Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

Pepe LeFrits · 14-05-2008 09:12AM

Anything close to £20m for Ben Arfa would be ridiculous.

He is younger than Malouda, but Malouda is far more polished than Ben Arfa. Chelsea also overpaid for Malouda, as usual.

Ben Arfa doesn't get on with golden boy Benzema and at the moment he can't get into the Lyon starting XI.

£11 to £13m would be more than a fair price.

IrishMike · 14-05-2008 09:20AM

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Anything close to £20m for Ben Arfa would be ridiculous.

He is younger than Malouda, but Malouda is far more polished than Ben Arfa. Chelsea also overpaid for Malouda, as usual.

Ben Arfa doesn't get on with golden boy Benzema and at the moment he can't get into the Lyon starting XI.

£11 to £13m would be more than a fair price.

Babel cost Liverpool £12m
Ben Afra is a better player and far more polished that Babel.
He is also more skillful and has a reputation at 20 which Malouda certaintly didnt have.
To say £11m is a fair price is irrelevant, its Lyon you are dealing with.
They dont do fair and they dont do compromise.
Getting Ben Afra for that price would be akin to robbery at gunpoint.
Hope it happens though as Aulas (Lyon President) is a gimp

Evil_Clown · 14-05-2008 09:24AM

As per usual with alot of these transfers it will prob be around £11 - £13 mil with extra payments for winning league, going far in champions league etc
I'd say

Pepe LeFrits · 14-05-2008 09:34AM

IrishMike wrote: »

Babel cost Liverpool £12m
Ben Afra is a better player and far more polished that Babel.

I don’t agree. I thought Babel’s fee was steep but then he was 20, a key player for Ajax and had played a lot of games for the Netherlands. By comparison, Ben Arfa isn’t a Lyon first teamer, he is 21, and he has only a handful of caps with the France team.

To say £11m is a fair price is irrelevant, its Lyon you are dealing with.
They dont do fair and they dont do compromise.
Getting Ben Afra for that price would be akin to robbery at gunpoint.

The difference with the usual Lyon transfers is that they aren’t desperate to hold onto Ben Arfa.

cson · 14-05-2008 06:22PM

Seemingly interested in Yaya Toure according to Sky Sports. Can't see it happening tbh, he's one of Barca's better players and they'd be loathe to let him go. Ben Arfa has also confirmed he's talked with Arsenal (SS again).

I think Arsene has more or less confirmed himself that we will be buying an experienced CB, but who that will be is puzzling me. Richie Dunne would be an obvious one, but he's not a typical Arsene purchase.

OPENROAD · 14-05-2008 06:25PM

cson wrote: »

Seemingly interested in Yaya Toure according to Sky Sports. Can't see it happening tbh, he's one of Barca's better players and they'd be loathe to let him go. Ben Arfa has also confirmed he's talked with Arsenal (SS again).

I think Arsene has more or less confirmed himself that we will be buying an experienced CB, but who that will be is puzzling me. Richie Dunne would be an obvious one, but he's not a typical Arsene purchase.

Would love Toure but can't see it.

As you say Dunne would not be a typical Arsenal purchase and while a good cb, personally don't rate him.

cson · 14-05-2008 06:30PM

Dunne is a good man to get stuck in, and he wouldn't have to adjust to the Premiership or any of that ****e, he'd be a good signing for us. but it won't happen because he's 29 and we just don't sign anyone >25 these days. In fact even >20 sometimes!

Bounty Hunter · 14-05-2008 06:35PM

I thought Arsenal would sign Yaya a few years back before Barca did but cant see it happening now. Doubt he will leave the Nou camp for atleast a few years but will always be linked to Arsenal while Kolo plays there.

Pepe LeFrits · 14-05-2008 07:07PM

Not keen on Yaya personally. He isn't mobile enough and isn't really a defensive midfield player (even though that's where Barca play him).

Kid Nothing · 15-05-2008 01:45PM

Carlos Vela has his passport in the bag apparently, great news....hopefully he can play a Walcott role to good effect next season.

Pepe LeFrits · 15-05-2008 06:26PM

Arsenal have firmed up their desire to bring Carlos Vela into the first-team squad next season by applying for a work permit.

The 19-year-old striker is currently on loan at Spanish side Osasuna but Arsène Wenger has consistently suggested he would bring the Mexican into the fold at the end of the summer. Speaking ahead of the last weekend, the manager revealed the Club were taking the necessary steps to make that happen.

"We have applied for a work permit for him now," said Wenger. "And he will be involved with the first-team next season.

"He has played the whole season at Osasuna on the left wing and he had to work hard there. But for me it is not his position he is a central striker, an Eduardo type."

Not that I'm not pleased and excited to have Carlos finally arriving, but I hope this isn't the attacking midfield signing Wenger was talking about.

Mr Alan · 15-05-2008 07:51PM

note the comment from Maloudas agent here in relation to Arsene Wenger, pretty sure that Ben Aarfa is represented by the same people, so looks like ye may have him in the bag....

http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/05/15/Prem-Maloudas-agent-exclusive-on-Liverpool/

Pepe LeFrits · 15-05-2008 10:22PM

Mr Alan wrote: »

note the comment from Maloudas agent here in relation to Arsene Wenger, pretty sure that Ben Aarfa is represented by the same people, so looks like ye may have him in the bag....

http://sport.setanta.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/05/15/Prem-Maloudas-agent-exclusive-on-Liverpool/

Source on him representing Ben Arfa?

http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/berater/194/flavierphilip/uebersicht/beraterdetails.html

Achile Emana looks like the only likely one from that list, anyway.

Evil_Clown · 16-05-2008 08:49AM

Pepe LeFrits wrote: »

Not that I'm not pleased and excited to have Carlos finally arriving, but I hope this isn't the attacking midfield signing Wenger was talking about.

I don't think he is tbh.
It looks to me as if AW may play vela through the middle on occasion so that I think completley rules out him signing a striker
Think AW will sign 2/3 players, attacking midfielder prob Ben Arfa and a defender I'm not even goin to try and guess who, and possibly a replacement for flamini but some of the blogs i've been reading seem to think that AW may not sign a replacement for the Flamster which would be a mistake imo
Neith Diaby, denilson or Song are ready for that role yet and Gilberto while a good back up does not have the mobility for the positio week in , week out

Pepe LeFrits · 16-05-2008 09:03AM

Personally I won't be too bothered if Wenger doesn't sign a replacement for Flamini. Gilberto has been playing a lot better recently, I think the reasons for his awful form in the first half of the season were largely mental (although he has also lost some of his physical edge too). Wenger treated him poorly, he thought he would be captain after a superb 06/07 season and instead he looked to be on the way out. Once it became apparent that he could still have a future at Arsenal with Flamini dithering on the contract offer, he got the morale boost he needed to regain his form.

Also, I rate Denilson very highly. I feel he is very close to establishing himself as a top quality midfielder, he just needs games. People say he doesn’t offer the same qualities that Flamini does but I disagree. His work-rate and aggression are underrated; he has captained Brazil at most youth levels, is naturally very vocal and he loves to tackle. At the same time, he is technically excellent and is a great passer. Wenger likened him to a cross between Rosicky and Gilberto when he arrived but he’s always struck me as being more like a cross between Edu and Roy Keane. He isn’t ready to play an entire season at a title-winning level but that should be what Gilberto is for.

Evil_Clown · 16-05-2008 10:00AM

I hope you are right about Denilson I just haven't seen enough of him in Top class matches to be fully convinced yet, at least with Flamini you had the champions league run be it at left back but he still gave some excellent displays so you knew he was capable
But in Arsene we Trust so if he does not buy another DM then one of Diaby/Denilson/Song (or dare I say it maybe even Kolo Toure if we sign another centre half), will have to step up and be counted

jank · 16-05-2008 10:03AM

I dont know.
Not getting another CM to partner Cesc would be a big mistake IMO.
We are desperately short in that area of the field.

Gilberto doesnt have enough about him IMO.
Diaby flaters to deceive.
Denilson doesnt seem to do much to be honest. He is talented but what is his job on the pitch?
We cannot over rely on Cesc week in week out. He needs to be rested.

Pepe LeFrits · 16-05-2008 10:12AM

Cesc being rested and the DM position are two separate issues. For the attacking role Wenger has Fabregas, Diaby, Rosicky, Denilson (at a push) and possibly Merida or Randall to choose from. I think that is enough quality to rest Cesc occasionally against the weaker sides, but Wenger seems reluctant to do so. In the defensive role he currently has Gilberto, Denilson, Song and Djourou. Personally I think that getting a wide attacking midfielder and a centre-back is a higher priority as those are decent options.

Pepe LeFrits · 16-05-2008 10:14AM

From Arsenal.com

"I believe he is a remarkable player and I was one of the very, very few who believed in Alexandre Song," said Wenger.

"I can show you articles in newspapers which said that [he] was the worst buy I have made but you will see in one or two years that he will be a great player for Arsenal."

Song's late-season surge has prompted speculation that he could replace Mathieu Flamini in the centre of midfield following the Frenchman's decision to join AC Milan. Song is comfortable in the engine room - he shone in that role while on loan at Charlton last season - but Wenger has other plans for the Cameroon international.

"Trust me, if I make a decision it is because I know all the characteristics of the player whether they are physical or mental characteristics," he said.

"When I put a player somewhere, I know why I do. If I play Song at centre back it is because I believe he will be a great centre back for Arsenal Football Club.

"In Song's case, he can play in central midfield. But can he play 60 games there? I am not convinced."

jank · 16-05-2008 10:24AM

In the defensive role he currently has Gilberto, Denilson, Song and Djourou

Hmmm that list doesnt strike me with much confidence.

Galvasean · 16-05-2008 10:29AM

Wenger blasts Galvasean! :eek:
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=491487&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Wenger+-+Eboue%27s+critics+are+wide+of+the+mark

edit: Barcelona have said they are willing to let Deco go in the summer. Arsenal wanted to sign him about 2/3 years ago. I doubt they'd be too interested now considering his injury proneness. Although if the price was right...

jank · 16-05-2008 10:44AM

Galvasean wrote: »

Wenger blasts Galvasean! :eek:
http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=491487&lid=NewsHeadline&Title=Wenger+-+Eboue%27s+critics+are+wide+of+the+mark

edit: Barcelona have said they are willing to let Deco go in the summer. Arsenal wanted to sign him about 2/3 years ago. I doubt they'd be too interested now considering his injury proneness. Although if the price was right...

Much too lightweight for the prem. I always thought he was overrated.

Evil_Clown · 16-05-2008 10:51AM

Poor Ray Parlour :eek:
I bet he can't sleep since he read that article
I love Aw but I have to disagree with him on this one Theo should take that position next year with Eboue as back up for both RB and RMF (I want him to leave but I don't think he will)
He is about the only Arsenal player that when my Man U/ Liverpool friends slag him, I don't defend him

Pepe LeFrits · 16-05-2008 05:54PM

Razor must be horrified to read Wenger's comments about Eboue.

...

Time for a shameless plug: I've created a new Arsenal blog. Link is in my signature.

keano_afc · 16-05-2008 06:25PM

Could not believe he mentioned Razor and that plank in the same sentence. Had to laugh at his comments regarding Vela as well. He said something along the lines of "he's been playing on the left, but he needs to play through the middle. He's a striker, the same as Eduardo". Perchance is that the same Eduardo that he played out of position on the left wing during the season??

OPENROAD · 16-05-2008 07:16PM

keano_afc wrote: »

Could not believe he mentioned Razor and that plank in the same sentence. Had to laugh at his comments regarding Vela as well. He said something along the lines of "he's been playing on the left, but he needs to play through the middle. He's a striker, the same as Eduardo". Perchance is that the same Eduardo that he played out of position on the left wing during the season??

The comparison with Parlour was in relation to a question he was asked at the shareholders meeting when somone had a go at Eboue and his lack of goals but I do agree, Ray Parlour was a great player for Arsenal imo, he always gave 110% in every match.

PDN · 17-05-2008 12:44AM

I want Arsenal to get rid of Eboue.

His performances are often substandard, but I could forgive that. I want him to go because he's a dirty player and a diving cheat.

Pepe LeFrits · 17-05-2008 08:12AM

I don't think many would disagree. I cringe every time I see him on the teamsheet.

Linked to Nasri yesterday. Hleb replacement perhaps?

Galvasean · 17-05-2008 01:10PM

PDN wrote: »

I want Arsenal to get rid of Eboue.

His performances are often substandard, but I could forgive that. I want him to go because he's a dirty player and a diving cheat.

Seconded.

I see in another thread Cesc is getting his own TV show. There goes my Monday evenings...

Fuzzy_Dunlop · 17-05-2008 02:09PM

Galvasean wrote: »

I see in another thread Cesc is getting his own TV show. There goes my Monday evenings...

Nah don't worry its only a one off thing.

Arsenal Transfer Rumours And General Chat

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