Little better but not quite there - 2020 Summer Transfer Thread

A couple pages back I made a suggestion about Arsenal pursuing Milik from Napoli if we offloaded both PEA & Laca. It's not really a like replacement but in a rotation with Martinelli/Nketiah he would provide us a level of dynamic offensive tactics that we have lacked since OG.

Well, the last couple of days we have officially been linked with many claiming we are the leaders for his services. I've not seen any terms (fee or swap) but there was rumor a month or so ago that Schalke was gonna offer 20-25m euro since he is on an expiring contract

 

PEA may be running out of options... Teams that have rumored to have significant interest... Real, Barca, Inter & PSG

Real - Links have gone cold and now Zidane has back tracked on Jovic and now claims to be willing to give him more time, meaning that he remains at RM as the #2 and there is less room/minutes/$$$ for PEA

Barca - They are focusing on Martinez (Inter) and don't seem to be interested in PEA anymore

PSG - Were considering PEA is they were unable to negotiate the purchase of Icardi. Well, they negotiated the purchase of Icardi so they are no longer in the market.

Inter - Likely his best bet with them expecting to lose Martinez. However, Inter supposedly prefers Lacazette because he is a couple years younger and it is assumed his salary demands will be much less.

Others - there were once links to Chelsea and ManU but those were short lived and haven't surfaced in a couple months.

At this point, unless he is dead set on leaving Arsenal, PEA's best bet may be to stay. His most lucrative option may be to see out his current deal and leave as a FA next summer but that is also risky due to his age. The alternative would be signing an extension and remaining our captain. With the rumors today that we are trying one more time to extend, I wonder if one or both sides are starting to see his options (or lack there of) unfold.

 

Interesting way to promote something by freaking out your current fan base thinking you are announcing a transfer.

 

Seeing a couple reports claiming we have agreed an extension for Luiz with a reduced salary but added performance/appearance bonuses.

 

Makes sense to keep him around 1 more season. Offload Sokratis & Mustafi (and Holding if you must) and replace with young guys with upside. Pencil in Mari & Luiz as the starters and let the young guys bust there ass to push their way into the lineup.

If we added an adequate #6 (Partey would be awesome but there are cheaper options that would work as well) I would be comfortable heading into the season with Mari, Luiz, Holding, Saliba & another young CB.

 

Seeing a few claims that if we can't re-sign PEA that we may be willing to keep him this season and let him walk next summer. With that along with the other rumors that seem to be sticking around, would you be happy with this summer window?

Sell / Swap - Sokratis, Mustafi, Miki, ElNeny, Torreira, Laca
Loan Out - Movra, AMN, Willock/ESR
Buy / Swap - Partey, Young #6 (Diallo?), Young #10 (Kokcu?), Young CB (Fuchs, Disasi?), RB (Cedric, Young RB?)
Loan In - Dembele

If you assume a Laca for Partey swap with no cash, the other buys would be approx 45-60m GBP total depending on what you do at RB. The outs would probably be 50-60m at best so generally a close to zero net spend.

That would leave us with...

ST - PEA, Martinelli, Nketiah
W - Pepe, Dembele, Saka, Nelson, Martinelli/ESR
AM - Ozil, Kokcu, ESR/Willock
CM - Partey, Zhaka, Duezy, Diallo, someone from the Academy
LB - Tierney, Kola
RB - Bellerin, Cedric/Young RB
CB - Mari, Luiz, Holding, Saliba, Fuch/Disasi
GK - Leno, Martinez

 

I don't disagree with that assessment. Would be perfectly fine keeping him as the 5th CM. Not sure if Arteta is cool with that. Also seems like AMN will likely never play RB for us again unless he and Arteta kiss and make up.

 

Looks like you were correct. His announcement was an advertisement for what I can best describe as a youth club organization that Saul and his brother are setting up. 30+ teams 500+ players ages 4-18. So Saul for now is going nowhere and Atletico is rumored to be inquiring about replacements for Partey.

 

Xhaka looked solid under Arteta and I think he could look even better with a guy like Partey next to him that would lessen his defensive responsibility. Don't think Xhaka will ever be the MF we hoped for but I think he can/will be better with a defensively sound partner.
I expect Torriera to be gone and to get a young #6. Then the young #6 rotates with Partey and Duezy rotates with Xhaka.

Xhaka has no place In a 4-3-3 MF and I doubt we move him this window unless he pushes for an exit. Because of that I dont see us switching to a 4-3-3 for next season. Possible we play it on occasion but I would be surprised if our base doesn't remain 4-2-3-1.

 

Given his playing style, I think any attempts to put Xhaka in a 4-3-3, especially the way you described, is gonna result in him sitting back in more of a 2 man base.

Agreed that 4-3-3 means no place for Ozil either, which is another reason we likely don't see much of it unless we put out a younger MF in a cup match. Could actually see it with a new #6 (Diallo?) and 2 of AMN/Duezy/Willock/ESR.

Assuming Arteta wants to go to a 4-3-3 (who know, he may prefer 4-2-3-1), I could see us adding 1-2 pieces this window and finishing out next summer for a full on switch the following season.

 

Personally I am not worried about his age. Could easily give us 4-5 very good years before he starts to decline. However, given the current financial climate, there is no way in hell that we simply "get it over with" and pay his release clause. Don't think we can get back enough in sales this window to meet his clause and take care of other needs. Only way we get Partey is in a player swap. At the moment, the only possible options I see to match the value are Laca (who has been verbally rejecting the idea of a move) or Torreira (who prefers Italy). If our window ends up being a cash only window (sell assets and then buy new ones) you won't see any Partey type deals. Every addition will be a free transfer, loan or a budget friendly deal (20m or less).