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It seems like the dust has only just settled on the ‘will they, won’t they’ speculation regarding Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil leaving Arsenal in the summer. Yet, here were are less than two months before the January transfer window opens, and Arsenal fans are getting ready to jump back on the emotional rollercoaster ride.
Twenty-one years. Normally when you reach such a landmark there is nothing but celebration and enthusiasm for what the future may hold. It couldn’t be more different for Arsene Wenger, 21 years now at the helm of an Arsenal ship that is seemingly listing more as each season passes.
We are now a quarter of the way through the season and again the same patterns seem to be arising for the Frenchman. So how have the first two months of this campaign shaped up? What to make of the new signings at the club? Was he right to let Oxlade Chamberlain leave? And what of Sanchez and Ozil?
Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has insisted that he will look to score goals in key games where former strikers have failed to succeed.
Lacazette scored just 94 seconds into his league debut against Leicester City but was unfortunate to have his goal chalked off for offside in the 1-0 loss at Stoke City. The Frenchman has maintained a tally of over 20 goals in each of his last four seasons, and he is aiming to take this form forward by scoring in the crunch games, he told Sky Sports: “I’m going to score goals at key times in games where Arsenal may have struggled in previous seasons. I’m going to win us games.”
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has stressed that his compatriot is still adapting to the rigours of the Premier League, but he will soon get back to his old self, he said: He is still in an adaptation period to the team and to the league. He is a bit surprised by the intensity of it all in training and in the games. He will get there because he is brave and he is intelligent.”
Read More “Alexandre Lacazette makes goalscoring promise to Arsenal supporters”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has insisted that Alexis Sanchez is indeed suffering from flu which could restrict his participation in first-team training.
However, the Gunners manager has clarified that his main attacker ‘has flu’ but he will nevertheless arrive at the English capital tomorrow. The 28-year-old is therein expected to resume training in a couple of days with Wenger maintaining his stance to not sell Sanchez this summer.
Wenger said: “He has flu, yes. I had him on text yesterday. He will come back as soon as possible and we were in touch with him and his doctor and he has no basic problem apart from the fact that he should come back tomorrow, but he comes back on Tuesday.”
Read More “Arsene Wenger confirms Alexis Sanchez is ill amid exit talk”
Even whilst Chelsea manager Antonio Conte tells press conferences that he remains confident with the situation at hand despite the season opener loss to Burnley in the Premier League, and the Italian says he is not worried about the lack of more signings this summer, Chelsea are doing everything in their power to land Arsenal starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The defending champions have spent around £130 million to get four players so far this summer, but more players from the title-winning squad have left, and the 3-2 shock loss at Stamford Bridge increased the pressure for the manager to add players.
Despite Arsenal having some great success in the transfer window so far, it has lacked the impetus expected from Arsene Wenger in what could be his last couple of seasons at the Emirates. They signed Sead Kolasinac for free to shore-up the defence and left-back position and spent a club-record fee to bring in Alexandre Lacazette to finally give Arsenal a true striker.
Daniele Rugani has been in the Juventus system since February 2015, and the club has been moulding him into their next centre-back star. Having been blooded into the first team over the last couple of seasons, the Italian champions have effectively put their trust in Rugani for the upcoming campaign.
This comes after the huge-spending AC Milan managed to claw top centre-back Leonardo Bonucci away from Juventus and the champions decided not to sign a replacement following the transfer. They did get Medhi Benatia from Bayern Munich during the Kingsley Coman negotiations, but since Bonucci left, Juve haven’t signed and kept another centre-back.
This puts the 6’3’’ 23-year-old in a prime position to get a lot more game time, and that appears to be the way in which Juventus are going with him. So, losing him this late in the transfer window could be catastrophic to the team. Due to a fantastic summer of signings, AC Milan have closed in to 13/2 in the Serie A betting. Juventus are still clear favourites, but given the immense talent fluxed into AC Milan, perhaps the odds should reflect a closer race as the challengers certainly have the tools to have a good run at the title.
It’s hard to ignore both Juventus’ six-season winning streak of Serie A and the immense team that AC Milan have built, so this could make for the most competitive campaign for years, which Juventus will not want to be pulled into. Keeping their future star Daniele Rugani is a must if they wish to remain dominant, so they’re very unlikely to let him go.
Much of the other transfer talk surrounds attacking players such as Thomas Lemar, Lucas Moura, and Ousmane Dembele, most likely because of the Alexis Sanchez situation. But, if Arsene Wenger wants to continue down the three-at-the-back route, he will want to sign a central defender experienced with the tactical structure of the formation, instead of relying on full-backs to get the job done over the long season.
If the Gunners do end up getting Daniele Rugani, it would be a fantastic signing, but it looks rather unlikely at this point.
France international Olivier Giroud could make a move to Everton this summer after Borussia Dortmund decided to keep hold of Pierre-EmerickAubameyang for the campaign.
According to The Telegraph, the Toffees are now favourites to wrap up a deal for Giroud, who is valued at around £20m by Arsenal.The French marksman was a regular starter from the substitutes’ bench over the course of the previous campaign, and the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette has increased speculation of him leaving the Emirates.
Giroud has continued to show his commitment to the north London club, but the offer of regular first-team football at a domestic rival could be hard to refuse – with the World Cup coming along next year.
The striker has earned a regular spot alongside Antoine Griezmann in the France setup, and the lack of first-team action could hinder his prospects of maintaining his role with a young Kylian Mbappe and Lacazette providing competition.
Read More “Arsenal striker could join Premier League rival this summer”
Arda Turan’s representative has insisted that his client is not going anywhere amid the alleged verbal agreement to join Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
The 30-year-old joined the Catalonia-based club from Atletico Madrid back in the summer of 2015 but their transfer embargo restricted him from participation until 2016. He has since endured one of his toughest spells in professional football with former boss Luis Enrique utilising him as backup to his starting lineup. Both Neymar and Lione Messi are irreplaceable owing to their ever-growing status, and this has seen Turan earn a regular role off the substitutes’ bench.
Haberturk recently suggested that the Catalan giants had given the green light for Turan to complete his preferred move to London in the summer, but his agent Ahmet Bulut has poured cold water to the speculation by suggesting that the attacker is happy where he is, he told AS:
Read More “Forward’s agent speaks out amid Arsenal transfer speculation”
Arsene Wenger says that it is likely that Spurs’ progress will be halted by the move to a new stadium.
Arsenal moved into the Emirates stadium just over a decade ago and faced a lot of issues with regard to finances. Wenger was unable to spend much money in the transfer window, and he predicts that Spurs will face a similar situation after the move to this brand-new stadium.
Read More “Arsene Wenger Predicts Tough Time Ahead for Spurs in New Stadium”
Arsenal players and the coaching staff have been facing a lot of anger from the supporters over a disappointing campaign.
Hector Bellerin is the latest Arsenal player to face a huge backlash from fans, as he was booed by a section of Arsenal’s own supporters in the recent game against Crystal Palace. The club suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat against their London rivals. The result put more pressure on the club, who are facing a tough run of games in the end of the campaign. Wenger has recalled that was one of the best players for the club until November.
Read More “Arsene Wenger Displeased with Criticism of Hector Bellerin”