win. What are fans expecting for essentially a Saka backup, and why would a so-called top tier player be prepared to come in in a supporting role? Would fans prefer we took the risk in an untried and untested cheaper player from abroad? Buying a teenager isn't sensible when we have Nwaneri, but neither did Ethan show consistency as a back-up (understandable) in the Saka position - particularly when other teams had worked him out.

We are getting Gyokores, so I'm taking this as read.

We also need defensive backup - particularly for Saliba, so Mosquera makes good sense.

So we seem to be down to not signing Eze (yet), or similar as the reason to beat on the club now? From where I am sitting it hasn't been confirmed that we are not doing further business here...Besides which, where is the evidence that Madueke is instead of an Eze, or has prevented this?

[Mac76]

Unless the Madueke signing prevents us from making any further forward additions, £8M (on your figure) difference for Madueke is neither here nor there. In any event - we have not (IMO) paid more than the current going rate for an EPL player. I'm not arguing that he is the second coming, but sometimes I think the club can't win. What are fans expecting for essentially a Saka backup, and why would a so-called top tier player be prepared to come in in a supporting role? Would fans prefer we took the risk in an untried and untested cheaper player from abroad? Buying a teenager isn't sensible when we have Nwaneri, but neither did Ethan show consistency as a back-up (understandable) in the Saka position - particularly when other teams had worked him out.

We are getting Gyokores, so I'm taking this as read.

We also need defensive backup - particularly for Saliba, so Mosquera makes good sense.

So we seem to be down to not signing Eze (yet), or similar as the reason to beat on the club now? From where I am sitting it hasn't been confirmed that we are not doing further business here...Besides which, where is the evidence that Madueke is instead of an Eze, or has prevented this?

we're paying a reported £50m for Madueke plus possibly £2m add-ons, so that's £12m more than we should have IMO

My understanding is that Chelsea HAVE to sell players to make sure they can register some of their new signings for the CL, so we have them totally over a barrel here - plus why are we prepared to just pay full whack for Chelsea players when we put at risk other deals - like Gyok and Eze - which are much more important, by haggling over relative loose change?

If it was Cunha, Gibbs-White or Kudus I'd say £50m was more reasonable, but even Chelsea fans aren't sorry Madueke is going, so that should tell its own story don't you think and again point to his needing to be cheaper?

and where's your evidence that paying £12m more for Madueke doesn't put e.g. the Eze deal at risk - surely it does if we're trying to recoup the overpayment for Madueke by skimping on Eze...?

I've no issue with the Mosquera signing, as my post to which you replied says, I'm happy with the defensive signings

and I'm certainly not assuming Gyokeres until it's officially done, though it certainly does seem close

[IBK]

There's no way Gyokores isn't getting done.

I understood that the fee for Madueke was £48M plus £4M add ons. As far as I am concerned, if Arteta rates Madueke as back up I'm cool with that. Clearly what we paid met the Arsenal's valuation, so for me that's the end of it. I couldn't give a shit what Chelsea fans think. Football is full of examples where players improve in a different environment! If people are losing their shit because of a perception that we paid a bit more than we could have haggled for then my view remains that this is a bit pathetic. Plus Arteta clearly wanted the player in before heading off to the Far East.

I don't have to provide evidence to prove a negative - re an Eze or similar deal. It's not me getting exorcised about a reasonably routine bit of transfer business with Madueke. if the transfer window closes without us signing an Eze or similar I will concede that its been undewhelming. Not now.

[Mac76]

There's no way Gyokores isn't getting done.

As i said it's highly likely but until it's announced it's not done

I understood that the fee for Madueke was £48M plus £4M add ons. As far as I am concerned, if Arteta rates Madueke as back up I'm cool with that. Clearly what we paid met the Arsenal's valuation, so for me that's the end of it. I couldn't give a shit what Chelsea fans think. Football is full of examples where players improve in a different environment! If people are losing their shit because of a perception that we paid a bit more than we could have haggled for then my view remains that this is a bit pathetic. Plus Arteta clearly wanted the player in before heading off to the Far East.

Well quite, so it's £52m which is £12m - not £8m as you said - more than the £40m (in total) which I would find acceptable for a not-highly-rated Chelsea reject who, as you say, is only a backup. For us not even to haggle over the price isn't acceptable, and inexplicable tbh unless you accept it's Arteta waving his dick around having failed to get his preferred striker.

I don't have to provide evidence to prove a negative - re an Eze or similar deal.

It's pretty basic maths to realise that you more you pay for one player, the less you have to spend on others

if the transfer window closes without us signing an Eze or similar I will concede that its been undewhelming. Not now.

Well as i said in my original post: "unless we also get both Gyok and Eze (neither of which are official yet) or at the very least Gyok and Rodrygo, it will be an underwhelming window for most fans I think"

[IBK]

Funny how on the one hand fans say that Arsenal should just pay what the selling club wants to get the job done, but on the other they bleat over a perception that we have not played hard ball with a transfer fee Anyway, how do you know that Arsenal made no attempt to negotiate the Madueke fee? This would run counter to what we know about how Arsenal does business...

And your basic maths point is pretty irrelevant really. Whether the Madueke fee affects other transfers depends what funds are available to the club to spend.

[IBK]

...its being reported that arsenal are set to make a formal approach to Palace this week...apparently we want to understand if a deal is possible away from Eze's release clause.

[HCZ_Reborn]

...its being reported that arsenal are set to make a formal approach to Palace this week...apparently we want to understand if a deal is possible away from Eze's release clause.

My understanding (again speculative reports) is that we will dangle Reiss Nelson in front of them