Kylian Mbappe, Welcome to Arsenal! - Summer 2024 Transfer Thread

I still think OZ should be looked at for L/R 8 rotation. His skillset was advantageous as an inverted FB because he played like a CM. Now that teams are exploited his defensive deficiencies in that role, why not try the guy that plays like a CM in the actual CM spot?

 

He gets caught on the ball too often, especially for someone with such incredible technique.

 

I could see a lot of games when Zinchenko is used but it relies on two specific scenarios, one is that we are absolutely brutally dominant in possession, and two is that the team lacks left sided threats.

If we need to defend that side, he won't play. And if possession isn't above 55% he won't play.

 

Zinchenko is perfect vs Bournemouth but we have other options vs better sides

I can see timber in a deep midfield role, he looks at his best on the half turn. Might work instead of shilling out loads on a dm who there are not many of

seems like there are kids of wide forwards and box to box midfielders these days

 

I keep envisioning a back 4 of Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, and White, with Rice and Timber in front of them and wondering who’s going to score against them. I don’t expect Arteta to convert Timber into a defensive midfielder, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arteta go to this group to see out close games.

 

Orny says that Pool are after Zubi. Im gonna be super pissed if they convince him to leave when we could not (yet).

 

Sounds like we blinked.....

🚨🔵⚪️ Olympique Marseille explored move for Wahi in the last 24 hours…

…while Eddie Nketiah option remains on the table after Arsenal open to discussing terms of the deal again after bid rejected last week.

OM are reflecting. 💭👀

Moukoko, separate deal. pic.twitter.com/k8SgdMzqBa

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 7, 2024

 

Maybe it's less about Arsenal blinking and more about OM thinking they couldn't get a better deal and being incredibly stupid to think Lens would accept 20m for a guy they bought for 30m last summer.

🚨🇫🇷Lens rejette la première offre de Marseille - 20M€ hors bonus - pour Elye Wahi
➡️ Lens, qui a deboursé 30M€ pour l’acheter la saison passée, ne veut pas perdre d’argent dans cette opération

🔹West Ham et Leceister sont intéressés mais Elye Wahi veut jouer à l’OM ✅ pic.twitter.com/9xROKz66is

— Fabrice Hawkins (@FabriceHawkins) August 7, 2024

 

🚨 Real Sociedad expect Martin Zubimendi to accept move to Liverpool, according to #Sociedad sources. Clubs would still need to agree fee, unless #LFC decide to trigger €60m release clause - which needs to be paid in full. W/ @GuillermoRai_ @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/2ygZ2a7QaI

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 7, 2024

 

dang liverpool got us

 

Curious why Zubimendi would turn down a move to Arsenal but not Liverpool.

 

Arteta probably weirded him out.

 

I had heard that we didn't pursue hard enough because we can't get rid of Partey, if thats the case I will be furious when we are 4 games into the season and Partey does a hammy that sees him out for 3 months.

 

Reportedly he loves Xabi and would have gone to Bayern Munich if Xabi had taken that job. Maybe Xabi’s time at Liverpool turned a young Zubimendi into a Liverpool fan.

 

Also wouldn't be surprised if Slot doesn't do well in the next 2 seasons Xabi will be getting a call from the Pool higher ups.

 

Perhaps, but it seems like Xabi is waiting for a chance to get fired by Madrid.

 

According to Romano, Arsenal never engaged in any negotiations with Zubi or Sociedad. Soooooo...... we either changed our minds, didn't like the answers we got when we put out feelers or (like was mentioned above) decided that we could only pursue if Partey was moved.

 

Shame we miss out on an obvious talent by I guess Arteta sees our build up as ok with the likes of white and Zinny contributing from the middle etc

 

Think it’s more likely that we didn’t like the answers.