SAKA BACK + ONANA BACK ON + MADDISON WANTS IN, BUT WILL IT HAPPEN?
Well good morning my darlings, what have we on the cards today?
Saka is back in training. Wonderful news. Can’t wait to see what he brings to the table this season. Outside a few trolls on the night, the whole of world football seems to be behind the young English star. We all have massive hopes for him this season, let’s see where we land.
Inter Milan is currently fending off £100m offers for 28-year-old Lukaku. I cannot imagine for one minute they aren’t going to sell. That sort of number is just simply beyond the pale when they could wait another year and get Haaland. Still, that’s how the big boys roll and we are a long way off being at that sort of level. The good news is that a few outlets are reporting they might opt for Lacazette… and they certainly won’t be able to plead poverty if they are still tracking Hector Bellerin.
The market appears to have perked up a little bit. Newcastle apparently want to go all-in on Willock for £23m. Crystal Palace is open to taking Reiss Nelson on loan for the season. I suspect we’ll see more clarity across the board as our transfer ambitions ramp up a gear and players see whether there’s a chance to play next season.
Granit Xhaka’s deal is still gumming up the works as fans cry tears of sadness just a month after crying that he was going. The deal honestly doesn’t look that terrible, he’s basically getting another year added to his contract, which stops him going into that hellish place of 1 year left on the deal after this season. I’m not that fussed. Would I have liked an upgrade? Yes. Were there clear upgrades available? Not really. Reuben Neves was our reality and you know it. Locatelli was always a pipedream. If this new deal sees a transition of power between him and Lokonga… and maybe Azeez at some point, then I’ll roll with it. Granit was good last season, we missed him when he wasn’t in midfield, we just have to accept there are bigger problems to fry this season.
The three positions I am very worried about are as followed:
We need a CAM. Odegaard looks like he’s going to commit to a season of being on the bench, now it looks like we’re in all or nothing territory with James Maddison. The player wants Arsenal, the question is, will Leicester deal? It’s never a good idea to keep an unhappy player, and clearly, something is not right up there. He’d be the biggest statement signing since Bergkamp. A player on the up that immediately gives us the next level. I just worry we might find ourselves led on only to be rejected last minute.
We need to address the right-back situation. Hector Bellerin wants out, there’s no use keeping him around, let him be free and replace him. Next season really cannot be Cal and Soares. I like both of them, but only Cal moves us forward with his final third work, I’m just not sure he has the pace to be what we need next season. Also, if ball playing centre backs is what we’re after, Cal was excellent before his injury, surely he’d be one to consider as part of the 4? Soares just isn’t fancied, which is a whole different issue. We need to have a right-back.
The final piece of the puzzle has to be a goalkeeper. We are in a terrible state right now. Bernd Leno looks a busted flush, he’s not committed to the cause, and he doesn’t like his setup. The two keepers behind him are very green. Aaron Ramsdale and Sam Johnstone don’t set the world alight. There needs to be a sharp signing because our #1 looks prime for getting dropped in November. There’s some very sexy talk that Onana has said no to Lyon because a big club has promised him riches in January… that big club is rumoured to be Arsenal. And why not? Onana is elite with his feet. I’d wait 6 months for him.
If we make moves on those three positions before the end of the window, we’re going to be in the mixer this season. If we don’t, I think it’s going to be a tough season, because we’re going to an injury away from dreary football.
Is that enough for you? Yes? YOU COWARD. Of course it’s not. Jump into our DOUBLE podcast. I speak with Johnny (@iJohnnyCochrane) about normal things going on at Arsenal, check out his WILD views on Xhaka. Then I was joined by Seun (@SVCarboholic) and Dan (@dankoogs) from Touchy Gooners podcast to discuss why they are feeling pretty hacked off about a number of things going on right now. It is GOOD listening. Also, there’s a video if you want to comment on my hair you absolute weirdos. xxx