Arsenal still looking to agree deal for Steven N’Zonzi

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19-07-2018

When the Gunners signed five players, many assumed that they are done with bringing in players. But, based on the reports coming from France, it appears that Arsenal are continuing their pursuit of Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi, according to reports in RMC.

The midfielder is someone that new manager Unai Emery has already worked with and is thinking of reuniting with as well.

Arsenal have only recently signed Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria and they have quite a few players that can play in central midfield.

So, a deal for the £35m-rated midfielder seems a little doubtful but it is being suggested that the Gunners and Emery, in particular, are targeting a tall defensive midfielder.

The Frenchman certainly fits that bill so the story may have some basis after all. Emery was asked about the player before the match against Boreham Wood and he had this to say:

on Steven N’Zonzi…
I know him but we haven’t made a move for him.

It could be a case of not wanting to reveal too much but this has only added to the speculation regarding the deal. The Frenchman will add an interesting dimension to the Gunners squad as he is capable of breaking up play very well and has a physical advantage due to his height.

He has experience of playing in the Premier League having been a part of both Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City. So, the change in leagues will not be too much of a hassle for him to deal with. Emery spoke about how the club will sign a player if a chance arises and perhaps that is the case with N’Zonzi. The manager was asked about any further incoming players, to which he said this:

on how many more players he would like to sign…
Normally, in my career the big clubs don’t close the [door] or the moment to sign a new player. Today, we are OK. Maybe we can bring in one if there’s a very good possibility for them to help us, but the club has done a great job of signing new players and I am happy.

Even if he is brought in to be a backup player, N’Zonzi will be a valuable member of the squad. But, after having won the World Cup, he will not want to be at a club where he is not a starter. No matter what happens, it promises to be a interesting few weeks ahead.

Arsenal to announce signing of Joel Lopez

By

Nithyanand

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19-07-2018

Arsenal and their transfer business are far from done despite having signed five players so far. Now, the Gunners are focusing on signing players that are a little younger and that has seen them add a few of them to the youth teams.

One of them is going to be Joel Lopez who is set to arrive from Barcelona, according to reports in the Evening Standard. The report states that Arsenal are expected to announce the signing soon, after agreeing on a deal to sign the highly-rated Spaniard.

The youngster has chosen to move to the Emirates and follow in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen such as Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin. Lopez will not be able to sign professional terms with the Gunners until he turns 17 so he will only be a scholar at the moment.

To add further speculation about the deal, Lopez had posted a farewell message on Instagram where he had this to say:

“Thanks to Barcelona, it will be the club that I always carry in my heart for wonderful moments that I have lived with my friends, coaches, delegates, executives.”

Getting a player like Lopez is a real coup for the Gunners as he is one of the most highly rated youngsters to come out of the Barcelona academy. The Spanish club have become used to losing out on some of their prospects as foreign clubs have repeatedly swooped in and taken those players away. In the recent past, both AS Monaco and Manchester City have benefited from this.

Lopez who plays as a left back has hinted about the move in the past when he recently had a message that had this to say:

“It will be the club that I always carry in my heart for all the wonderful moments that I have lived.

“It was a difficult decision but after contemplating it with my family I made the decision to go and start a new stage as a footballer with great enthusiasm.”

He is expected to be part of the Under-18 team at the moment and depends on how he plays, his progress will be determined. Lopez will hope that the manages to impress the Arsenal coaching staff and if possible, make an impression on the first team. It is always good for a club to have promising talent.

Arsenal complete signing of Joel Lopez

By

Nithyanand

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18-07-2018

Arsenal and the majority of their transfer activity has been focused on improving the first team squad.

But, it is good to know that they have not forgotten about the youth teams. And to add to the already promising list of players at the club, the Gunners have added Joel Lopez who comes from Barcelona, according to Daily Mail.

The 16-year-old will join the club as a scholar for the time-being and when he turns 17, will sign professional terms with the Gunners.

His first few months will be spent with the Under-18 team and if he manages to impress, he may move higher up the ranks, sooner rather than later.

A move for Lopez has been talked about for a long time now with even the youngster posting a farewell message. This added fuel to the fire and seemed to confirm that he will be moving clubs. In a heartfelt message, the youngster had this to say:

‘The day has come to say goodbye to what has been my home these last 7 years,’ Lopez told his followers on Instagram.

‘Thanks to Barcelona, it will be the club that I always carry in my heart for wonderful moments that I have lived with my friends, coaches, delegates, executives.

Lopez is not the first player to make this kind of a move as Arsenal do have a history of bringing in players from the Spanish club. The most prominent examples being Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin, both of whom have done very well being part of the Gunners squad.

And if Lopez is able to produce even half the performances that the duo did, he will surely be considered a success. Now, it is up to him to prove that the Gunners have made the right decision by opting to sign him.

Maybe a first-team appearance this season, is too long a shot at the moment, but he is sure to make a mark sooner than you think. Lopez who generally plays a left back will look to follow in the footsteps of many youngsters and make his mark at the club. Given Arsenal’s history of promoting and nurturing young talent, that seems like a real possibility.

Unai Emery: Exciting times ahead for Arsenal football club

By

admin

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18-07-2018

A GUEST POST BY PATRICK:

After nearly 22 years as Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger finally called time on his illustrious Arsenal career. The Frenchman had become some sort of a divisive figure among the Arsenal supporters, especially after a recent run of poor results in the League and Cup competitions over close to 10 years.

While others were still sentimental given his achievements in the first 10 years of his Arsenal career that yielded 3 Premier League titles and 4 FA Cups. However, following two consecutive finishes outside the top four, Wenger, for the first time in his Arsenal career, was forced to end his tenure midway through a two-year contact he had signed in 2017.

After a rigorous search, the Arsenal hierarchy finally came to a decision to appoint current French Ligue 1 manager of the year and former PSG boss, Unai Emery. The moment news of his appointment broke, excitement grew among all Arsenal faithful, especially those of us who had followed the Spaniard’s illustrious managerial career.

Unai Emery is a master tactician, who had guided Sevilla to three successive Europa League titles, a feat that catapulted his appointment at PSG, in hope that his European mastery in Seville would transform into the Champions League success the Parisians so much crave. It wasn’t to be and the reasons for that will be a topic for another day, but as Arsene Wenger himself will testify, winning the second-tier European competition is no small feat and, it takes tactical acumen for one to achieve that.

In the past few years, Arsenal had become a laughing stock after countless humiliations at the hands of their rival both domestically and in Europe. The 8-2 mauling at Old Trafford, the 6-0 humbling at Stamford Bridge and the recent 10-2 aggregate humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich will take long to be forgotten among the Arsenal supporters.

This pointed to one thing undeniable thing, inadequate preparations before games and a sheer lack of tactics to outwit opponents. Perhaps Wenger can be accused of either having had too much faith in his Arsenal teams or having been tactically naive, failing to foil the opponents’ tactical master plans and more often than not came out second best in most of the big games!

In contrast, Unai Emery is a meticulous coach, who takes several hours studying and analysing videos of his opponents to find ways of beating them. Little wonder, therefore, that Victor Manas, one of his confirmed backroom staff is a video analyst. Knowing Emery, I’m convinced that we are going to see a very tactical approach to games that I expect to transform Arsenal and propel them back to competitive levels once again!

Sky Sports confirm Arsenal are in talks to agree new contract with Aaron Ramsey

By

Nithyanand

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18-07-2018

Arsenal have identified the problems that lay within the squad and have moved swiftly to address them. They have done this with the signing of five players so far.

Despite the efficiency with which they have done these deals, there is one piece of business that is yet to be concluded. That would be the contract of Aaron Ramsey whose deal is set to end next summer but the good news is that the Gunners are in talks with the Welshman, according to reports in Sky Sports.

This is an indication that the club wants Ramsey to extend his stay at the club and if they manage to do that, it will be as impressive as any signing that they make. New manager Unai Emery has been talking about the importance of the midfielder.

Before the preseason match against Boreham Wood, the Spaniard had this to say:

“I’m very happy with him. For me, every day, every training session, he has the ambition I want. He’s working with a quality, the type of ability that I want. I want to work with him.”

Even though Ramsey has had his fair share of injury problems, he has been able to show just how important a player he is. With the signing of Lucas Torreira, it will be interesting to see where the Welshman will end up playing. All these are questions that will be answered in the coming weeks but until then, speculation will persist.

Emery was also asked about the contract situation with regards to the £110,000-a-week star and he made his intentions clear when he said:

‘This is one question for the player and for the club,” he said. “In my opinion, I’ve said to Ivan [Gazidis], Raul [Sanllehi] and Sven [Mislintat] that I think he’s an important player for me.’

Arsenal have been in this kind of a situation just last season with both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez so they will not want to go through it again. It would be wise for the Gunners to get everything sorted out as quick as possible. Ramsey, if he does extend his contract, will go a long way in cementing his legacy at the club.

Arsene Wenger reveals biggest regret of his Arsenal career, also names his favourite players

By

George

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18-07-2018

Arsene Wenger has opened up about his career in a startlingly bare interview with French media outlet RTL.

The Frenchman was the manager of Arsenal for the majority of his career, an impressive 22 years, winning 3 Premier League titles, 7 FA cups, 7 Community shields along with a host of minor and individual awards, most famous for leading the Gunners to the first ever completely unbeaten Premier League season with the Invincibles team.

Since leaving the club at the end of last season, the manager has been working for French media and broadcasting outlet beIN covering the world cup most recently with the company.

In the interview, one of the most shocking admissions is that staying at Arsenal for 22 years was “perhaps” his biggest mistake. Arsene said:

“I’ve been a prisoner of my own challenge at times.” The admission comes after an emotional goodbye at the Emirates, where Wenger sadly announced he’ll miss the fans.”

He also spoke of the decisions a football manager has to make, saying he would ask forgiveness to “all the people who I’ve made suffer” adding that:

“In my line of work, we are constantly making decisions that punish people, while making others happy. When you work with a 25 man-squad, it’s basically making 14 people unemployed every Saturday or Tuesday.”

As well as saying the players he was most proud of signing were Toure, Henry, Sol Campbell and Anelka due to their huge talent but low price, the wisened Gooner spoke philosophically of his values, and spoke on the art of football, saying:

“Values in football are about finding all that is beautiful about team sport. It’s self expression in a collective setting. Shared pleasure over individualism. Expression of beauty together is more beautiful than expression of beauty alone. And respect of your teammate, your opponent, the fan, the ref”

A true credit to the game of football, Arsene Wenger has truly left his mark on both Arsenal and world football as a whole, it may be a long time before someone enters the game with the same passion, competitiveness but also the love of the beautiful game above the winning game.

Lucas Perez: Why Unai Emery should offer an Arsenal lifeline to forgotten striker

By

admin

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18-07-2018

A GUEST POST BY PATRICK:

When Arsenal signed Lucas Perez two seasons ago, I was very excited, having watched him play for Deportivo La Corina for few seasons. The excitement was not based on the fact that he was a very prolific striker, no! What caught the eye was his energy, his desire, his effort, his directness.

He had everything that fans desire from an Arsenal forward. There was a hope that his along with Sanchez’s pressing would prove infectious to the rest of the players who didn’t seem to have the desire to fight for the team.

Sadly, the excitement soon turned into agony as the player wasn’t to Wenger’s liking, Perhaps. He started the first game of the season and, as expected, didn’t impress, and that was the end of him, with the manager making unwarranted comments about the Spaniard, accusing him of ‘perhaps being too left-footed for my liking’! Wenger barely picked him thereafter, except for cameo appearances and a few outings in the League Cup.

Even after his astonishing performance against FC Basel, a game in which he scored a hat-trick, Wenger kept him on the bench the following game in the League. We all know for any player to perform, they need the confidence of the manager. Perez didn’t get that, was then shipped off to Deportivo on loan, with his confidence shuttered.

That explains why he failed to repeat the same performances that resulted in him signing for Arsenal in a £17.5m deal. But even then, he was able to chip in with 9 goals in a dismal season for Depor that ended in relegation. For a manager of Wenger’s experience, he should have known that no player improves their form by being kept almost permanently on the substitutes bench, sadly, he didn’t mind that confining Perez there, despite the former Deportivo man having the best minutes-per-goal ratio of all the strikers Wenger had at Arsenal!!

That actually reminded me of Carlos Vela, who, despite his apparent talent, was denied playing time at a time when the club was giving so many young players a chance. Vela eventually left for Sociedad, where along with Antoine Griezmann, made a name for himself, prompting speculation of Arsenal activating his buy-back clause to return him to London. Watching him play for Mexico at the World Cup in Russia, I confirmed what I had thought over time: that Wenger had clearly mishandled his talent.

I cannot forget to put Joel Campbell in the same bracket. For me, the Costa Rican showed enough to warrant an extended run in the team, showing more effort than most at the club, but Wenger never trusted him and sent him almost all over Europe on loan.

Because of that, therefore, Lucas Perez deserves a chance under Unai Emery!

Aaron Ramsey likely to sign four-year Arsenal deal after Unai Emery talks

By

The Long Shadow

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18-07-2018

Unai Emery has made it clear that he wants Aaron Ramsey to stay at Arsenal and that he considers him as a key player for the club. He also added, rather tactfully, that it was a matter for the club and the player to conclude.

A club insider told Arsenal Fever that Ramsey is close to agreeing on a deal which will see him gain financial parity with Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

At 27, Ramsey has been keen to establish his role within the team, gain assurances in regards of his playing time and secure the right financial deal, that will take him into the latter stages of his career. Sky Sports have claimed few days back that Arsenal talks with Ramsey are still continuing.

The stumbling block was the clubs inability to challenge in recent seasons and the Welshman wanted an outline of the clubs ambition before committing. The arrival of Unai Emery has gone some way to assuring the midfielder of his own worth to the club and that Arsenal intend to get back in terms within the next few seasons.

It’s said that Ramsey is a rejuvenated player, looking forward to the new campaign and apart from a few minor issues, the deal looks set to be concluded, although there has been interest from home and abroad.

There has been talk of Ramsey claiming the Captain’s armband and although it isn’t guaranteed, it is extremely likely in the long run. This would not only please the player but the majority of Arsenal fans, who feel that, in the past, the position has been given out without merit and simply given to older players without establishing a commanding presence within the squad.

Ramsey may have to become more captain-like and adopt a more vocal stance but he leads by example and is committed and tireless, which appeals to the new coach.

Barring disasters, it appears that Arsenal will secure the Welshman on at least a four-year deal but with a release clause in case Arsenal are unable to chase down the top four clubs in the premier league.

Arsenal could make transfer move for Diogo Leite

By

George

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17-07-2018

After an already busy transfer window for Unai Emery and Arsenal making 5 purchases, bringing in Stephan Lichsteiner, Bernd Leno, Sokratis, Lucas Torreira and most recently Matteo Guendozi as well as some youth signings.

However, according to reports in Portuguese publication O Jogo, there could be one more signing yet, Diogo Leite.

The North London club are interested in signing the defender, but the main factor going against signing the player looks to be his rather sizable €15m release clause, which is also reportedly putting off English rivals Liverpool, who are also keen to sign the player.

The Gunners have also been linked with the player since May, as the club were reportedly willing to pay his release clause but reports in Guardian then claimed that Liverpool would beat them to his signature.

The center back stands at just over 6 foot, and at the age of 19, could be an impressive asset to the team in years to come.

Currently playing for FC Porto B in the Portuguese second division the young defender has made a total of 34 appearances for his side this year, and looks to be a key player for the side if he is not brought up to the Porto first team or sold.

The youth player has already made an appearance at the Emirates when he played the Arsenal u23 side in the Premier League International Cup final, which the Porto B team ended up winning, keeping a clean sheet in the process.

When asked to describe his playing style, Leite said “I’m always very focused, I’m aggressive in the duels, I always try to play the best and disarm, I think I’m strong,”

This strong and aggressive outlook is absolutely vital in the Premier League and it shows the player could add some brilliant extra depth in the season to come.

Whether Emery will make a move or not is hard to tell, the new Spanish manager does seem to place a large amount of value in bringing in young talent, but a €15m price tag is a heavy burden given the Gunners have already spent upwards of £70m this transfer window.

Unai Emery officially confirms Mesut Ozil will join Arsenal for pre-season

By

Nithyanand

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17-07-2018

Arsenal and their preseason have gotten underway and the focus will now shift towards Singapore where the Gunners will play a couple of matches.

This will give fans further ideas as to how Unai Emery wants to set up his team. One piece of good news is that star midfielder Mesut Ozil will be joining the team to play in Singapore.

Regarding the makeup of the squad, Emery had a few things to say about Ozil as per Arsenal’s official website:

“All the players are the same. They have the same holidays. I know Iwobi, Elneny and Mesut Ozil. He’s coming with us to Singapore the first day.”

It is important for the players to start their preparations as soon as possible. The trio of Elneny, Iwobi and Ozil were part of the World Cup that recently ended and because of that, they were given an extended holiday.

Emery has been asked a lot about Ozil as he is one player who will always be under a lot of scrutinies, regardless of how well he does. The manager spoke of the ideas that he is mind for the German as he had this to say:

“For me it’s the same for one player as it is for 25 players. To help them. For us Mesut is a very important player.

“I want to work with him with a new way and with an ambition to continue with this quality and help with this quality, getting better with the team.

“I think last year was a difficult year for all, not only for Mesut. I think it is for the team. They finished sixth in the Premier League – not the position we want.”

What Emery has in store for the 29-year-old can be seen only when the player is on the pitch. Until then, all that fans can do is come up ideas of their own as to how the German will fit in the squad.

These are interesting problems for a manager to have and the way Emery solves them will show what he is worth. If Ozil is able to do well, there is a good chance that the Gunners will end the season with some form of silverware.