🚨 EXCL: Arsenal finalising move for Oleksandr Zinchenko from Man City after reaching agreement in principle on 4yr contract. Fee £30m + £2m achievable adds & now personal terms in place too. If all goes to plan, medical then sign @TheAthleticUK #MCFC #AFC https://t.co/H1ltVpVjK5— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 18, 2022
In a podcast interview Orny also claimed that the FO is very interested in Tielemans but will need to clear some roster space before they can move on him.
I’m guessing this is it right? Unless we have any players moving which I have seen pretty much zero chatter about, besides players who were previously loaned out. Hate that we’re rolling with Cedric as probably at least starting half the games but such is life.
Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal, here we go! Full agreement in place since Friday with Man City for £30m guaranteed fee, personal terms also agreed. Zinchenko, always been keen on re-joining Arteta. 🚨⚪️🔴 #AFCContract until June 2026, as per @David_Ornstein - medical this week. pic.twitter.com/sVpYpZN2iH— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 18, 2022
Has anyone watched him play in midfield? He is definitely is more dynamic than Xhaka. How does out line up look? Vieira? Odegaard? This definitely could mean Partey isn't expected to return. His versatility makes us forget Martinez who was a poor target. We've done business well. It's now time to sell deadweights. Pepe, AMN, Torreira, etc.
In theory Jesus and Zinchenko should bring a degree of poise and drive to the club, having spent the past few years with Citeh vying for trophies and in a setting with quality competition for playing time. If Arteta can replicate that environment hopefully these signings will prove impactful. I mean, the two of them have been had for the same price as Pepe, so odds are this is a net upgrade for the roster.
Arsenal hoping that Zinchenko will be able to play a part in the US tour, if all goes smoothly. Agreement now reached with City and player, as reported by @David_Ornstein. £30m. Medical imminent, possibly in the States as he is there with City. Logistics being finalised now.— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) July 18, 2022 Zinchenko is with City in TX on their US tour.
Assuming Arsenal move Pepe and most of last seasons loanees out, what does that leave, a wing/left eight and a back up left footed left center back?
That could be interesting. Player makes move from club to club during a tour abroad, when both teams are in the same country. Has that happened before? It's almost like working on a Norwegian cruise in the Caribbean when you get a similar job with Carnival on a nearby ship, and you literally jump ships.
My $0.02 based on the current roster... GK - Ramsdale, Turner, Leno, Hein, Okonkwo, Runarsson In - None Out - Leno, Runarrson & one of Okonkwo/Hein (loan) CB - Gabriel, White, Saliba, Holding, Mari In - None unless there is a surprise out. Then left-footed CB possible Out - Mari FB - Tierney, Tomi, Cedric, Nuno, AMN, Bellerin In - Zinchenko Out - Nuno (loan), AMN, Bellerin DM - Partey, El Neny, Torriera In - None unless Partey is unavailable Out - Torriera CM - Xhaka, Sambi, Patino, Azeez In - Tielemans or Paqueta or ???. Likely don't see any Ins until a few of the Outs are complete. Out - possibly Patino (loan) and/or Azeez (loan) AM - MO, Vieira In - None Out - None W - Saka, Martinelli, ESR, Pepe, Nelson, Marquinhos In - Possible RW if Pepe is moved Out - Pepe, Nelson, Marquinhos (loan) ST - Jesus, Eddie, Balogun In - None Out - Balogun (loan)
if Partey isn’t available Arteta could invert both fullbacks to protect the 6, in which case the left 8 becomes more of an AM, instead of a box to box 8. Since Pep used Zinchenko as an inverted FB who moved into midfield, that may well be the plan, in at least some games. If so, Arsenal could use another AM who is also capable of playing on the wings, e.g. Paqueta.
There was a link to Tapsoba a couple days ago, but he's right footed and nothing has come of it since. Also saw a link to Calvin Bassey but he's going to Ajax as a Martinez replacement. Levi Cowill is left footed and supposedly wants to leave Chelsea if they sign another CB, but he's being linked with Palace mostly. My guess is Holding is the backup LCB despite being right footed. Or if Zinchenko takes the majority of the minutes at LB, maybe Tierney plays some LCB? There was talk of Hutchinson getting Europa League minutes, with him leaving maybe Marquinos doesn't go on loan, plays u23's and cups for the first team.
Agreed. I honestly think that is where we are headed. Also helps the FBs take less a beating on their bodies if they arent travelling as much distance per 90. Im counting Tielemans & Paqueta as the left AM/CM options. Both play more on the left and can play as both a #10 and #8.
I think all of the CB links so far have been garbage. Dont see us adding another unless one of the main 4 leave and at the moment I dont see any of them going. All of them seem to either be very happy here and/or want to fight for a spot here. Very possible. I listed most of the academy types as leaving on loan but its very possible a couple stay until atleast Jan, especially at a position like W that could use cup depth.
Please stop signing center halves, Mikel. I would guess many of our preferred outgoings don’t happen.
Decent chance that a few fail. Below are the guys that people expect/want to be sold and the rumors that I have heard in the last 1-2 weeks... Leno - Fulham pushing. Personal terms agreed. squabbling over fee. Supposedly Fulham offered 10m and we want 15m. I think deal eventually gets done. My guess is 10m + 3-5m if Fulham stay up. Bellerin - Nothing new. I think he goes but it will likely be later in the window and we will have to make concessions. Torreira - Supposedly Valencia, Roma & Juve interested. I think he goes. The question becomes how much we get in return. Pepe - Supposedly Sevilla & Leeds interested. He may be hardest to move due to his salary. Could see a loan as suggested above. Just hope that we don't do a bad option to buy like Duezy. Mari - Nothing. Have a feeling that he sits the bench or plays cups until Jan. AMN - Nothing. Feel like he is either gonna end up at a lower half club later in the window or playing in cups until Jan Reiss - Nothing. Same as AMN. Runarsson - Nothing. Think he goes for a bag of balls and a set of cones.
Also, I’m into the Zinchenko signing. People question his defense at fullback. They also seem to think that’s the issue with Tavares. To me, the issue with Tavares is that his passing is terrible. Zinchenko’s passing is great. Fwiw.
Saw speculation today that if Betis sell Alex Moreno to Forest, they will have the cash to buy Bellerin.
Crazy thing is that I've seen poor poverty stricken Betis linked to several players in other positions that would be more expensive than Bellerin.
mari feels like he's going in the same late-window path as bellerin. probably whenever the dust settles and various lower-serie A clubs realise they won't be getting their top choice so they turn towards "good enough" and "for now". to be honest, if all that pepe goes for is cancelling out what we still owe lille, it's still a win. i wonder how much of maitland-niles' fates is tied to what happens with partey. man, unless we can get a decent deal - possibly something with low fee and decent sell-on and possibly a buy-back - from feyenoord, i'd just as soon we run nelson out as the wing alternative while dumping pepe.
It’s happened before. IIRC, Zlatan was on tour with Inter when he moved to Barcelona who were in Texas.
Based on what I am seeing, I am 100% positive Leno, Torreira and Bellerin are gone this window. And then its highly likely we see the backs of Mari. The ones I see nothing for, which makes me think they are staying, are Nelson who might be kept as wing forward depth, and Pepe because no one can afford them.