New podcast: Reading the tea leaves and connecting the dots, me and the Arseblagger explore whether the Community Shield was a shop window for the Arsenal. Who is on the chopping block? Maitland Niles, Martinez, Bellerin, even Aubameyand? Does Mesut Ozil have a future at the football club?
We refuse to fall for the narrative being spun by the club and its usual mouthpieces in both mainstream and social-media. (They shall remain nameless.) We believe salable assets will be sold regardless of what Arteta and Edu say or do.
Show your support for this podcast by subscribing wherever you listen.
Your comments are welcome.
Positively Arsenal 
Hello campers.
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Henrikh Mkhitaryan has joined Serie A side AS Roma on a permanent basis.
Micki leaves us following his season-long loan in Italy. We have agreed to terminate his contract with us by mutual consent to allow him to join Roma in a permanent move.
The Armenia international joined us from Manchester United in January 2018 and memorably marked his first Premier League start for us with a hat-trick of assists in a 5-1 win over Everton.
During his time with us, Micki helped us reach the 2019 Europa League final and he claimed a total of 13 assists and scored nine goals in all competitions as a Gunner.
A history maker for his country, Micki is Armenia’s all-time top goalscorer and has been named Armenian Footballer of the Year nine times.
Everyone at Arsenal thanks Micki for his contribution to the club and wishes him all the best for his future with Roma.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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rumor doing the rounds that Miguel Azeez is going to Charlton on loan
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“All Quiet on The Western Front” was a World War II novel I read years ago. I wonder how long it will take fans to realize the club has to sell to balance the books even if it means cashing-in on a “favorite” player? Or that every effort is being made to get Ozil off the payroll even though he is still our most creative player. Are we still clinging to image of the old Arsenal which did its business with class? I wonder what Freddie would say about that.
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It’s interesting seeing Arsenal fans long for CL qualification. The entitled brats mocked 20 consecutive entries.
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Niles has been a Rolls Royce footballer for this club save for when he had to train and play under Emery and the likes of Guendouzi were getting minutes over him.
So his sale and that of others’ discussed would be detrimental to this squad.
Same as Iwobi and Chambo’s were in spite of the blaggers celebrating those sales, they cost those squads points on the pitch when they were sold.
So, the pattern is there! For years.
It is undeniable. Yet people will deny it.
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After Baku who could’ve imagined we’d be celebrating like we have been just a year later?
I am clinging onto the dream here, what else is there to do other then be crushed by the craven banality of the owners:
A squad built around academy gems like Bellerin, Niles and Saka glittering with additional stars like Auba. It’s here at the moment!!!
Arteta went to le masia, saw the Barca squad before it was decimated by, well, by Raul Sanllehi and his “I really like Raul” minions: so he gets what i am gibbering on about better then anyone else could.
Fingers crossed the squad is not weakened this next month.
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Ken Friar has stepped down from the Board and become a Life President of the Club. He has worked for the club for 70 years, he is now 86, so maybe it was time for him to retire and enjoy the remaining years of his life, as he said, time to go to a game as a supporter only and not have the worries that defeat brings to a board member
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seems Arsenal will be announcing the signing of Gabriel at 4 today on their facebook page, something along the lines of a video chat between David Luiz, willian and they will call him
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Charles Watts
@charles_watts
·
3h
Arsenal to play two, possibly three, BCD games before the season opener at Fulham on Saturday week.
Willian, Laca, Pepe, Ozil all back at Colney yesterday as Arteta’s squad starts to come together again. Understand Gabriel was even allowed on site for the squad’s Covid testing.
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Charles Watts
@charles_watts
·
1h
Replying to
@charles_watts
The first of these friendlies will be against QPR this afternoon at London Colney.
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Gabriel to Arsenal confirmed
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Gabriel will wear the No.6 shirt
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Central defender Gabriel has joined us from French side Lille on a long-term contract.
The 22-year-old Brazilian has completed his move and will wear our number 6 shirt.
Gabriel, whose full name is Gabriel dos Santos Magalhaes, started his career in Brazil with Avai FC, before joining Lille in January 2017. During his time in France, Gabriel spent time on loan with Troyes in France and latterly in Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb.
On returning from his loan spells, the Sao Paulo-born defender became a regular in the Lille side, helping them to a fourth-placed Ligue 1 finish last season and starting all six of their Champions League group-stage matches.
Technical director Edu said: “We are delighted to have signed Gabriel. He is a player we have been studying for a while and he was in demand from many clubs, so we are proud to have agreed and completed this transfer with Lille and the player. Gabriel is a player of high quality and Mikel and his coaches are looking forward to integrating him into the club.”
Mikel Arteta said: “We welcome Gabriel to Arsenal. He has many qualities which will make us stronger as a defensive unit and as a team. He has proved with Lille that he is a defender with many outstanding attributes and we are looking forward to watching him grow as an Arsenal player.”
The deal is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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Suggestion we won friendly 4-3 with Saliba one of the scorers. Maybe that means we got him out of playing for France u20. Seemed a bit potty for him to be playing for them, in friendly against 2nd division side I think, and that was before I thought of quarantine issue.
I’m not exactly on top of which countries currently on list but assuming France still is.
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rich teams can go to these countries and not have to lockdown when they come back
another silly rule it seems is that even if you test negative for virus you still have to quarantine for the 14 days
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Arsenal beat QPR 4-3 today in a behind closed doors friendly at London Colney
QPR took the lead, AFC then went 3-1 up before QPR came back to make it 3-3, with AFC getting a late winner
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Eduardo, so if a team goes to France returning player wouldn’t have to quarantine but if it’s individual- like Gabriel (and Thiago Silva, I think)- they do have to quarantine?
Strange, but maybe when with team they test you and all supposedly stay in confines of team bubble or whatever.
Odd times. Looks like I may accidentally have been correct about us getting in a few friendlies then. We’ve 9 away but 3 are u21 lads and one is Guendouzi, so I suppose plenty of seniors about the place. Still, would’ve been bizarre start to season anyway, but internationals have really made it messy.
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Well much excitement on Twitter about the new signing, and how Gabriel and Saliba will come to be the best defensive unit since Bould and Adams. Having seen neither I wouldn’t know, but I guess all we can do is hope. Does anyone know if they are likely to give us more of a physical presence when it comes to defending corners etc? And on that theme, a signing that has slipped under my radar is Pablo Mari. I don’t want to sound rude here, but what is he for – or rather, how does he fit into the scheme of things? Likewise Cedric Soares: it seems strange to now have three right backs, so does that mean either AMN or Hector are likely to leave?
I have seen a remarkable transition in team spirit since Mikel took over, and he seems to be fashioning a side that want to play for him. I suppose what I want to know (partly in light of George’s slightly gloomy podcast) is how much say he has in the comings and goings – and ultimately whether the sit back and counter attack approach is just a short term solution, or if there is a chance for something more exotic to emerge as the coming season progresses.
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e
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Looking at different departments of team ahead of season, with all the goings on, preparation for attack should be ok. Laca, Pepe, Auba, Willian all with us. Ozil back, apparently, but feck knows the situation.
Defence has Ainsley, Tierney away, Holding almost gone on loan allegedly, Gabriel not started training, Bellerin there, Saliba Luiz there. Kola away.
Centre mid perhaps least ideal prep of the lot. Xhaka away. Ceballos perhaps coming in (maybe quarantine), Joe away, Torreira allegedly on brink of departure, Elneny there but who knows plans, Guendouzi away and v likely on way out.
Guess we can hope many other teams in same boat but guess Fulham among least affected teams in prem.
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the transfer window has just under 5 weeks left, ends 5th of October, Arsenal have signed Gabriel today, which means we have a whole host of CB’s, 8 in fact, which by any calculation is probably a couple too many, even if we intend to play with 3 CB’s, which is not clear yet.
David Luiz – 1 year left on contract
Mustafi – 1 year left on contract and currently injured, aiming to be back in full training next month
Sokratis – 1 year left on contract
Saliba
Gabriel
Chambers – currently injured, aiming to be back in full training this year
Mari – currently injured, aiming to be back in full training this month
Holding
we also have Mavropanos out on loan for the season, and we also have young CB Medley out on a season loan too.
Reports suggest that Sokratis is close to a move to Napoli, and that Holding is close to a loan move to Newcastle, although Leeds are keen too.
So guys who do you think will leave this window, how many of the 8 should we keep for the season. I think it is most likely that only Sokratis and Holding will go this window, and there is a chance that it may only be Sokratis, with the Holding move not happening till the January window, due to Mustafi, Mari and Chambers being injured.
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rich on quarantine, its reported that Gabriel was allowed to attend London Colney with the latest returning players yesterday, but only for a Covid test, which he passed, but is not allowed train, he has to complete the 14 days of quarantine, its madness.
Ozil, Pepe and Lacazette said to be among the players who returned to training yesterday after they had done quarantine.
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Foreverheady
Pretty confident we are better set for attacking and defending corners with new lads. Wasn’t looking out for him at time but remember in Liverpool Flamengo game Brazilian’s were big threat at corners and even Van Dijk lost a few contests in air (decent chance that was Mari)
Other two are big lads as well. Think 6 3 both of them. Believe both strong in air.
I’m excited to see what they can do. Always want at least one of the centre backs to be really commanding in air and capable of competing strongly with opposition’s best in air.
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Ed. Ha, I’m leaving it there on quarantine before I get totally confused.
Seemed threatening enough to new season getting underway all the players having their foreign holidays, especially the younger ones out partying, but chucking in travelling back and fore for internationals days before season starts seems like asking for trouble.
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foreverheady it seems that Gabriel is six three and that Saliba is six four, so that certainly adds height to the back line.
as for having 3 right backs, well lots and lots of rumors that some very big clubs in for Bellerin, namely Juventus, PSG and Bayern Munich, but gap tooth datsun man says he is useless. But I think he will stay, and that AMN is more likely to get played more in midfield or be used as cover for left fullback/wingback.
AMN might finally get game time in midfield due to how light we are there, currently we have Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira, Guendouzi and Willock, and if rumors are to be believed(yeah I know) Guendouzi, Elneny and Torreira will be leaving. We look to be close to bringing Ceballos back on loan again, but if they three leave, bringing him in will still see us short of numbers in CM. Will we get the long rumored Partey, or is he the modern Carvalho or indeed Lorik Cana
Of course some think we will get not only Partey, but Aouar too and even Couthinho, but he is more attacker than CM
a lot of questions still to be answered about this team and squad, not least cos we actually don’t know what formation Mikel Arteta wants to play
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Internationals: Who’s playing and when?
Arsenal Digital 01 Sep 2020
Nine of our first-team players have been called up by their countries for this month’s international break.
Scroll down for a full breakdown of who’s playing and when:
Bernd Leno has been named in Germany’s squad for their Uefa Nations League games against Spain in Stuttgart on Thursday, September 3 and Switzerland in Basel on Sunday, September 6.
Kieran Tierney has been called up to Scotland’s squad for their Uefa Nations League games against Israel in Glasgow on Friday, September 4 and Czech Republic in Olomouc on Monday, September 7.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been named in the England senior squad for the very first time, for their Uefa Nations League games against Iceland in Reykjavik on Saturday, September 5 and Denmark in Copenhagen on Tuesday, September 8.
Sead Kolasinac has been selected for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s squad for their Uefa Nations League games against Italy in Florence on Friday, September 4 and Poland in Zenica on Monday, September 7.
Granit Xhaka has been called up to the Switzerland squad for their Uefa Nations League games against Ukraine in Lviv on Thursday, September 3 and Germany in Basel on Sunday, September 6.
Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah have been selected for England’s Under-21s EURO qualifiers against Kosovo in Pristina on Friday, September 4 and Austria in Ried im Innkreis on Tuesday, September 8.
And finally, Matteo Guendouzi has been called up to the France Under-21s squad for their EURO qualifiers against Georgia in Gori on Friday, September 4 and Azerbaijan in Sumqayit on Monday, September 7.
Copyright 2020 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
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David Ornstein
@David_Ornstein
·
3m
PSG approach Arsenal to sign Hector Bellerin & clubs now in dialogue. #AFC would like to keep him but will sell for right price. 25yo open to new challenge if deal struck. Could provide vital cash for targets. Details + Ceballos, AMN & more @TheAthleticUK
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I have really enjoyed watching Hector since his debut and he has been a great player for us – and is now coming back to his best after what for many would have been a career ending injury. Not hard to see him enjoying life in Paris though and much as it would be great to keep him I’d be surprised if he stays, especially after the treatment hes received from the AFT crew.
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Doof. Hector. The hints are there for me that he is close to recapturing his best and can even kick on some more. If so we’ll really rue him leaving.
Right up there with the daftest things in football when people don’t grasp you should wait a year after a player returns from ACL before deciding how well they have recovered, ie this is the year we should see what’s what and the sort of player he can be in peak years *
*Doesn’t always work out like that of course. Injury can strike again, alas, or if very unlucky, like Diaby, an injury could permanently change how player runs and put limits on them.
The fact it is often same people giving Bellerin stick as giving club stick for losing Gnabry- whose fate with us was almost entirely shaped by untimely injury and who it took a good two years to really get going again after doing his knee first time, is just…well, opposite of icing on cake or something.
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David Ornstein
@David_Ornstein
This would likely see Maitland-Niles stay & be 1st choice RWB, Soares back-up. Arsenal interest in Partey remains + discussions taking place over Aouar. Ceballos returning to London in coming days – hearing #RMFC will waive loan fee in exchange for #AFC paying full wage this time
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Xhaka, Ozil, Bellerin all had run ins with the social media blagging shower that leech off the club.
Xhaka with two fa cups, the other two with three at the club?
I get the impression that there’s some camaraderie in this group (lots and lots of FA cups!) . I hope Arteta wants to (I think he does) and is allowed to keep it all together. We’ll find out in a month.
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reports from Glasgow say Arsenal are in for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard
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there used to be a saying something about if you want to win European trophies, CL or EL, you need to have the best Brazilians, well we now have four boys from Brazil in our ranks
David Luiz
Gabriel
Willian
Martinelli
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you have to laugh at Arsenal fans on twitter, just seen one big account basically say that we have to sell Bellerin cos he will bring in more than Lacazette, Guendouzi, Sokratis and Elneny combined. And we need the Bellerin money so we can sign one of Partey or Aouar
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Partey and/or Aouar will take us to the next level? Last time I checked neither are in the class of Santi Cazorla or Mesuit Ozil who secured our top-4 for the three years they were together. Only a transfer whore gets jizzy about brand new signings.
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With the talk of 25 million for Bellerin what are some of the most ridiculous fees in comparison to that?
Pool getting 19 million for Solanke is one. 15 million for Ibe among same teams another. Also just reminded on twitter Utd were allegedly close to signing Sean Longstaff for 50 million last summer, although really not sure that one can be true (he’d only played 13 prem games at that point)
I know such a figure -25 million- would be influenced by the times with Covid, plus trying to capitalise on our apparent need for funds, as well as Hector’s previous injury and not being at his best immediately after return, but come on…
Just at Everton…less than Mina and Kean, about same as Bolassie
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Really hope we don’t lose Bellerin, an excellent player.
I am sure Partey and Aouar must have their merits, but not all expensive imports are guarantees success in this league, as it seems Sours are finding out with their expensive MF signed last year.
And even if partey and Aouar turn out great, they still face Dean, Atkinson and Taylor in the games that will count . Remember Xhakas PGMOL baptism
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Sky are already banging on about Parteys yellow cards last season at every opportunity, shocked I am.
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Amazing how differently they handled Xhaka’s disciplinary record compared to Naby Keita, who got four in his last season at Leipzig.
Endlessly talked about Xhaka but don’t recall it being mentioned at all with Keita. Brought into even sharper focus at weekend with so little made of the challenge he made with studs into chest. Of course, if you’ve never mentioned a disciplinary issue, makes it easier to sell as a complete accident.
Pretty sure Keita’s had a few of those accidents in his Pool time as well, with no punishment of course, and no linking it to his past (vid on youtube of him putting in awful scissor tackle on teammate, who had to be carried off with damaged knee, in training after taking heavy kick from same player)
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And not even a yellow card, no review etc etc. Just know the furore if it had been AFC player on a Godly LFC player as well. I noticed Milner had his statutory amnesty for cumulative fouling as well.
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Not sure I’d give up Hector for Aouar. Loyalty, PL experience, love4TheArse, and chemistry are as important as is skillset. Bellerin is a home-grown gooner true and true and our future captain who is probably more at home in London than Barcelona today.
I guess its up to him. Paris could be great for his Fashion business.
Just did a comparison on whoscored.com, with Aouar, Ceballos, Enis Bardhi (Levante) and Emi Buendia (Norwich) and Buendia was rated highest. More a right-mid though, unlike Aouar who’s more left-mid. I really rate Buendia who’d cost almost £30 LESS than Aouar. In MA I trust.
Hmm…
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Keep: Hector, AMN, Martinez.
Sell or loan out: Guendouzi, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Elneny.
Loan out (with no purchase option): Holding (if we must, jury out on: Chambers, Mari & Mustafi returning to full fitness & capability)
Loan in: Ceballos (preferably with a purchase option)
Buy: Partey.
Buy or loan in with option: Buendia.
Then go on and win the EPL, Europa league and the League Cup.(Let the others, bar Man Utd & the tiny Totts, battle for the FA cup).
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Oh and goodbye to a class act, Henrikh Mkhitaryan….
“Sorry you came when Unai & Raoul were busy ripping up the DNA of the Arse (as was the Special twat @ United). MA would surely have treated you with respect and used you as correctly as Arsene intended. Oh well.
Best of luck at Roma and for the rest of your career.”
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Orbinho
@Orbinho
· 2h
If Hector Bellerin leaves, Arsenal’s top three in terms of Premier League appearances in the current squad will be:
1 Ozil 184
2 Xhaka 130
3 Mustafi 99
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Cbs are not the problem when it comes to corners most goals come from back post, second ball, or goal mouth scrambles. These issues are the team organisation or a player from anywhere in the team switching off.
Although I always thought all players are replaceable getting rid of Hector seems crazy at this stage in his career especially as he is home grown.
Over the years I have seen many teams improve greatly when they have made none or very few signings so I certainly am not clamaring for signings and do not see the coming of the new messiah as I think Mikel has already filled that role.
If we are playing with three at the back this year then with injuries, suspensions and the squeezed season we are going to need at least six CB’s so the sale of loads of CB’s seems crazy as well especially as some of the ones we do have will be injured for some time.
The quality of the players coming through is very high at to simply let them go would be a massive waste so simply buying would be detrimental to the squad.
There are players that can be sold but I think it’s should only a be a few and certainly not any from the first eleven.
Wholesale changes also means losing touch with the soul of the squad as it always takes me some time to fall in love with new players.
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well Ian I think we have 8 CB’s so if we move along 2 that would still leave us with 6, surely that is enough, especially when Tierney can play there too, and we have a few promising CB’s in the youths, McGuiness, Ballard and Clarke, and we signed Dinzeyi who is 21 next month too.
Midfield is where I expect us to bring in a couple of players, Ceballos seems to be coming back on another season loan, and we keep getting linked to Partey, some are getting a hard on for Aouar, I’ve seen a large number of fans set themselves up for a large chunk of disappointment as they have let themselves believe we will sign Partey, Aouar and Ceballos this window. Seen one numpthy say a midfield of those 3 and Xhaka would win us the title. Clearly someone who has no understanding of how to set up a team, or what positions these guys play.
on the possible sale of Bellerin, I can only say it would be madness unless it is Hector who is pushing for a move, which does not seem to be the case. As someone said on twitter today, isn’t it odd that so many of the fans who want Bellerin sold say his transfer fee should be £30M or more, which is higher than the fees paid for our supposed defensive saviors, Saliba and Gabriel, something does not add up
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Exactly Ed these idiots know nothing.These idiots think that Arsenal have unlimited money and this money belongs to them and should be spending big like Celski City and United each year. These fools don’t know how a club should be working.Wenger was a genius running the club on a self sustained model.These tools thought Arsenal money is their property and Wenger was denying them their selfmade right to spend.
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Fabrizio Romano
@FabrizioRomano
·
1h
Napoli president De Laurentiis: “We’re working to get Sokratis Papastathopoulos from Arsenal, we’re considering him as an option. Koulibaly? I’m ready to sell him if some club will submit the right bid. Allan to Everton seems to be a done deal, yes”.
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it seems Arsenal have agreed to loan Torreira to Fiorentina for €8M with an obligation to buy for €16M, not clear yet if the loan is for one or two years before the purchase happens. Total fee €24M, which is well down on what we paid for him
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