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

Milan want Balo for Joel swap.....not convinced. Balo can be awesome but has a lot of baggage

Wenger confirms Ospina signing (despite lots of odd rumours last night that we're still getting casillas);

“You know at the start Szczesny will be the No. 1, then again we’ll be down to performances and, if Ospina shows that he is better, he will play.”

Agree RTJ

I was keen on balotelli before we signed sanchez, but now we have better

some reports we have signed the young RB from Southampton (£7million)

And CJ goes out on loan too WHU

Seems a bit odd too me but stranger things have happened

New York friendly live on ESPN in the morning.

Nice but a shame about the red R in the middle that shouldn't be there.

Callum chambers.....can't say i have seen him play that much. I'd say that's pretty much CJ's arsenal career over to be honest. Very interesting move long term wise. I was really expecting Hector Bellerin to start coming through soon as well....he has been very highly rated for a while

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/...

didnt event know this was on the cards?? slightly odd signing, but if the kids delivers then im all for it.

Heard CJ was going to West ham on loan. I think thats best for everyone involved. gets carl some playing time and helps a very poor whu

Just read that he can cover CB as well, so maybe hes signed as the CB option should Verm leave?

Chambers seems bizarre if true. Thought it was Debuchy for a few seasons until Jenkinson was ready to take over but this would indicate we've given up on Jenkinson and Debuchy is just a stop gap. Would feel sorry for Jenkinson, but it's probably right as he's never looked up to playing at Premiership level. 

Wouldn't worry too much about the New York loss. Second pre-season friendly after a long journey and missing half our team. We didn't get humiliated like West Ham did with their full team twice in the last week. With no CBs or strikers we were never going to score and were always going to find it hard to stop them scoring.

Yeah its not like Chambers was cheap either

Why is Sanago on the pre season tour??

Outside of Hayden and Monreal being poor as CB's, did anyone else notice Arteta get caught on the ball a few times as he was trying to look up and pass.

Couldn't help but shout at the TV names like Bender, Schneiderlin, maybe even Khedira lol

Was hoping it was because he's going out on loan and won't be near the first team this year but no such luck. Wenger said he has a thigh injury so didn't make the trip.

Yeah it happened quiet a bit last season as well, love it Arteta but he used only be used as a squad player this coming season. I would like a DMF that's just going to hold deep and tackle

Ospina offically annouced now....Great business that.

inside trading:) says Chambers is done... Announced Wednesday our time

Very surprised 

https://mobile.twitter.com/bbcsport_david/statuses/493441187001692160

This says Chambers to be announced Monday.

Rumour has it that Jenkinson and Gnabry will be going to S'ton on loan as a part of the deal. Amazing this deal can happen without word getting out about it.

Hard time for S'ton, their team has been pillaged.

So, he used to play CM, converted to RB and has played the odd game at CB? Seems legit.

So only real holes left are the CB / CM positions.

Oh and also, word of warning not to open the article about Chelsea winning over night. Cesc hugging Costa while wearing that awful blue is nightmarish.  

Interesting signing.

Not sure this guy can really be legitimate RB and CB cover, he's only 19... I don't want him to be our 4th choice CB at that age, having never played there at EPL level before.

Interesting to see Monreal at CB. I actually thought he did ok, seemed that Hayden on the other side that was more of a problem. 

Yeah, I certainly wouldn't consider him as an option there - just of interest for the future. If he cost what the tabloids are saying, then that's a massive investment. Sorry for life long Arsenal fan Jenkinson, certainly seems to be his time over.

Word is (from some guys who follow the Southampton academy) is that Chambers is probably a better all-round player than Shaw, and is brilliant at reading the play, hence his versatility in midfield an defence

Reports suggest chambers is a longterm prospect for CD but can cover RB, hence now would be the best opportunity for Jenks to get some starting time at another club for a season. I still think Jenks is a great long term prospect at the club.

I wouldn't give up on Jekninson. Debuchy's got 2-3 seasons in him as number one, Jenkinson is at the point where he needs regular game time & I'd hope he get's it on loan rather than playing back up again. Bellerin & Chambers can do a job covering/cup matches this season.

Big money for Chambers but seems like for once we're getting the player the season before they cost 30+ million instead of waiting and missing out to United/City/Chelsea. Odd signing, but looks a good prospect. Feel a bit sorry for Southampton fans though, are they going to be able to field a team in 3 weeks. Lovren to Liverpool overnight too.

They keep churning out these homegrown talents don't they? What are they doing with their academy that we're not? Ideally we'd be producing Bales and Shaws ourselves wouldn't we? Or at least Walcotts, Chamberlains and Lallanas.

From memory Gibbs & Wilshere are two academy kids that are top notch. I think there's a degree of luck with how kids turn out, I imagine Southampton's at an advantage in that they can afford to play their kids more often than a team with Top 4 minimum requirements.

True, but it's impressive how they have been consistently churning out players coveted by the biggest clubs.

Mrs Sagna replaced:

We paid 16mil for this chambers kid... wow quite a fee for one so young

Wenger must really rate him.

Could also have something to do with the homegrown rule

Chambers announced.

Straight away Wenger, and Chambers himself talking up his versatilty at CM, RB and CB - with specific mention to his possible transition to CB. Interesting signing.

Sanchez misses the Austrian training camp as has to go to Paris to get a work visa.

Games are creeping up fast - Emirates Cup vs Benfica and AS Monaco this weekend, and Community Sheild vs Manchester City next weekend. No Germans in the squad for that - will we have everyone else?

yes, all done. A most un-Wengerlike signing. PaulM yes, surely some homegrown effect.... Plus have we ever paid this much for a defender? To clarify, CC is 19 , played 1 season of EPL? The market for footballers is totally out of whack.

I hope CJ stays an Arsenal player and spends the upcoming season on loan. Be disappointing to lose him.

So in reality is this our 4th CB signing?

Yup, that's the impression I got from Wenger / his comments. Let's see how he goes. 

Photos on arsenal.com with him already on the back seat of the bus hanging with Szczesny and Ox.

Welcome Chambers! 

Decent highlights from some of his games last season;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKzheaEhLno

For a player in defensive roles he has a great eye for a pass. Quick and strong. Got the tools then, lets see what Wenger can do with him.

If anyone can wenger can :)

For me this season is going/needs to be huge for Wilshere, i know he's still young and has a had a few injuries but he doesnt need to kick on for us to keep winning things

Ox is primed and if injury free he should be huge for us this season