Baptista

[mis-e-one]

The BBC Sport website says we made a bid for Baptista (the player who Ars*nal were after).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/4655995.stm

Seems like an ill-advised move to me. We don't really need a striker and Arsenal will be playing in Europe next season (which must be an extra incentive to join them! :rolleyes: )

[metropolis2k]

Yeah that came out a few days ago but Baptista's pretty much said he wants to stay in Spain another year to get his citizenship. I did hear mention of Barcelona interest though.

[THFC1]

Yeah i think Barca will get him, he has already spoke about playing in the same team as Ronaldinho. Also as Metro says he will stay in spain this year to get EU status.

[OrlandoSPUR]

another to the long list of Notspurs Stars.

[PoshSpur]

He would do well in our league & team. He'll probably move to Barca so as to gain his citizenship.

I would rather call myself a Brazilian rather than a Spaniard.

[Rmort99]

He would do well in our league & team. He'll probably move to Barca so as to gain his citizenship.

I would rather call myself a Brazilian rather than a Spaniard.


Yeah it sounds better, but legally it's much better to have a spanish passport than a south american one. Still i wouldn't mind being brazilian, i was in a brazilian bar on friday night and got in trouble with the missus for those wandering eyes of mine. Not my fault if the brazilian chicks looked incredible is it?

[sendorange]

I agree he will go to Barca once his EU citizenship is sorted.

However it is worth the club throwing in a big bid, as long as it convinces Sevilla to reject A*senal's offers, or make the final price a lot higher than it was originally going to be.

[Rmort99]

Apparently we've made a £13.8m bid and currently head the queue. I know we have a 1% chance of signing 'The Beast' but he would be ideal for us. Not counting chickens though...

[Colm]

I agree he will go to Barca once his EU citizenship is sorted.

However it is worth the club throwing in a big bid, as long as it convinces Sevilla to reject A*senal's offers, or make the final price a lot higher than it was originally going to be.agreed, he will stay in Spain and wants he gets his EU citizenship then he'll probably go to Barce.

[Rmort99]

Perhaps he's holding out for a move to Barca, but they haven't made a bid so i dunno how that's gonna happen. Haven't Barca got a full quota of foreign players? And what difference regarding EU citizenship does it make if he plays next season in England or Spain as they are both EU countries?

[THFC1]

He would get Spanish citizenship if he stays in Spain next season, that wont be the case if he moved anywhere else but Spain.

[PoshSpur]

He would get more money in the prem though.

[OrlandoSPUR]

He would get more money in the prem though.

But I think that EU passport is a massive thing, if he waits another year, and has a fine season again he can write his ticket anywhere in Europe.

[Rmort99]

He's only paid £5k p/w at Seville. Arsenal are reported to have offered him 10 times that amount to fend off ourbid. Now i hope these reports are true as that would of course prove that Arsenal have tapped the player up, something that Seville have already complained about as they have yet to accept any bids.

I really find this behaviour from Arsenal, so soon after the Ashley Cole affair where they were the victims, as nothing short of scandalous. Wenger has even admitted tapping up the player.

Quote:

Wenger insists they have done "nothing morally wrong".

The Gunners boss said: "We approached Sevilla first. At some stage you have to speak to the player. You do it because you have to know if the player wants to join you."

No NO NOO you idiots. I hope Seville make a complaint and UEFA/FIFA throw the book at the hypocrites

[comme]

Baptista would be perfect for us. I would be quite happy to sell both Kanoute and Keane to get him.

However, I would doubt he would go to Barca. Their forward line in jam packed at the moment, and Eto'o would be ahead of him in the line. But you never know.

If he wants a move to the Premiership, sad as it is to say, Arsenal would be favourites.

[Rmort99]

If we do get him, and it's a big IF, i think Michael Brown will go to Wigan and Sean Davis to either Fulham or Everton. While i think it's unlikely we'll get Baptista, i think Brown and Davis will leave and we will fill the space with one top class attacking midfielder, possibly Guti or any one of the dozen that have been mentioned.

I think this would make total sense as IMO neither Brown nor Davis will ever be considered top quality and it's pointless have two good squad players when you could have one top class player, especially when there is still plenty of cover (Mendes, Huddlestone, Tainio, Carrick).

[PoshSpur]

Wenger said: "We have done nothing morally wrong.

"We approached Sevilla first. At some stage you have to speak to the player. You do it because you have to know if the player wants to join you."

But that's what Chelsea did with Cole isn't it?

Either FIFA come down hard on tapping up players or the rule will be abolished for good and it will be allowed.

How could Wenger be so stupid? He's a very clever man. Ignorant is more like it!

[Lillywhite]

We won't get Baptista. Call me a cynic but I doubt anyone else is going to come in re: MF. We could do with slimming down a bit though so I reckon if we have to wave bye bye boes to someone it should be Brown.

[PoshSpur]

I disagree with you Lillywhite.

Jol has stated that this young squad need experience. I very much doubt that we'll sign Baptista, but we will sign at least one player with experience.

Keane said that he would stay a fight for a place.

If you read inbetween the lines, Keane is actually saying:

"I will stay and sit it out on the bench until my contract runs out, then I'll move to Celtic and play for the best manager in the world, Strachan. I will score lots of goals there also as everyone in the SPL is not very good.

I also look forward to playing at Celtic Park, where I will be cheered on by 60,000 spectators each week. My thanx goes out to all the Spurs fans for the support they have given me over the years.

Bye"

[Lillywhite]

I disagree with you Lillywhite.

Jol has stated that this young squad need experience. I very much doubt that we'll sign Baptista, but we will sign at least one player with experience.

Keane said that he would stay a fight for a place.

If you read inbetween the lines, Keane is actually saying:

"I will stay and sit it out on the bench until my contract runs out, then I'll move to Celtic and play for the best manager in the world, Strachan. I will score lots of goals there also as everyone in the SPL is not very good.

I also look forward to playing at Celtic Park, where I will be cheered on by 60,000 spectators each week. My thanx goes out to all the Spurs fans for the support they have given me over the years.

Bye"

Maybe you're right Jaymes. If a quality midfielder comes in then I'll be happy. If not then I don't actually think it'll be the end of the world. Pretty happy with the squad as is.

As for Keane, I agree 100%. We should sell him now and get some dough for him. I really rate him and think he does a lot for the team but I can't see him being happy with warming the bench for much longer. He could start at a number of prem clubs so if he did go up to Glasgee then it would at least mean he didn't shaft us in any games.