Former player issues Arsenal warning over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang contract

09-06-2020

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has warned the club that they will have to get back into the Champions League to keep hold of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to reports in Mirror.

The 30-year-old has been one of the most important players for the Emirates club over the past few years and has featured consistently on the score sheet. He has been in fine form this season but the striker’s contract comes to an end next summer.

Parlour feels that the North London club can keep him at the Emirates only by qualifying for the Champions League. According to Mirror, he said:

“Champions League football is so important for a lot of players these days so Aubameyang, if they can squeeze in there, might sign a new contract, I don’t know.

“If they don’t, then he might be on his way and suddenly you’ve got to replace a striker who scores all your goals.”

Arsenal have to decide whether they want to cash in on their talisman or they could run the risk of losing him for free just next summer similar to what happened with Aaron Ramsey. Aubameyang will soon turn 31 and his next contract could be the last big contract of his career.

Since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in a club-record deal, the forward has gone to become a revelation for the Gunners. If he was to leave North London, it would leave a huge void at the club that will be very difficult to replace.

The Gunners are currently in 9th place with a game in hand but that will be against Manchester City which is going to be tough to win. If the Gunners somehow manage to get a win there, they could make a late charge towards the Champions League spots.

And the contributions from Aubameyang will be crucial if the North London club are to get anywhere near the Champions League positions. The club cannot have a repeat of the Ramsey situation so they will have to take a decision quickly as to what they want to do with their prized asset.

Arsenal make enquiry to complete transfer deal for 26-year-old French star

Nithyanand

09-06-2020

Arsenal have made an enquiry about a potential transfer for former Liverpool transfer target Nabil Fekir, according to reports in Daily Star.

The 26-year-old spent several successful years at French club Lyon where he blossomed into a fine attacking midfielder with a real eye for goal. He moved to Real Betis in the summer of 2019 and has had a reasonably productive spell contributing 7 goals and 6 assists so far.

The report in Daily Star states that Arsenal are looking at bringing in Fekir to replace Dani Ceballos who will be returning to Spain at the end of his loan spell in North London. With that due to happen, manager Mikel Arteta wants to bring in a new midfielder on a permanent basis this summer.

Another report in Express claims that Arsenal will have to part with a fee of around £40m to get their hands on the French forward. He was very close to joining current Premier League leaders Liverpool in a £53 million deal but that did not happen as the Merseyside club thought against it due to his fitness history.

In Spain, he has built back up his reputation and his performances have caught the eye of Arsenal, though he is under contract at Seville until 2023. Though there is a chance that Ceballos might once again be available on loan, it seems the club are looking elsewhere.

Fekir is a player who is capable of playing in multiple positions and that will give Arteta many options to play around with. He can play as a No. 10 or can play on the wings and there were times when he played as a false 9 during his time in France.

Though he is a slightly different player when compared to Ceballos, he will nonetheless be a great addition to the Gunners squad. And at the age of 26, he will be entering the prime of his career and that would be good for the Emirates club.

The kind of fee that Arsenal can part with will also be dependent on whether they are able to make it back to the Champions League. Ending the season on a strong note will help the club get their man and fans will surely be excited if Fekir does come to England.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan speaks out on possible Arsenal return this summer

Nithyanand

08-06-2020

Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan who is on loan at Roma has revealed that he will not complain if Mikel Arteta decides to bring him back to the Emirates.

The 31-year-old joined the Emirates club back in 2018 from Manchester United in a swap deal that involved Alexis Sanchez. After a slightly disappointing 2018/19 season, he was sent on loan to the Italian club where he has done well with 6 goals in Serie A.

When Mkhitaryan was asked about his future on the Futbol with Grant Wahl podcast he said:

“Of course I would like to be at Roma next season, not only next season [but] for another few years. But I still have a contract with Arsenal and it’s not up to me. It’s up to Arsenal and Roma if they will agree terms of the transfer fee.

“If I’m not going to stay at Roma I have to go back to Arsenal. I’m not complaining, football life changes so quickly so you have to be ready to play wherever you are.”

Back in March, Arteta had spoken about how the midfielder still had a future at the club. He said:

“Miki is doing really well in recent games. We know the player he’s been, we know his past, and we need to have all the information to make the right decision.”

As per reports in Metro, the Italian club are in talks with the North London club to extend the Armenian’s deal. Mkhitaryan is fine with whatever the outcome is but it looks like he would prefer to stay in Italy.

Arsenal will be encouraged by the fact that the midfielder has flourished in a new environment and has taken well to a new league. His major problem during his time at the Emirates was his inconsistency.

There is no doubt over his quality and if he shows that on a more regular basis, there will be no stopping him. Due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, there will be an impact on the kind of transfers that Arsenal can take part in. Perhaps this could mean that there will be another chance for Mkhitaryan to do well at the Emirates.

Or if he was to stay for another season at Roma, it will possibly help the Gunners make some money with a sale. Regardless, it is for the best for the player if a decision was made quickly.

Arsenal midfielder provides an update on his future amid transfer rumours

Nithyanand

07-06-2020

Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira has expressed his commitment to the vision that new manager Mikel Arteta has laid out for the club, according to reports in Daily Star.

The Uruguayan joined the Gunners in the summer of 2018 from Sampdoria and has proven to be an astute purchase. His tenacity and ball-winning skills in the center of midfield has complimented Granit Xhaka in particular.

Last week the 24-year-old star claimed that moving to Argentine club Boca Juniors would be a ‘dream.’ However, the midfielder has now reiterated his commitment to the North London club. According to Daily Star, he said:

“Today my intention and my head are at Arsenal. I want to recover, go back to 100 per cent.

“I have a very long contract with the club, until 2023 and it was very difficult for me to get here.”

The Uruguayan midfielder also did talk about how he would like to go to Boca before he got too old. He added:

“Hopefully I will be given that possibility because it is something I really want and it would be a privilege.

“I don’t want to reach Argentine football at an age in which it is very difficult to play because, from what I see, it’s very demanding.”

Torreira got injured in the month of March and speaking on whether he would play again this season, Arteta said back in March:

“Lucas is really keen and would like to play again this season, whether that is realistic or not we will know in the next two or three weeks.”

With the Premier League set to return on June 17, the Gunners will first be in action against Manchester City, a match which the club hopes Torreira will play. With the kind of passing patterns that Pep Guardiola likes to employ, making use of a dynamo such as the Uruguayan will help control the tempo.

There is still a lot left to come from the midfielder and Arsenal fans will be hoping that he spends his prime at the Emirates. He has already made 33 appearances this season and if he can add to that, it can help the Gunners finish the season on a strong note.

Torreira offers something that no other central midfielder at the club can do so it is essential that he plays regularly.

Arsenal have not offered a new deal to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang yet, claims journalist

Nithyanand

06-06-2020

Arsenal have reportedly not offered a new deal to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang yet but are planning to do so once the season resumes, according to expert Julien Laurens.

The 30-year-old has been one of the most important players for the North London club in the recent past and has been among the goals on a consistent basis. The forward won the Premier League Golden Boot last season, sharing the prize with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.

He has been in fine form this season but the striker’s contract comes to an end next summer so the club will have to decide on what to do with Aubameyang.

Reports earlier this week claimed that the forward has been offered a new contract, however Laurens revealed that the reports are false. Speaking on the Gab and Juls podcast(as per Express), he said:

“Well there was a bit of excitement I think on Monday from Arsenal fans because L’Equipe newspaper in France wrote that the club had offered Aubameyang a new deal.

“Unfortunately it was not the case in the sense that they haven’t properly started talking concrete talks about a new deal and what the future holds because of the pandemic, because they’re really focused right now on being as ready as possible for when the league resumes, which is fair. Then after that they will talk.

“It’s very clear it’s either he’s happy to sign a new deal and the club wants to keep him for longer, he’s 31 at the end of the month, so you have to be careful of what you do, you can’t give him a 10-year deal when he’s 31.

The dilemma that Arsenal face at the moment is to decide whether they want to let go of their prized asset this summer or let him go for free next summer. It would be a huge loss for the Emirates club to let him go on the free given the money that they have spent on Aubameyang.

If the player does leave the club, it will be a big loss and it will be very hard to find a replacement for the Gabonese forward. But it is for the best of the club to take a decision on his future as quickly as possible.

The importance of Aubameyang cannot be overstated enough and fans will be hoping that those at the club have a good plan in place for the striker.

21-year-old Arsenal target responds to transfer speculation with cryptic message

Nithyanand

05-06-2020

Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu seems to have responded to the rumors linking him with a move to Arsenal with a rather cryptic update on his Instagram profile.

The 21-year-old is a talented young midfielder who can play in an attacking role as well as a slightly more defensive role. Having made his debut in 2018, the Turkish player has gone on to become an important member of the Dutch side.

Earlier this week Voetbal International have reported that the North London club were expected to launch an offer for the gifted midfielder.

It looks like Kokcu has heard about the links regarding him and responded by updating his Instagram bio with the words “Let them talk“, according to reports in Metro.

The Dutch club are reportedly looking for a fee of around £20million for the youngster. This would prove to be a little too expensive if Arsenal are not able to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The 19-year-old has been impressive in the Dutch league but could be on his way out due to the fact that Feyenoord are looking to raise funds. Letting go of their prized asset will bring in a sizable amount that can be used to rebuild other areas of the squad that need reinforcements.

Kokcu is a player that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta likes(as per Metro) and with the North Londoners getting ready to make a bid, we might see this deal become a reality very soon. He is the kind of player that would offer the manager multiple options and that is very useful for a squad like the one Arsenal has.

A lot of this transfer might depend on whether Champions League football will return to the Emirates next season. If that happens, then there will be a financial boost that will help fuel moves such as this one.

With the Premier League set to return on the 17th of June, we will get to know whether or not Arsenal have it in them to end the season on a successful note. Kokcu is an exciting talent that will do well with the North London club but there are financial conditions that will influence this deal. So, we will have more clarity regarding this deal in the coming days.

Mikel Arteta told to get rid of these two players by former Arsenal player

Nithyanand

05-06-2020

Former Arsenal player Charlie Nicholas has urged the club to get rid of Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi this summer, according to reports in Sky Sports.

Ozil was Arsene Wenger’s first real big money signing when he came from Real Madrid in the summer of 2013. Mustafi joined in 2016 from Valencia having impressed with his defensive skills during his time in Spain.

Both of them together have almost 400 appearances for the North London club. The duo have been teammates in the national setup too and have featured prominently in Germany’s World Cup triumph in 2014.

Charlie Nicholas feels the club should sell Mesut Ozil and Mustafi, as they have not been good enough to play for the Gunners. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said:

“The problems still facing Arsenal is how do we get Mesut Ozil out the building with the wages he’s on? ‘Will he stay and play just because he’s on big money? How do we start to get players like Shkodran Mustafi out the door when they’re on big money?

“We have a problem with identifying players. Then what we did is we started paying £30 million, £40m for Mustafi and defenders who in all honesty, no disrespect to them it’s only my opinion, are not cut out for Arsenal and have not been good enough.

“‘So they’ve been buying wrong. The players then realise they are not a threat to win the Premier League or we’re out of the Champions League. ‘So the hierarchy have got it all wrong.”

Both the Germans will be out of contract in the summer of 2021, so the North London club need to make a decision on what to do with them. Otherwise, both might leave on a free given the fact that the club has made a significant investment in them.

Ozil in particular found himself frozen out of the first team under former manager Unai Emery. But under new boss Mikel Arteta, he has found a new lease of life and has been in much better form. Similarly, Mustafi has also found a bit of a resurgence that will encourage fans.

One reason that might prevent Arsenal from offering a contract extension would be the fact that both players are on high wages. The club should be more proactive in taking up these contractual decisions and if there is no intention of extending these deals, it would be better to cash in on them now.

Arsenal make transfer decision over deal for 26-year-old midfielder this summer

Nithyanand

04-06-2020

Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser is not a priority signing for Arsenal this summer, according to reports The Athletic.

The 26-year-old has been one of the best in the league in terms of assists in the last couple of seasons and his performances have caught the eye of many.

Last season the midfielder was particularly impressive as he got 14 assists to go along with 7 goals. He has been one of the best players for Eddie Howe’s men and has shown his quality on a consistent basis.

The Athletic claim that both North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur do not consider Fraser to be an important target anymore. One of the reasons for the Gunners to step back from a potential deal is that they had reservations whether the winger would fit into a top club.

It further states that the Emirates club were weighing up a bid last summer but backed out due to the concerns over his introverted personality. Crystal Palace and Watford have registered their interest in the player.

Fraser is out of contract at the end of June, so many clubs are interested in signing him. When asked about Fraser to Arsenal’s links, former Gunner Kevin Campbell said:

“You can get Ryan Fraser on a free transfer, his assists for Bournemouth were double figures last year, I know he suffered injuries but he’s still been having a decent season.

“That’s playing for Bournemouth, when you’re playing for Arsenal, he’s going to get more of the ball in the positions he wants and give more opportunities, because there’s a lot more threats for Arsenal than some of these other teams.

“There’s talk of Willian, I like Willian, there’s still a lot of life left in him. He actually suits what Mikel Arteta wants to do, playing in a three, he’s got pace, he can beat people, he can score goals and we could get him on a free, and he’s experienced.”

Campbell also added that it would be beneficial for the club if they can bring in Willian as well, as the Brazilian winger had also been linked with a move away from Chelsea.

And if the interest in the Scot has been withdrawn, it would be an indication that Arteta has enough belief in his team that has talented young wingers such as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

While Fraser does sound tempting as he would be coming on a free transfer, it would not make sense if he is not going to be given many games. Perhaps Arsenal are looking at strengthening other areas of the pitch now.

Arsenal to submit transfer bid to sign £23m midfielder within a few weeks

Nithyanand

03-06-2020

Arsenal are set to make a bid to complete the signing of Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, according to reports in Dutch outlet Voetbal International.

The 19-year-old plays for Feyenoord in the Dutch league and is of Turkish origin. He made his debut in 2018 and has since gone on to become a reliable player for his team. Though the youngster mainly plays as an attacking midfielder, he can also play a little deeper when called upon.

Voetbal International states that the North London club are expected to make a transfer offer within a few weeks after considering a move for Kokcu ‘for a long time’. Frank Arnesen the technical director of Feyenoord is open to selling the midfielder in order to raise funds to bring in new players.

It further states that Mikel Arteta is backing Arsenal’s push for the youngster, as the Gunners boss had been aware of Kokcu even when he was at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola. He sees Kokcu as a player that will fit into the footballing philosophy he likes to implement on the pitch.

The Emirates club face some competition in the form of Sevilla who are also interested in signing the Turk. Feyenoord would want a fee of around £23m to let go of their star talent.

Jaap Stam, the former Manchester United player who also coached Kokcu at Feyenoord spoke about how the midfielder would do at Arsenal. He told Goal:

“He would need to adjust because the step to Arsenal and the Premier League is totally different when you compare it to Holland. Now he’s proving himself in Holland and is one of the best midfield players in the country. He’s certainly got the ability to make that step to the Premier League.”

This stamp of approval would certainly make fans happy as they would be getting a really exciting talent. The fee of £23m might seem a little high for a 19-year-old but in the long-term, this could be an investment that is worth it.

Kokcu can play in a few different positions and that versatility is something that would have appealed to Arteta as well. And with Feyenoord looking to sell, we could see the Turk end up at the Emirates where he will be given a chance to shine.

Arsenal’s remaining fixtures wins, draws and losses

admin

03-06-2020

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will lock horns with mentor Pep Guardiola when the Gunners return to action at The Etihad on June 17. The eagerly anticipated clash will mark the end of the Premier League’s 100-day hiatus, and victory could propel the Gunners up to sixth in the table.

The Gunners had won three league games on the bounce before the season was suspended in March. Arteta has now fully recovered from a bout of Covid-19, and he will urge his troops to regain the impressive momentum they enjoyed before the season came to a halt.

A trip to The Etihad represents a ferociously difficult assignment, but Arteta may have a few tricks up his sleeve after serving as Guardiola’s assistant during Man City’s recent title-winning campaigns. Arsenal will then have nine games in which to break into the top four. Can they pull it off? We have predicted the results they will secure between now and the end of the campaign.

WINS

Arsenal are currently languishing in ninth place in the Premier League table after taking 40 points from 28 games so far this season. They probably need to pick up seven wins from their remaining 10 matches if they are to gate-crash the top-four. Chelsea are currently fourth, with 48 points, but Arsenal have a game in hand, and the table is looking very congested, so hope springs eternal for Gunners fans.

However, they have some extremely difficult fixtures to contend with, and it is hard to see the Gunners winning more than five games before the end of the season. We think they can beat Southampton, Brighton and Aston Villa on the road, and pick up home wins against Norwich and Leicester.

Arsenal could only draw 2-2 away at Norwich earlier this season. However, the Gunners are a lot more resilient under Arteta and they should sweep the Canaries aside. They were outplayed when they faced Leicester at the King Power in November, but Brendan Rodgers’ men were in poor form before the season was suspended, and we think Arsenal could turn them over.

They also have enough quality to avenge the dismal 2-1 home defeat they suffered at the hands of Brighton in the wake of Unai Emery’s departure. They scraped a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa earlier this season, and should beat them again. It will be difficult, as Villa, Brighton and Norwich are all battling relegation, but Arsenal have a match winner in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and a big enough squad to thrive during the remaining weeks of the season.>

Draws

Arsenal are the draw kings of the Premier League. Thirteen of their games have finished all-square this season. That is the joint highest in the league, along with Wolves. It is therefore easy to imagine the teams sharing the spoils when Arsenal take on Nuno Espirito Santo’s men at Molineux.

We also think Arsenal will draw away at Tottenham, and at home against Watford. The Gunners are up against five clubs desperately battling relegation, and it is difficult to see them taking 15 points from those fixtures. Watford are the best of the bunch.

Arsenal blew a two-goal lead at Vicarage Road earlier in the campaign and ended up clinging on for a point. Watford have been seriously impressive since Nigel Pearson took the reins – they are the only team to beat league leaders Liverpool this season – and they are strong enough to take a point off Arsenal at The Emirates.

The Gunners looked all but certain to finish ahead of their north London rivals before the season was suspended. Spurs had several key men out injured and their form was dreadful, whereas Arsenal were on fire. Yet the hiatus will give Tottenham time to regroup and welcome the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min back, so a point away at Tottenham would be a reasonably good result for Arsenal when the season resumes.

DEFEATS

We believe Arsenal will lose to Man City on the first day back. They have lost their last five meetings with the reigning Premier League champions, and Guardiola will be keen to assert his dominance over his former assistant. Arsenal are 13/2 outsiders in the Sporting Index odds on that game, while Man City are priced at just 4/11 to get the job done.

The Gunners also have a dreadful recent record against Liverpool, so the champions elect should leave The Emirates with all three points this summer. Even a point from either of these games would be a great result, but both sides are superior to Arsenal and it is difficult to see Arteta’s men having much joy in those matches.

VERDICT

Arsenal should overhaul Sheff Utd in the remaining weeks of the season, and you would bet on them finishing ahead of Wolves too, as the Midlands club have a pretty small squad. Fans would be delighted if Arsenal could finish above Spurs, and that looks like a distinct possibility.

However, Man Utd are galvanised after singing Bruno Fernandes and they should enjoy a strong end to the season. Chelsea and Leicester also enjoy a comfortable lead over the Gunners, and they should hold off Arteta’s men.

We therefore predict that Arsenal will finish seventh this season. That tallies up with the bookmakers’ projections. They make Arsenal 17/1 outsiders to finish in the top four.

A seventh placed finish would represent Arsenal’s worst season since the mid-1990s, but they left themselves with a mountain to climb when Arteta took charge, so it would actually be a pretty decent result. Seventh could be enough for a Europa League place, while Arsenal will still have an FA Cup run to look forward to. They should beat the Blades in the quarter-finals, and they stand a good chance of ending the season with silverware.

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