(The not-so-temporary quite-official) Gooner Thread (Part 1)

Well seems Wenger will be calling Lambert and talking turkey now, gee the striker merry go round is working for some but not all teams.

Funny thing is a few months back I would have laughed had someone said Falcao will go to Monaco and PSG match them in sneering Cavani.

Those two transfers have skewed the rest of Europe

Cavani hasn't signed for anyone yet, still contracted to Napoli.

Jovetic vs Higuain - correct, two different types of players there, Jovetic not an out-and-out striker as such by the sounds of it. In that case perhaps assists should be bought into the statistical breakdown.To be honest I haven't seen him play so it's hard to make judgement between him and someone else. 

On the face of it you'd think we'd prefer just an out-and-out goalscorer looking at what we have in our squad. Plenty of players to play in behind a striker - Wilshere, Cazorla, Rosicky, and apparently that's the Ox' preferred position too. 

New away kit officially launched. Hopefully the old kit will be on sale when I get over there

if we dont get higuain, which seems more likely with everyday that pass i think we should  go for benteke

Benteke will be 20m+ ; not worth it for an unproven striker.

I'm not giving up on Higuain yet. This is the season to really re-launch ourselves, with 3 of our top 4 rivals all under new management, and a release of funds for transfers and wages. A couple of big name signings is required. Suarez, Higuain, and Fellaini all tick that box. Benteke and Jovetic don't.

Apparently Bendy is off to Germany to finalise a deal. Fingers crossed we can get rid of him.

Also, has anyone come in for Chamakah? I'm terrified that he might have a good pre-season and convince Wenger he's got game still! At 29 this must be his last season so make it happen, but I'd rather he did that at Bordeaux.

Flamini has turned down AC in favor of keeping his options open, and he's keen to come back to England.

Would you bring him back? Is he good enough? I think he's on a free.

I wonder if this Suarez thing could be a real go.

He's not going to go anywhere else in England - the Manchesters won't touch him I don't think, he's laughed himself about Chelsea. Real Madrid seemed like a given but if they're going to hold onto Higuain now the option is there for us.

I hate the cheating smarmy b*stard but there's no doubting we'd be a quality side with him in it. 

Paul there's the a big 'if' hanging over his head. 'If' he can avoid getting any more needless bans.

I'd have it in his contract that for every match missed he doesn't get paid.

Eintracht Frankfurt have admitted defeat in their pursuit of Arsenal forward Nicklas Bendtner, according to kicker-Sportmagazin. It is reported that the Bundesliga side remain unable to pay his wages and will not be able to take him either on a loan deal or permanently.

Huuuugely dissapointing, but not suprising

Only hope now seems to be Malaga may still be in for him...

The bulls%#* has returned too that Fabregas will be approached, he has come out at least once saying he is staying put.

Also more bollocks we are trying to grab two out Higuain, Torres, Rooney and Suarez.

On a factual note the Transfer Window has been extended until Monday 2nd September, as 31st August is a Saturday.

I learned this from "The Secret Footballer": most players will say they are keen to stay at a club even if it's not the truth. When they leave and sign a new contract elsewhere, they get paid out the remainder of their old contract (or a lower settlement fee if one can be agreed). If they claim they aren't happy and want to leave, or if they hand in a transfer request, they are not eligible for that pay-out when they leave, so most agents will tell their players to say they're happy in public so they can secure that extra cash in amongst the upcoming transfer. 

Ridiculous but true... 

I'm not suggesting that Fabregas was definitely lying, just saying that it is possible and this would be the reason. 

Confirmed fixture list now out. Changes made due to Sky TV.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/fixtures

Not happy about Stoke being moved. Game at 1-30pm and I fly out at 10pm same day. Then again, I may not be able to get tickets anyway.

Watched the Under 20 World Cup Final, saw Yaya Sanogo for the first time

Hard to draw any feelings off one game, just good to see him in action.

Also had one eye on Kondongbia, he looked comfortable operating with Pogba.

Another day another series of rumours this time we're in for Krul because Cesar deal has fallen apart! Surely Krul wouldn't want to leave Newcastle to be competing for a top spot at Arsenal? I like Krul, but I don't think he's better than Cesar. Cesar will play 2-3 seasons for us and leave/retire with Szy peaking. Krul will be around for years and wouldn't bring the experience to mentor Szy like Cesar would.

Additionally AW has come out and said he's not going to PSG and has opened positive talk with Ivan about staying around. Nice to know.

Bendtner is apparently being lined up for Hull as well, which would be good. Just get him off the books PLEASE!

Cesar is off to napoli.....

That's the rumour but seems odd - he said he wants to stay in London, and the napoli rumour is only a loan deal

Just bizarre that we wouldn't go all out for this guy. Arsene obviously wants an experienced keeper to compete with szczesny for just another 2-3 seasons max until wolcech is completely ready for the no.1. He's been trying to buy one for 3 seasons now - remember the reina offer etc. Cesar seems the perfect age, not so young as to disillusion Szczesny (Krul, Reina etc), but not so old as to question whether they might collapse at any moment (Schwarzer, Friedel).

He demands high wages but we've been boasting that we're rich of late, so time to walk that talk Ivan. 

OK so now I'm getting confused. We're back in for Suarez again? Could we really be considering this as an actual transfer, at the expense of Higuain? Or will we seek both?

Additionally if United are serious about Fabregas and it turns out Barcelona are willing to deal, wouldn't we want to activate our clause that says we want him?

You would think so.

Barca would be absolutely mad to let him go after Thiago has gone as well. Can't see that happening.

Real Madrid are obviously stalling on the Higuain deal so only too right we are out there dropping offers for other targets. I'd prefer Higuain any day but we shouldn't f*ck around waiting for Madrid to sort their sh*t. 

Also, no one has mentioned it, but we won our first preseason game in the weekend 7-0. Highlights and even full replay available for free on Arsenal.com.

Some nice finishes. Goals from Akpom, Eisfeld, Walcott, Olsson, 2 for Giroud, and someone else as well, can't remember. Giroud came on as a sub and bagged two quality finishes. Man I rate him. He's the s*xiest footballer that ever lived as well. 

Podolski got the other one, a lovely 1-2 with Rosicky and he drilled it bottom corner from 18 yards. Was some bloody nice goals.

The whole team seemed to get a run out, with Theo leading the line initially. Girouds second was a beauty.

50 days until the transfer window closes and we're yet to make a solid signing.

lovely pass from the 16year old https://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/arsenal-starlet-gedion-zelalem-plays-glorious-through-ball-v-indonesia-dream-team-video-gif/

not sure how i would feel if we did sign suarez to be honest, WAY too much drama for me personally and if we did sign him he would miss the first 6 games. i still have a slight hope that we can bag higuain. Would be good if we got fellani soon that would annoy united as well i reckon. We could be in for Kondogbia again, he's pretty solid. cant believe the amount madrid paid for illremendi thou. Start of the season is just over a month away can we please sign someone this week pleeeeeaaaaassssseeeeee

And in Other news, Arsenal have still signed absolutely no one!

Yaya Sanogo. 

highlights vs ghana;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSLd7_Ups5Q

Feyenoord boss Ronald Koeman has revealed the club are looking to sign Ryo Miyaichi from Arsenal.

"It's right we are also working on Ryo Miyaichi, but at the moment it's not clear what the situation is," he told NuSport.

"After that, we can make a step. It's not that far yet."

Not to be doom and gloom:

* Suarez is a good bet to stay at Liverpool

* Higuain looks likelier to stay at RM by the day

* Jovetic and Negredo rumoured to be offered contracts by Man City

* Benteke interesting Spurs

* Cavani going to PSG - was never on our list anyway/not realistic

* Falcao went to Monaco - see above

* Rooney more than likely staying at Man U

* Torres will be needed at least as a squad player at Chelsea

* Villa gone to Athletico Madrid

Who does that leave???? Ibrahimavic, Soldado, Ba, Remy

These could be interesting times ahead

Maybe we need to write a rather large cheque for Michu?

The Swans paid 2.5, if we came in somewhere around 15 mil, and he wanted to come, then everyone wins...

Last one tonight....

Where there is smoke there is fire: seems to be a lot popping up with Man U submitting a 30 mill bid for Cesc, we could do with him again but the flip side we kind of don't need to spend that money on that part of the field.

It is a no brainer to take him back, but whether we have this 70 mil available is true or not is one thing, the second is the reports are the buy back is 29 mil, well that is nearly half the budget based on the assumption it is indeed true!

This would be a shocker if Manure get him, far worse than seeing RVP in their shirt. Hope Cesc stays in Spain!

Cesc isn't leaving Barca. End of.

Higuain deal is taking its time as Madrid have to line up a replacement before they let him go.

Suarez offer is probably linked to Madrid interest (Could be we are trying to hurry them along. ie Madrid say "Its takes time to make these bids" we turn around and say "really?". One day later we have a 30 mil Suarez bid turned down, and show back up at the Madrid offices saying "your turn"

I think we'll get Higuain, but in typical Arsene style he'll wait til midnight Aug 31 to pinch every single penny

i really do hope we sign him.....is it worth saving a few quid??? i'd rather have him now training with the team

Cesc wont be moving anywhere esp with sale of thiago......i did have a giggle at man u losing out on thiago too. IF it ever came to this i think we should buy him back just to make man u weaker and us stronger at the same time