Gyokeres for $75m. Noni for $55m. To be honest I'm not fussed with either as I was in camps for Sesko and Rodrygo. But it's good to see us getting the business done. So far it has been a very good window.
I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.
All the chat suggests Gyokeres, Madueke, and Mosquera all done and to be announced this week ahead of the pre season tour to Asia. That’s unheard of early business for us. Throw in some renewals for Saliba, Saka, Nwaneri, and clearing the decks of those who won’t be needed going forward and it could be one of our best windows in a long time.
I'm very interested to see what happens with Nwaneri. He's got a future but where is it and will he be interested in sticking around the team to find it, I'm not so sure. I hope he re-signs then goes out on loan to another EPL side or a club in one of the other top 5 leagues. That way we don't lose him, he can get game time and continue to develop. Come back in the offseason and push for a spot.
I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.
Leaves us 3 spots under the 25 man cap. Suspect Jesus takes one while he rehabs + can be flexible across front line, another for third choice keeper like Setford. Final spot likely to go to one in the departure lounge we can’t move on.
Departure lounge: Hein, Nelson, Lokonga, Zinchenko, Vieira + a few from the academy like Sagoe-Junior.
Any other incomings likely based on market opportunities. IE Trossard goes and we invest in LW.
For me, that’s a bloody strong 11 and would back the board that if they don’t win anything we’re sacking Arteta.
Snap brumbys, I came in for a little 1st and 2nd eleven discussion too. Our squad is looking bloody good innit. If the signings go as we hope from here, I saw it very similar, hoping for this first and second eleven, which looks pretty amazing imo
1st: Raya Timber Saliba Gabriel Lewis-Skelly Rice Zubimendi Saka Odegaard Eze Gyokeres 2nd: Kepa White Mosquera Kiwior Calafiori Merino Norgaard Madueke Nwaneri Martinelli Havertz
Some marginal calls there, plenty of competition, and a group of those 2nd eleven players would make a big shout for the first eleven e.g. Calafiori, Martinelli, White, Havertz, Merino.
Not mentioned: Zinchenko (sell) Vieira (sell) Trossard (sub in above if Eze or another LW is not signed) Lokonga (sell) Nelson (sell)
Also some good academy kids coming through, big one appears to be this Max Dowman. I've watched a few highlights packages, wow, looks like a super talent coming through there. He's playing years up in the grades and has been training a lot with the first team. Haven't checked but I assume he's with the first team in pre-season? Looks right up there, even more hyped than Nwaneri and MLS.
He has been so far. I could be wrong but long term I saw his skill set as suiting the Odegaard role better. Seems like the type of player who will be at the heart of everything, lots of touches, and has the passing game.
Back from an awesome 6 week trip in Europe. We went to London, Paris, Switzerland (Zurich, Interlaken) and Ireland (2 week road trip). Sorry for the spam but just thought I'd share a few pics from the Emirates Stadium tour. Hope those you who haven't been get there one day. And hopefully I'll make it back during the season to go to a real PL game one day. In nearly 30 years supporting Arsenal I've been to one real game (a CL game at Wembley in 1999) and a handful of friendlies. The reality of being a fan on the other side of the world!
Feels a poor signing being a player who flopped at a rival and paying them double what they paid so they can get rid and fund their upgrade. It's also an enormous amount of money that doesn't improve the first 11. It seems a huge fee for a backup unless your funds are unlimited like Man City so I expect he'll be starting. I just hope it doesn't mean we now miss out on Gyokores or whatever forward improves the first 11 over a few million pounds because it was spent here instead.
Anyway, is what it is. Already settled in the league and city and should know some of our players alreasy so that's a plus. Hope he works out and Chelsea haven't fudgeed us again. Surely he's better than Sterling right?
I hear and agree with all the complaints on cost and Chelsea connection, and would add some about injuries. That said given the numbers he put up last season it's not surprising the price when Elanga, Mbuemo, Cunha, Kudus are all going for over £50m. He's a floor lifter rather than a ceiling raiser. I suspect, given he's 23 and massively direct, then he could surprise us with his approach especially if he's played off the left wing to mix things up. This analysis from Phil Costa was helpful in better understanding how he might fit in and change the dynamic: https://arseblog.com/2025/07/new-signing-profile-noni-madueke/.
He's ours now, for better or worse, and I'm rooting for him to turn out to be more like Havertz than Willian/Sterling.
Is that the womans C/L in the other trophy? Partner got a stadium tour for my birthday in Feb, but we keep forgetting to book - delighted it could mean the 10 y/o gets to see the womans trophy - she's an Alessia so obsessed with Russo!ajc28
Back from an awesome 6 week trip in Europe. We went to London, Paris, Switzerland (Zurich, Interlaken) and Ireland (2 week road trip). Sorry for the spam but just thought I'd share a few pics from the Emirates Stadium tour. Hope those you who haven't been get there one day. And hopefully I'll make it back during the season to go to a real PL game one day. In nearly 30 years supporting Arsenal I've been to one real game (a CL game at Wembley in 1999) and a handful of friendlies. The reality of being a fan on the other side of the world!
The Singapore and Hong Kong games are also being shown on Duke at about 11.30pm. I fly out tomorrow. We land in Singapore and are then straight off to a launch event where Gilberto and Bacary Sagna will be for a Q & A. If I can, I’ll try and post updates on here
Looks like Gyokeres break through made and Masquera due to be announced any day. Good progress on the squad. Interesting to see Arteta wanting to benefit from a raised floor and giving tactical fluidity of more than the standard shape and starting 11.
We went to a launch event last night at an Irish pub to announce Arsenal’s new partnership with Guinness. We got to hear from Bacary Sagna and Gilberto. They were asked who their favourite team mates were to play with. Gilberto found it difficult but settled with Vieira and Sagna said Santi CarzorlaIMG_3274.jpeg3.14 MB
The crowd number was a bit disappointing last night. There were more at the Phoenix v Wrexham game. Good game though that Arsenal dominated. Nwaneri looked sharp playing in central midfield. Max Dowman is going to be a superstar. He looked so composed and confident for a 15 year old.
Right then... why am I seeing so many references to us signing Eze?
Lovely player, ex HE, provides useful end product, nice touches, etc etc... but really?
Surely if we do ship a couple out (Tros or wee Gabi plus Reiss and Lokonga) and get another attacker it'd be a proper left winger/forward like Gordon, Rodrygo, Simons, or (drool) Barcola?
We went to the open training session tonight at the stadium. Went for about two hours. A couple of mini games with the squad split between two pitches. I managed to see a couple of Arsenal legends including the Romford Pele and Gilberto. Also bumped into Robbie from AFTV outside
Gyokeres done. And fairly cheaply all things considered. See reports that trossard and Nelson have agreed personal terms elsewhere. If the trossard report has any legs, it'll be sad to see him go. But will reinforce the idea that we need to reinforce the left hand side....Eze maybe?
I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.
I see Eze as a left sided player? I like him. Perfect competition for Martinelli imo
He's better than Martinelli.
I wouldn't say better as their styles are very different. What Eze brings is a creative side to ease the load on MO. Whereas Martelli has pace and directness which helps us stretch teams. I think Eze helps us become less predictable and having options against low block teams is what we didn't have last year.
I have an amazing ability to find my way out of mazes. I'm pathological.
I think Eze coming in is about increasing the combinations in the starting 11, and making us less predictable when naming who starts. So it becomes less a Martinelli vs Eze comparison and more a different matches requiring different abilities. I’m excited to see us play with more tactical variation to overcome the goal scoring block we had last year.
Disappointing attendance again. Were the ticket prices too high? Locals just not keen on a work/school night? Makes you wonder if the club will bother going back again if they can't fill the stadium, or maybe they've already got their cut anyway and it's the promoters missing out if tickets aren't sold.
I think the commercials are the clubs get a fixed fee and local promoters try to turn a profit - hence the disconnect with ticket prices and attendance. Sucks for the local fans for sure. Maybe it’s time for Newcastle to own their local of following in Asia? 😂
Disappointing attendance again. Were the ticket prices too high? Locals just not keen on a work/school night? Makes you wonder if the club will bother going back again if they can't fill the stadium, or maybe they've already got their cut anyway and it's the promoters missing out if tickets aren't sold.
There were a lot of Newcastle fans there. More than I expected and yes, I think ticket prices were too high. There were large chunks of fans in the upper tier but big gaps in the lower tier. I believe the game win Hong Kong is a 55,000 sell out
Yeah spoke to someone who was actually involved in organising the tour (works for the tour agency in Singapore) and he said locals and families were pretty much priced out of being able to afford it. Seems a shame to have half empty stadiums.
Wonder if selling at a discount on the day of the game if there are loads of tickets left (eg, half price or 2 for 1 or kids free with a full price adult or whatever) might have got some more locals in. I get trying to make a good profit but if the ticket is say $100, surely selling it for $50 on the day is still better than not selling it at all. That kind of thing sometimes happens in NZ at the last minute when there are still a lot of tickets left. Every empty seat is someone not buying merchandise and food and drink at the stadium too. I've obviously never run an event though so maybe it's still not worth doing that
I went to check out the new Kai Tak stadium in Hong Kong this morning as I’m off to the open training session tonight. As luck would have it, I managed to see these guys. I haven’t seen too many Spurs fans. I saw two yesterday. One had Van de Ven on the back of his shirt and the other one must have been his Sonatt.nNEL35ijkB2rYvojNPUDKhUwBq-9w39h6LRFYvEuhBY.jpeg290.16 KB
Looking forward to seeing the next couple of pre season fixtures, couldn’t make the timings work with the family but should be able to stream them! Interested to see how Gyokeres changes the focus of our attacks, and where on the pitch Arteta gives Madueke time.
It was interesting watching the game Wednesday night. Gyokeres got next to no service, and often had to play with his back to goal to get involved which isn’t his strong suit. Was odd that Odegaard came on has Gyokeres came off, as some of Odegaards balls for Merino in the final third were bread and butter for big Vik. Madueke was interesting off the left, albeit giving me a few Pepe vibes.
Dowman looked a treat, like watching early Nwaneri. Confident, direct, tricky.
A word on Mosquera too, he looked a real talent and could genuinely push Saliba for a start. Confident on the ball and his recovery pace and reading of the game was unreal.
So Sesko ended up at United. You can see the inevitable comparisons coming between the two of them. I really hope Gyokeres gets a goal this weekend and puts it to bed. Also interesting to see Sp*rs getting in the Eze mixer. I'd be gutted if he went to them, aside from how talented he is we'd never hear the end of it!
I’ve been impressed with the level of our signings this year. Barring injuries we could be a much better team than recent seasons. I think we can win it, and I haven’t said that in several decades.
You cant just pick and choose which laws to follow. Sure Id like to tape a baseball game without the express written consent of major league baseball, but thats just not the way it works.-Hank Hill
