Friday, April 26, 2024
Home Blog Page 137

Arsenal making the right moves, but top four may have to wait

By
admin
-
Unai Emery

When Arsenal appointed their successor to Arsene Wenger, the move was a signal that big changes were about to happen at the club. Since Unai Emery has been in charge, big changes are something he has thrived upon. He has already made three signings, with more to follow, and allowed some of the ageing talent to walk away on free transfers.

Those who have seen Arsenal on a regular basis for the past couple of season will agree that big changes are needed at the club to bring a spark. You only have to look at the 2017/18 Premier League table to see that Arsenal are falling behind the other big clubs.

They ended the season 12 points off a top-four finish, and 14 points behind North London rivals Tottenham. While many don’t know what the actual answer is, pretty much everyone agreed that the club needed to do something drastic to change what was happening.

In came Unai Emery, the first of many big changes and he has brought three new players in with him so far. The players he has brought to the club are not huge money signings or players who are expected to be top-class players in the league. Instead, Emery has looked to make small changes with the hope that those tweaks turn into one big culture change.

It is expected that he will bring in more players, with another two or three coming in before the season starts. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him add a similar number next season, as he looks to bring in his own players and change the culture at the club.

The way Emery is working will take time, though, and both the fans and the board will need to allow Emery this. When Arsenal take to the field for the first time in August, the team put out by Emery will not be his finished article; that will take a couple of years to get right.

Arsenal no longer have the pulling power or ambitions to attract big-name signings. Instead, they have to rely on small changes and upgrades in every position, and a gradual process of change.

The top four will be the first target that Emery has to achieve, although if he manages to do that in his first season, many will see that as an overachievement. The Gunners are 2/1 in the latest football betting for a top-four spot this coming season, so the bookmakers do think they have a chance.

However, at the club, there is a much longer plan being played out right now, and the top four this season would be a bonus, not a necessity. Arsenal are no longer able to pull the strings like they used to. It is now time to make small changes, and plenty of them, in an attempt to get better. Unai Emery looks like that is the tactic he is employing, and while it looks capable of working, Gunners fans should be prepared to be patient with this approach.

Lucas Torreira ready to complete ‘scary’ Arsenal transfer move, father confirms

By
Nithyanand
-
Lucas Torreira

It appears that Arsenal have wrapped up the transfer of Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria. The club are waiting for the World Cup campaign of Uruguay to end before making any announcement.

But, we have had confirmations from all kinds of sources including the president of Sampdoria as well as the father of the player that a £26m deal is done.

The 22-year-old’s father is confident of the move being completed but has some understandable concerns about how the player will be able to adapt to a new league.

He made this clear in an interview where he had this to say:

‘There will be people that will accompany him,’ Ricardo told Teledoce via Goal.  ‘He won’t be alone. It’s a big change [going to England] and we don’t want to think about it yet because we’re scared.’

‘The truth is it’s tough to manage the language, adapt to the [London] society and customs and at the same time not lose ours,’ he added. ‘But there’s a whole programme getting readied for Lucas.’

For any player, it is going to be tough to adapt to a new country, language as well as league. It will be the same in the case of Torreira but, the good news is that he will have a club that supports him in every step of the way.

When he signs, the Uruguayan will become the fourth player to join Arsenal this summer after Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno and Sokratis were signed.

It is a bit of a surprise to see the Gunners behave so quickly and efficiently in the transfer market. This was necessary in the wake of new management coming to the club after Arsene Wenger had left after his epic reign.

Unai Emery recently took charge of his first training session as the manager of Arsenal and fans are excited to see what he can make this squad do. Adding a player like Torreira to this mix is only going to make the Gunners better. Perhaps, as a result of this, they will be able to get back into the Champions League.

Unai Emery will not sell Hector Bellerin this summer

By
George
-
hector bellerin

The Daily Mail are reporting that new Arsenal manager Unai Emery will not be selling Spanish full-back Hector Bellerin this transfer window.

The Gunners are completing a complete defensive overhaul this summer and the arrival of Swiss full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and the Greek center back is calling the security of several Arsenal defenders into question.

The 23-year-old has been in North London since he moved from Catalan giants Barcelona as a youth player in 2011. Since then, he has become an integral part of the squad, playing fewer minutes than only Granit Xhaka last season.

After proving himself for Arsenal, there have been multiple clubs linked with a transfer for the player including a move back to the player’s boyhood club Barcelona. Given the Gooner’s depleted transfer budget of approximately £50m, the club may need to produce some cash for the transfer window ahead.

The rumours have been circulating for months now, but it now appears Bellerin will play a key role in the upcoming season under the new manager.

Arsenal have just signed Sokratis from Borussia Dortmund and amid the excitement, it is easy to forget the ongoing transfer saga with Lucas Torreira.

The Uruguayan has impressed during this summer’s world cup with his side playing in the quarterfinals against France this week.

It has been reported that the player has had a deal agreed and a medical will be completed after the world cup. The deal for the player looks to be worth anywhere up to €30m and could be one of the last signings Arsenal make this transfer window.

This transfer window has been brilliant for fans of the North London side, with Unai Emery completing 3 high-profile transfers already. With Bellerin staying, it looks very likely that one or two players will be sold this summer to fund the expensive incoming players.

Ever Banega rejects Arsenal move, will stay at Sevilla

By
Sri Aswin
-

Argentina international Ever Banega has reportedly decided to stay put with Sevilla amid Arsenal’s interest in acquiring his services.

Earlier last month, the 29-year-old had been linked with a potential move to the Emirates with manager Unai Emery said to have made a personal call to lure him to the club.

However, the speculation has since not matured into a potential deal, and Marca via Metro now claims that Banega has no plans of leaving the Andalusian club.

It is added that the Argentine has spoken to Sevilla chiefs in regards to his ambition and he is reluctant to pursue a fresh challenge after his failed move to Inter two years ago.

Despite this, Arsenal are in a relatively good position in terms of bolstering the midfield with Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira seemingly close to a switch.

The Uruguayan’s father has already confirmed his son will have a medical with the Gunners shortly after the World Cup and it may be only a matter of time before he links up with the club.

Elsewhere, Banega’s teammate Steven N’Zonzi has been associated with a potential switch after handing in a transfer request but it remains to be seen whether Sevilla will negotiate his asking price.

The Andalusian club have previously suggested that the Frenchman may only leave at his £35m buy-out clause but it will be interesting to see whether the player’s valuation could be reduced to facilitate the transfer.

Arsenal have secured three signings in Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno and Sokratis Papastathopoulos during this summer’s transfer window.

 

‘You never know’, Kostas Manolas hints he might be interested in Arsenal move

By
Nithyanand
-

Arsenal’s main focus this transfer window has been on the defense as evidenced by the signings that they have made.

Two of the players to arrive play at center back and fullback position respectively and the third plays as a goalkeeper. Sokratis who came from Dortmund may lead to another Greek defender joining the club, according to reports in Sport24.

Kostas Manolas, the center back from AS Roma has hinted that he could be coming to join his compatriot in London.

Both of them are the first choice pairing for their country and it would make the Gunners fans happy to see them at the Emirates. When asked about joining his friend, Manolas had the following to say:

“You never know!”

This is certainly interesting as there are many teams that will be vying for his signature. If Arsenal manage to somehow pull this one off, it will be quite a coup for the club.

Despite the open statement on Gunners move, he has not openly stated that he wants a move away from Rome. When the player was quizzed about his future, he seemed confident of staying:

“I am very pleased. I did a very good year, but I personally do not even deal with the transcripts.”

It is no surprise that Arsenal are in the hunt for another defender given the problems that they have suffered from in the defensive end. While bringing Manolas is a challenge, it will surely be beneficial to the fortunes of the club.

A player like Manolas will be a step up from the current center backs that Arsenal have, Sokratis excluded. The Gunners need to have a strong defense if they are going to win any kind of trophy. This issue will be taken care of if they are able to get the Greek warriors together.

€15m bid launched, Steven N’Zonzi tells club he wants to join Arsenal

By
Nithyanand
-
Steven N'Zonzi

Arsenal are not yet done in the transfer market as they look to add more players. One of the players that they are targeting is the Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi who is at the World Cup in Russia.

Unai Emery has chosen the Frenchman as someone who will add quality to the side. And that deal may be gaining steam as the midfielder has decided to force a move through, according to reports in the Sun.

It was earlier suggested that Arsenal were looking at signing Ever Banega but it appears that the sights of Emery may be elsewhere. Another report in El Confidencial has claimed that the Gunners have now formalised their interest by tabling an opening £13.2m [€15m] offer for N’Zonzi which was rejected.

Arsenal have been active this summer having signed three players with Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno and Sokratis arriving in the space of a month. It is refreshing to see the club move quickly and secure their targets. After the departure of Arsene Wenger, the squad is in need of some restructuring.

The need for this has increased with the departures of key players. Arsenal have seen Per Mertesacker retire and also seen Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla leave the club. So, it makes sense that they will be willing to get N’Zonzi.

N’Zonzi is said to be interested in working under his former boss Emery who managed the player during his time at Sevilla. The fee that Arsenal are willing to pay is less than what the Spanish club are looking for. But, it is expected that they will agree to a fee that is lower than the release clause.

This is interesting given that Arsenal are also looking to sign Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria. Perhaps this is a sign that Emery wants to have more quality in the squad. When you are competing in four competitions, it helps to have as much quality as possible.

Any deal that Arsenal want to complete will have to wait until the World Cup is over for France. But, if the Gunners are able to capture N’Zonzi, it will certainly add some steel to the Arsenal midfield.

 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan reacts as Arsenal agree transfer move for one more defender

By
Nithyanand
-
Mkhitaryan

Arsenal have well and truly been busy in the transfer window having signed three players so far.

The third of them happens to be Sokratis from Borussia Dortmund. He is now reunited with his friends from his time at Dortmund.

Those friends being Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the latter had a special welcome message for him.

This is what he had to say:

The bond between the three of them is clear to see and it is nice to have this kind of camaraderie in the Arsenal squad as Aubameyang too had a message for Sokratis.

The opportunity to play with these two players again must have given the Greek defender an incentive to choose Arsenal.

He is expected to slot into the first team and shore up the defense and perhaps his experience and leadership qualities will improve the others as well.

There are a few young defenders at Arsenal who will surely benefit from the presence of Sokratis. The player himself spoke about the conversations that he had with his Dortmund friends and how it was a factor in his decision.

Sokratis made it clear that Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang helped him in choosing to come to London:

“I spoke [to them] a lot times, he said. They said to me the best things about this club, that it is one big family and of course they also called me not every day but a lot of times telling me to come here.

“Yes it’s a little bit [strange] but it’s also very beautiful that I’ve come to one team but I also have two players who I was together with for a lot of years. I know them both very well and I’m very happy.”

With the new season on the horizon, the squad needs to starts clicking as soon as possible. In times like this, it helps that there exists a bond like this between the three players. Fans will be hoping that Sokratis can go on to become a rock in defense and help Arsenal succeed on all fronts.

 

Arsenal want to agree deal for Andre Gomes, Unai Emery keen on securing transfer

By
Sri Aswin
-
Unai Emery

Arsenal are reportedly considering a move to sign Andre Gomes from Barcelona with the midfielder said to fit the requirements of manager Unai Emery.

Gomes made the surprise switch to Barcelona from Valencia after a strong showing at the 2016 European Championships but he has since struggled to command a regular role.

As such, there has been the suggestion that he may part ways with the club and according to The Independent, the Gunners are among the prime contenders for his signature.

Despite Gomes’ indifferent spell at the Camp Nou, Emery appears keen on landing the former Benfica man but any move may involve the departure of a few fringe players from the Emirates.

Emery has been allocated with a limited budget to work on fresh recruits in the current transfer window and he may supposedly have to sanction a few player sales before making a move to match Barcelona’s £30m price tag for the Portuguese.

The new Gunners boss has been keen to complete most of the club’s transfer business before pre-season and so far, the club have secured three signings.

Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno joined the club from Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen respectively last month and Sokratis Papastathopoulos was recently announced as Emery’s third addition to the Gunners squad.

The north London side have also held a keen interest in landing Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira with his father pretty much confirming the deal but the move is likely to be delayed until Torreira returns from World Cup duty with Uruguay.

‘Delighted to have signed’, Calum Chambers officially confirms he has signed Arsenal contract

By
Nithyanand
-

Among the transfer activity of Arsenal this summer, there has not been much focus given to the situation of contracts at the club.

Today, the Gunners have announced that one of the players has gotten an extension and that happens to be Calum Chambers. The center back who joined the club in 2014, has decided to extend his stay at the club by a few more years.

The defender took to Twitter to reveal his delight on signing a new deal:

“Delighted to have signed a new deal at ! I want to give my very best to this great club. Thanks to the new manger for showing faith in me and I’m looking forward to the big season ahead! I promise to repay the fans back for the support they’ve given me! ”

Chambers is one the players to have caught the eye of new manager Unai Emery, who has been impressed with the defender.

Emery sees him as someone who is going to be crucial to the success of the team. Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, this is what he had to say:

“I’m delighted Calum has extended his stay with us. He played an important role last season and will be part of my plans this season.”

Although the contract of Chambers had some years remaining in it, the club has chosen to extend it. This is a show of faith by the Gunners as it shows the place that he has at the club. And with the retirement of Per Mertesacker and the injury suffered by Laurent Koscielny, he will be expected to play a bigger role this season.

In the matches that Chambers did play, he showed his ability in defense as well as with the ball. His ability to play forward passes was a particular feature of his performances. Perhaps this season will be the one where he goes on to become a mainstay for the Gunners.

When news came that Chambers was going to sign an extension, not everyone was happy as shown by the reaction of former Arsenal player Perry Groves. But, the overall perception is that, he is sure to reach greater heights.

The defense is one area where Arsenal need to focus a lot on if they are to succeed. With the signing of Sokratis, they have gone some way in plugging that gap. And when you add young talents such as Chambers and Rob Holding to the mix, there is something there to be genuinely excited about.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts as Arsenal complete signing of another player

By
Nithyanand
-
Aubameyang

Arsenal announced their third signing of the summer when they confirmed the arrival of center back Sokratis from Borussia Dortmund.

This gave the Greek defender the opportunity to reunite with his friends from his days as a Dortmund player. Aubameyang being one of them, took to social media to extend his welcome to a returning friend.

This is what he had to say:

“Papaaaaaa welcome #sparta.”

The opportunity to play with his friends again was clearly a motivation in him coming to join the Gunners. Sokratis had the following to say about conversations with his buddies:

“I spoke [to them] a lot times, he said. They said to me the best things about this club, that it is one big family and of course they also called me not every day but a lot of times telling me to come here.

“Yes it’s a little bit [strange] but it’s also very beautiful that I’ve come to one team but I also have two players who I was together with for a lot of years. I know them both very well and I’m very happy.”

Though the announcement took some time, it is good that Arsenal have focused on their defense and brought in someone with real quality. He joins Stephan Lichtsteiner and Bernd Leno to continue with the restructuring of the squad.

Last season found the Gunners being very weak in the defensive department. As a result of this, the club went on to lose many matches that they should have won. And under the management of Unai Emery, the club has decided that it is important to focus on the defense.

The Greek is expected to provide guidance to some of the younger center backs at the club such as Calum Chambers and Rob Holding. Arsenal fans will be hoping that Sokratis will go on to become a colossus at the back. If he can replicate his Dortmund form, the Gunners will be very happy with what they have.

1...136137138...326Page 137 of 326
© Arsenal Fever. All Right Reserved 2021.