Up the Arse! Goons Thread

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Aug 31, 2008
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One difference will be the wages Varane on around 250k a week, don't think White will be anywhere near that.

True, that's a big difference.

But in reality they aren't comparable players. White has had one solid season in the EPL at 23 years of age.

Varane has just turned 28 and has several years of playing at the very highest level under his belt.

If not for the sheer mismanagement for years, and especially recently, we could have been in for Varane. Imagine if the nightmare of Willian never happened? He's on the same amount as Varane will be.
 
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glenferry23

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Arsenal don’t have the appeal of United anyway, it’s quite a step down for Varane to consider if we’d even tried.

Brighton have played this one beautifully, all the cards were in their favour and they’ve engineered a hell of a deal for them as a result. For what it’s worth around £80k is where I heard White’s wages would be.
 
May 10, 2007
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Imagine paying more for White than United have for Varane.

Now I think White is overs at 50 mill but...

Varane is 300k a week over 5 years
White 100k a week over 5 years

Varane also a big sign on fee apparently.

Another thing is we just don't have the lure to get a Varane given our current state sadly.
 

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{Amy Lawrence}

Perhaps, after everything, Jose Mourinho and Roma turns out to be nothing more than a red herring. Arsenal are preparing to offer Granit Xhaka a new contract this summer, which would extend the Swiss captain’s time at the club beyond the emotionally charged five years he has spent at the heart of midfield.

Xhaka is 28 years old and his stock spiked after an excellent display for his country at Euro 2020. While Arsenal gave consideration to a sale, that has not so far been matched by bids of sufficient consequence. With that in mind, and balancing up the amount of money necessary to replace him versus the qualities he brings both on and off the pitch, qualities which have been well regarded by every manager he has ever played for, Arsenal have come around to the idea that retaining him could be an efficient solution during what they hope will be a very busy window.

It is all very well for critics to insist moving on from Xhaka is necessary to move on stylistically, but Arsenal can only operate according to market forces.

His current deal was signed in 2018, a few months after Arsene Wenger left Arsenal, and has two years left to run, so there is an element of the club protecting their asset. If no suitable sale presents itself then next summer, with a year to go, Xhaka would command an even smaller transfer fee or be in a position to run his contract down.

Addressing the centre of midfield has been a key issue for some time, with changing the technical make-up of that area deemed key to a faster and more progressive game plan. Even before this window opened it felt as if Xhaka’s departure would prompt a reset in that department.

The arrival of Albert Sambi Lokonga is regarded as promising, but given his youth, a more authoritative and experienced option has also been chased. Manuel Locatelli always looked ambitious, and Ruben Neves was a name in the mix early on in the window before fading into the background.

Xhaka was under no illusions that a “For Sale” sign was hung on his peg this summer, even though he was always happy to stay. If that is how it now turns out, it frees Arsenal up to attend to the multiple other deals they are hoping to make happen. With Lokonga and Nuno Tavares already settling in, the Ben White announcement imminent, and pots boiling at right-back, creative attack and centre-forward, perhaps it is just too much to add a transformative central midfielder into the mix as well when they have at their disposal a player at peak age who showed just what he is capable of with, for example, that eye-catching display against France during the European Championship.

That, of course, brings us to the crux of Xhaka’s divisive experience at Arsenal. He is capable of excellence, and also of crass moments which can cost his team. He can play with outstanding responsibility, and also be suddenly reckless. He is an emotional man and an emotional player. That is not about to change.

But what can be tweaked is the balance of the team, to take some of the pressure off the situations which make him vulnerable. Last season, Xhaka at times played a very specific role which suited him and those around him — as the left-sided midfielder who can slot into the defensive line when Kieran Tierney, or perhaps the speedy Tavares in the upcoming campaign, go pelting forwards up the left flank on the overload.

Exactly how comfortably White takes control of the back line, or how much more dominant Thomas Partey can be in midfield, could have an effect on how much Xhaka puts himself into difficulty. Sometimes the moments he gets himself into trouble come about because, without a dynamic burst in his physical make-up, he is overstretching or trying to overcompensate for problems around him.

Xhaka returned to London Colney last week after his extended post-tournament holiday. As things stand he is back in training, focusing on the start of the new season. While his head may have been turned by speculation about a move to Serie A, he slots straight back into life at Arsenal, ready to help the team and in particular to help the new arrivals settle in. His attitude in the dressing room is a big tick in his favour as far as Mikel Arteta is concerned.

There remain a few issues to solve across midfield. Partey is a certainty to start when fit — although Arsenal have to plan sensibly for his absence during the Africa Cup of Nations which begins next January. He has looked notably sharpened in pre-season and looks set to be far more influential. Lokonga has impressed with his early steps into the team but it is accepted he is not expected to be an instant fixture as he gains know-how and some physicality.

Mohamed Elneny is still there, Lucas Torreira’s future needs sorting (in all likelihood away from the club), and there remain question marks about whether Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles will stay or go.

Arsenal are struggling to generate income through sales. The wisdom in spending a fee in the £30-40 million bracket required to buy a replacement for Xhaka needs setting against all the other business, what he offers, and the fundamental question of whether he can be more effective with some different players around him.

The relationship between Arsenal and Xhaka has a chequered history. It looks like it is not necessarily over yet.
 
May 14, 2007
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Feb 16, 2010
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Ben white official, arteta saying there is at least one more significant signing coming in so we’ll see, I don’t mind the white signing, probably overs but he’s English and supposed to be the next big thing as far as English defenders go, very young at the back now with Gabriel and white there, Saliba coming in next season if all goes well.

xhaka seems like he’s staying now, I like that arsenal aren’t letting him go for peanuts but gee it would be nice to get him out of the club, just for a refresher if anything which seems to be the way arsenal are going, still time to go, we have a bunch to get rid of, let’s just wait and see before throwing the toys out of the cot
 

glenferry23

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Certainly seems to have the attributes that Arsenal are looking for in that position. No doubt he comes with a very hefty price tag which also brings higher expectations (eg, Pepe albeit not as easy to measure in terms of justifying the price).

Am hoping he can start the season and that Arteta can settle on a preferred pairing at CB, as we chopped and changed that so much last season looking for the best combination. Ideally with Gabriel when he comes back from the Olympics.
 

glenferry23

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Martinez link from Inter, I'd love it happen but I don't think it has much truth behind it.

It’d surely spell the end for Lacazette, and all is quiet on that front. It’s difficult doing transactions with the Italian clubs in the current climate, so maybe Bellerin is perhaps part of the discussions for this.

So much still to do on many fronts. Going to be a hectic last couple of weeks.
 
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