Arsenal balls: Mustafi agrees, Mathieu eyed and Wenger wants more of the sale old
Transfer balls: A few days ago, the Express reported that “VALENCIA have already earmarked two candidates to replace Arsenal-bound Shkodran “. The paper talk is of Arsenal being in a state of “crisis”. The club’s three first-choice centre-backs are out for the start of the season. The Indy agrees that Arsene Wenger has found his saviour, reporting yesterday: “Arsene Wenger to complete £28m deal for Shkodran Mustafi next week.”
The Telegraph says Mustafi has “agreed to sign a five-year deal at the Emirates stadium”.
All agreed, then? No. ESPN says today: “Arsenal could turn to Jeremy Mathieu should Shkodran Mustafi deal collapse.” The Sun says that Arsenal could hire Barcelona’s Mathieu to “solve their problems”.
The problem is that when the trio of crocks are fit, buying Mustafi, a German international, will give Arsenal six first-class central defenders, the others being: Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Gabriel Paulista and Laurent Koscielny. And then there are fullbacks Nacho Monreal and Mathieu Debuchy ready to “solve their early-season central defensive crisis” (Mirror).
Just eight first-team players, then, who can play at centre back for Arsenal. Although, according to Il Tempo, Debuchy is on his way to AS Roma.
“It is very challenging but it is as well an opportunity,” Wenger says of the injuries. “All the players, no matter how big they are, they started at some stage [intending] to play at the top level. And top-level sport is about grabbing opportunities. When you get it, you have to be ready.”
So no news players? He tells the Guardian:
“If you want to make everybody happy, then just buy 20 new players and everybody is full of hope until the first game starts and then we’re back to reality… Vibrancy doesn’t make you win games. What makes you win games is the quality of the performance and the quality of your football. You have to focus just on that. It is very difficult in the modern game. There is always demand for new – but new is just new. After six months it’s not new anymore. If every time you don’t win you throw everything out, it is not the best way to win.”
One problem, of course, is that every time Arsenal don’t win they throw nothing out.
Posted: 14th, August 2016 | In: Arsenal, Back pages, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
