If the offer is truly for 35m, you gotta take it. This is a player that doesn't really even play. Whether injured or just not preferred by Arteta.
🗣️ || Arsenal have offered to pay €40m / £34m for Barça LB, Alejandro Balde.— Dean James (@DeanJamesAFC) July 19, 2024
We have 6 weeks left in this window and we haven't really addressed a single need for the team yet. All of the talk from Edu/Arteta that they had everything planned out is really ringing hollow. The deal for Calafiori is reportedly all but canceled. There's no significant smoke on anyone else coming in.
Assuming this would be a Calafiori backup plan? Sell Zinchenko? Since Balde has been injured since January, I'm very skeptical. The club doesn't have a Rice problem, they have a Partey problem. Reports are that he's not going anywhere. They have Partey, Jorginho and Rice. Who do they add to that group assuming it can only be one? Rice is fine at 6 against a lot of opponents. They could buy a 6 next summer when Jorginho and Partey are gone and hopefully, the options are better.
I’ve been saying this since the World Cup he hasn’t got that side of the game, the tempo discarding and the passing range he’s a high level runner who is better bursting forward
I don't know if I would go that far, part of Rice's struggles during the group was he'd look up and he wasn't getting Arsenal level of support in terms of willing runners/receivers.
Articles like the one below. Similar stories have been circulated for months. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/arsenal-fc-transfer-news-striker-edu-b1141366.html
🚨🔴⚪️ EXCL: Arsenal and Bologna have reached an agreement for Riccardo Calafiori, after breakthrough revealed earlier!Understand fee is €40m plus €5m add-ons and sell-on clause.Final step needed: Basel and Bologna to agree 50% sell-on payment terms, then… here we go! 🏁 pic.twitter.com/ueCZ3XOu5f— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 20, 2024
Early song suggestion to the tune of Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” When the world seems to shine Like you've had too much wine That’s Calafiori When you dance down the street With a cloud at your feet, that’s Calafiori
I agree that he's not the ideal Arteta 6 (ie., a younger more athletic Jorginho), but man that's harsh considering the dudes he had to play with and the system with England.
🚨 Mikel Arteta is understood to want to keep Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal, despite using him sparingly last season. Smith Rowe is due to depart for the club’s pre-season tour to the United States on Sunday, with Arteta set to decide on his future. [@ed_aarons] #afc pic.twitter.com/QfyPk5FI05— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 19, 2024
I would love ESR to "make it" at Arsenal but this seems bizarre. Arteta engaging in some high level Hamlet shit.
It’s called bargaining, i.e., I really don’t want to sell him, but if you offer £45m, I’ll think about it.
Yeah, I considered that, of course, but he's made a bit of a habit of providing mixed messages about ESR.
Edu trying to wrap this up quickly? Make us a better offer, Arteta wants to keep him, you need to do so by Sunday or he's going to LA. FWIW Vieira started over ESR in a friendly this morning.
Think that’s the key question though: can Rice play at six in a possession based side? I think he’s shown limitations that suggest he can’t because he can’t receive under pressure, turn, and make the progressive passes necessary. That doesn’t mean he’s not an awesome player, but that’s a role he isn’t suited for.
He can’t play as a single pivot the same way Jorginho can’t play as a runner or 8 as well as he does at a 4/6 it’s style of play
Same tune (stolen from Twitter) When he plays at the back he will stop your attack Calafiori He chose red over blue plays for Mik and Edu Califiori!
🚨🔵⚪️ Olympique Marseille have sent initial proposal to Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah.No agreement close yet but negotiations started between clubs, as @Santi_J_FM reported.He’s one of the next top targets after Mason Greenwood. pic.twitter.com/j5UKSmvyfw— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 20, 2024