Arsenal - 2024/25

JP77 said:
I don’t think there’s any world where Arsenal are capable of signing Isak, Leao and somebody like Valverde. They would struggle to sign one of those in a season if we are being realistic and that’s my point. You’re naming guys who are proven top talent, Arsenal haven’t been bringing in players like that for a long time, Rice is about the only one and they had to break the bank for him and he’s also English.

How many missed title opportunities and lack of winning cups before players like Saliba and Gabriel are being sniffed at by other European clubs?
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I don't think it's beyond them to sign 2 players that directly targets the areas they are weak in. It doesn't have to be Isak. He was just an example. It could be Osimhen or Gyokeres, maybe even Liam Delap. It doesn't have to be Leao. It could be Nico Williams, Rodrygo or even Semenyo.

There's always a danger of Saliba fecking off. There have already been rumours about Saliba being targeted by Real Madrid. But they have an opportunity to put themselves in a great position to win next season. They already have about 80% of a title winning side imo.
 
WeePat said:
I don't think it's beyond them to sign 2 players that directly targets the areas they are weak in. It doesn't have to be Isak. He was just an example. It could be Osimhen or Gyokeres, maybe even Liam Delap. It doesn't have to be Leao. It could be Nico Williams, Rodrygo or even Semenyo.

There's always a danger of Saliba fecking off. There have already been rumours about Saliba being targeted by Real Madrid. But they have an opportunity to put themselves in a great position to win next season. They already have about 80% of a title winning side imo.
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But Arsenal never sign any players like the ones you’re actually naming (Semenyo excluded as he doesn’t belong next to those names), Rice being the exception and they had to go crazy to sign him. Who are the other players on the levels of the names you’re mentioning that they’ve signed? They haven’t. Of course they’ll sign players but the reality is something massive would need to change at the club because a lot of the ones they’ve signed over the last few years haven’t been good enough. It’s all well and good having a bit more depth but ultimately if they’re still not quality players then it won’t be enough to win them league titles and win a European trophy.

They’ll be praying that City somehow don’t recover next season and that Liverpool lose Salah or a combination in the summer. I honestly believe they’re closer to being in danger of falling out of the top two than being closer to winning the title next season currently.
 
JP77 said:
But Arsenal never sign any players like the ones you’re actually naming (Semenyo excluded as he doesn’t belong next to those names), Rice being the exception and they had to go crazy to sign him. Who are the other players on the levels of the names you’re mentioning that they’ve signed? They haven’t. Of course they’ll sign players but the reality is something massive would need to change at the club because a lot of the ones they’ve signed over the last few years haven’t been good enough. It’s all well and good having a bit more depth but ultimately if they’re still not quality players then it won’t be enough to win them league titles and win a European trophy.

They’ll be praying that City somehow don’t recover next season and that Liverpool lose Salah or a combination in the summer. I honestly believe they’re closer to being in danger of falling out of the top two than being closer to winning the title next season currently.
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The one thing that has changed already is the Sporting Director. We know at various stages of Arteta's reign Arsenal have tried to get the likes of Vlahovic, Martinez, Locatelli, Raphinha, Douglas Luiz, Mudryk, Caceido, Watkins of the top of my head that we know they actively bid for but didn't get. Strong rumours in the past year or 2 that they would be willing to pay the release clauses for the likes of Sesko, Nico Williams & Zubimendi if the players prove open to it as well.

Will be interesting to see if the hire of Berta changes how they operate in the transfer market.
 
JP77 said:
But Arsenal never sign any players like the ones you’re actually naming (Semenyo excluded as he doesn’t belong next to those names), Rice being the exception and they had to go crazy to sign him. Who are the other players on the levels of the names you’re mentioning that they’ve signed? They haven’t. Of course they’ll sign players but the reality is something massive would need to change at the club because a lot of the ones they’ve signed over the last few years haven’t been good enough. It’s all well and good having a bit more depth but ultimately if they’re still not quality players then it won’t be enough to win them league titles and win a European trophy.

They’ll be praying that City somehow don’t recover next season and that Liverpool lose Salah or a combination in the summer. I honestly believe they’re closer to being in danger of falling out of the top two than being closer to winning the title next season currently.
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The same argument would have been said before they signed Rice, and then they signed Rice. They were willing to spunk over £90m on Mudryk. So I think they've shown the willingness to spend big, whether they have the ability to actually land some of these names remains to be seen.

Isak does appear to be a pipe dream. Newcastle will fight tooth and nail to keep him and he will probably be priced at something ridiculous like £150m, but Osimhen, Sesko and Gyokeres all appear to be ready to move in the summer. If they're serious about challenging properly next season, Arsenal should be at the front of the queue for one of them.
 
Mb194dc said:
They've been unlucky with injuries this season.

They've lacked the mental toughness to win anyway in recent times.With a fit squad, that's still the barrier for them.
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It was a conscious decision to go into the season with a small squad, for the manager to beast the players in training, to limit rotation in early season.
It wasn’t bad luck it was a train crash waiting to happen
 
WeePat said:
Isak does appear to be a pipe dream. Newcastle will fight tooth and nail to keep him and he will probably be priced at something ridiculous like £150m, but Osimhen, Sesko and Gyokeres all appear to be ready to move in the summer. If they're serious about challenging properly next season, Arsenal should be at the front of the queue for one of them.
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I read recently that Isak has a release clause in his contract of £75M. It was probably clickbait but if true it would make him affordable but his wages would be astronomical. Not sure Arsenal, or any rival, would risk breaking their wage structure to sign him especially given his injury record.

A proven Prem goal scorer like Cunha would be better value for money.
 
Bartondale said:
I read recently that Isak has a release clause in his contract of £75M. It was probably clickbait but if true it would make him affordable but his wages would be astronomical. Not sure Arsenal, or any rival, would risk breaking their wage structure to sign him especially given his injury record.

A proven Prem goal scorer like Cunha would be better value for money.
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Didn't they buy him for around 60M ? That would be way too low for a release clause unless it's tied to other things like being out of Europe 2 years in a row or something.
 
awop said:
Didn't they buy him for around 60M ? That would be way too low for a release clause unless it's tied to other things like being out of Europe 2 years in a row or something.
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Yes it is low, but isn't that the point of a release clause from the players perspective? It makes the purchase price attractive to the next club, creating room to pay a higher wage. If the existing club, ie Newcastle, don't want to sell then Isaks agent is in a strong position to negotiate an improved contract not to accept the transfer bid.
 
Am I the only one who thinks they're best placed to win the league next season?

City: De Bruyne older, Walker going, Ederson declining. Their squad needs a lot of work.
Liverpool: TAA probably going, Salah and VVD? Who knows. Diaz and Nunez linked with moves away as well. Robertson declining. We need a lot of work in the summer. Could be the start of a rebuild next season.
Chelsea: Probably not in a position to win the league and I don't know if Maresca is good enough.
United and Spurs: Miles off.

Arsenal need a striker, a replacement for Partey and maybe someone for LW and that's it. If they're luckier with injuries I think they're well placed to win it next season.
 
Bartondale said:
I read recently that Isak has a release clause in his contract of £75M. It was probably clickbait but if true it would make him affordable but his wages would be astronomical. Not sure Arsenal, or any rival, would risk breaking their wage structure to sign him especially given his injury record.

A proven Prem goal scorer like Cunha would be better value for money.
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Think your right when you say it's a click bait article. If he had a £75M release clause there would be about 6 or 7 teams queuing up to pay it.

All reliable sources say Newcastle don't want to sell, and Newcastle are apparently in better nick with regards PSR this summer than they were last summer.

I think for Isak to move, your basically talking about Newcastle failing to qualify for the Champions League, Isak pushing for a move and a club willing to pay at least £120M, and that would be the starting bid
 
Bartondale said:
Yes it is low, but isn't that the point of a release clause from the players perspective? It makes the purchase price attractive to the next club, creating room to pay a higher wage. If the existing club, ie Newcastle, don't want to sell then Isaks agent is in a strong position to negotiate an improved contract not to accept the transfer bid.
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Yes but Newcastle have no interest in agreeing to that. If he's a hit he's gone, if he's a dud the release clause doesn't matter because nobody is paying it.
They didn't really have any opposition signing him so no need to sway the player with a low RC. I don't think he will move anyway, nobody is offering 120/150M for him. He's stuck there until 2026/2027 and he starts agitating for a move.
 
Klopper76 said:
Am I the only one who thinks they're best placed to win the league next season?

City: De Bruyne older, Walker going, Ederson declining. Their squad needs a lot of work.
Liverpool: TAA probably going, Salah and VVD? Who knows. Diaz and Nunez linked with moves away as well. Robertson declining. We need a lot of work in the summer. Could be the start of a rebuild next season.
Chelsea: Probably not in a position to win the league and I don't know if Maresca is good enough.
United and Spurs: Miles off.

Arsenal need a striker, a replacement for Partey and maybe someone for LW and that's it. If they're luckier with injuries I think they're well placed to win it next season.
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I think they'll both stay. Liverpool favourites again.
 
They just aren’t that good. I think the FA Cup loss broke them and its been downhill since then. But hey Rice can shush the crowd for his amazing draw vs one of the worst United teams ever. Way to go 103m.
 
bgoodall said:
They just aren’t that good. I think the FA Cup loss broke them and its been downhill since then. But hey Rice can shush the crowd for his amazing draw vs one of the worst United teams ever. Way to go 103m.
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Losing to us in the FA cup is never a good sign for a team's league ambitions.
 
Really hoping for a Real win. Atletico would be a nightmare. They are going to camp 90% of the time and we will be hoping for a corner again.
 
Changeisgood said:
Really hoping for a Real win. Atletico would be a nightmare. They are going to camp 90% of the time and we will be hoping for a corner again.
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I honestly think Arsenal would lose to either team, but I’m definitely hoping for Real Madrid win. They have the firepower to overpower Arsenal. I’m a little less confident in Atleti to knock you lot out.
 
WeePat said:
I honestly think Arsenal would lose to either team, but I’m definitely hoping for Real Madrid win. They have the firepower to overpower Arsenal. I’m a little less confident in Atleti to knock you lot out.
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Think your right, either will likely knock us out.

Can see arguments for playing either though. The way Atletico play would probably be our kryptonite. Real would probably be a bit more open in terms of allowing us space.

But it's Real Madrid....& It's Champions League....
 
GoonerBear said:
Think your right, either will likely knock us out.

Can see arguments for playing either though. The way Atletico play would probably be our kryptonite. Real would probably be a bit more open in terms of allowing us space.

But it's Real Madrid....& It's Champions League....
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We lose to Real, it will probably be two decent games at least. We play Atletico we will die in constant torture.
 
Just seen that Keown has been getting a bit silly about Sterling's performance. Best performance ever, apparently.
 
Sterling's interview was one of a player that knows his career is pretty much dead. Back to Chelsea and probably negotiate a buyout, not sure either party will want to bother about another loan. Maybe the MLS as even the teams like Fulham, Brentford etc won't be an option.
 
Real Madrid in the QF of the CL, good memories (Thanks Jens!)

They'll obviously beat us, mostly because they'll outscore us anytime anywhere at the moment.
 
Donaldo said:
Real Madrid in the QF of the CL, good memories (Thanks Jens!)

They'll obviously beat us, mostly because they'll outscore us anytime anywhere at the moment.
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We might get a goal on Real. Not sure we would get one against Atletico over two legs. Saka should be back I imagine.

We just need a Merino hat-trick.
 
Changeisgood said:
We might get a goal on Real. Not sure we would get one against Atletico over two legs. Saka should be back I imagine.

We just need a Merino hat-trick.
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I really don't want to see Saka again this season except the very last few games. Let him fully heal his harmstring for next year.
 
awop said:
I really don't want to see Saka again this season except the very last few games. Let him fully heal his harmstring for next year.
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I certainly wouldn't want him rushed back for it, that's for sure. Even if he is 'fit', how match fit will he be?
 
Klopper76 said:
Am I the only one who thinks they're best placed to win the league next season?

City: De Bruyne older, Walker going, Ederson declining. Their squad needs a lot of work.
Liverpool: TAA probably going, Salah and VVD? Who knows. Diaz and Nunez linked with moves away as well. Robertson declining. We need a lot of work in the summer. Could be the start of a rebuild next season.
Chelsea: Probably not in a position to win the league and I don't know if Maresca is good enough.
United and Spurs: Miles off.

Arsenal need a striker, a replacement for Partey and maybe someone for LW and that's it. If they're luckier with injuries I think they're well placed to win it next season.
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Yeah I said this the other day as well, exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

It wouldn't be that surprising to see City go out and refresh the squad in a way where they are competing again next season - the spine of the team will still be together with Rodri back, Dias, Stones, Foden, Haaland etc and they have the money to go out and spend I think to replace some of those names who might be out the door.

Likewise can easily see Liverpool keeping Salah & VVD, replacing Trent well with somebody like Frimpong, selling Nunez + some fringe players and having the money to refresh a couple of other spots and being in title contention again.

But Arsenal appear to have the clearest pathway with the least amount of work needed in the summer - they don't have any core aging players to replace or peak star players possibly leaving like the other two. I really think Nwaneri's emergence will be key as it seemingly allows them to rest Saka or Odegaard now in certain games.

A summer window that's something like Osimhen/Gyokeres/Sesko + Zubimendi and one of a LW (possibly Nico Williams) or a more natural LB (possibly Kerkez) and I think they are potentially favourites for me unless City and/or Liverpool manage to do even better business.
 
Changeisgood said:
We lose to Real, it will probably be two decent games at least. We play Atletico we will die in constant torture.
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Part of me wanted Atletico to win just to see what sort of terrorist ball Arteta and Simeone could cook up between them
 
Hopefully Arsenal take the game to Real with some bite unlike last season against Bayern. Should dominate the ball but need to be careful with the counter.
 
Pretty sure we will sit back and wait for an opportunity to counter....we lack the speed upfront to be much of a threat there though. I would probably play Martinelli up front for this one.

Not sure how adventurous Arteta will be....history so far would say not a whole lot.
 
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