Friday 3 August 2012

Who Says We Lack Ambition? Robin Who?


Don't mind the colour of his shirt, he's ours now

It's been an interesting week, hasn't it? One of the stories that has lived in the realms of rumours for the past couple of weeks has become reality with confirmation of Santi Cazorla's arrival in London yesterday for medicals before signing off on the dotted lines on what is reported to be a £70k/week four year contract. He is reported to have cost us a whopping £18m which is a new club record since Arshavin's move in 2009 that cost the club £15m. Latest reports indicate that he has completed and passed his medicals today and was subsequently introduced to the rest of the squad at the London Colney training facility. Only thing left now is a formal announcement by the club which shouldn't be too far away now.

It's a move that Arsenal fans have looked forward to since the rumours started a while back. Wenger had gone after him last summer as a possible replacement for Fabregas before the then financial prowess of Malaga lured him that way from Villareal. Malaga has since fallen on hard times that has seen them unable to keep up with players' wages and it seems we've played the opportunist card and gotten our man. Hurray! (Sorry Malaga).

Cazorla is reputedly technically gifted, fast and has an uncanny ability to change the rhythm of game play. He played mostly as a winger at both Villareal and Malaga but can also fit into the supporting striker role directly behind the central striker. Being notoriously ambidextrous, he can play on either of the flanks although it is believed that Wenger will use him in the middle of the park as a play maker. He scored nine goals, had five assists and won nine man of the match awards playing for Malaga last season. In fact only Ronaldo and Messi had more man of the match awards. And wait for it, he started every game last season for Malaga so his injury record is sound. Suddenly, the future looks bright and cheery.

And from the grapevine, an anonymous source said Wenger took Vermaleen into his office yesterday after the day's training session to inform him of Cazorla's impending arrival. Note should be taken of the fact that it was Vermaleen not RVP that was accorded this respect. How do rumours get started? (Know that song?)

Talking about RVP, he will go with the first team to a pre-season training camp in Germany next week that will culminate in a match with FC Colgne on the 12th of August despite Juventus giving RVP a 7th August deadline to make a decision on their offer or they will pull out of the transfer talks.

Juventus have reportedly offered Arsenal £20m and RVP a five year £190k/week deal but RVP developed cold feet after Juventus coach, Antonio Conte had match fixing allegations leveled against him that may see him facing a lengthy ban from football. Carl Thomas, the assistant to RVP's agent Kees Vos twitted that Conte's situation is hardly the advert to convince RVP that Juventus should be the striker's choice of destination.

RVP is reported to favour a move to the red side of Manchester if Juventus doesn't work but Ferguson is unwilling to fork out in excess of £15m for the 29 year old given his injury records.

Strong rumours emerged yesterday in the media this week that the Catalan Marauders have once more started sniffing around us for no other than Alex Song as a replacement for Keita. How did we become a preying ground for these people?

Song's contract runs until 2015 which puts us in a strong negotiating position if Song's head gets turned by their interest. I'm certain we have no intention of selling Song -at least not in this transfer window. It surely will make nonsense of our three major signings in this window since the idea was to strengthen the squad and Song isn't on the infamous list of those considered deadwood.

Not much has been said of Theo's contract talks since the team got back from the Far East but going by Theo's attitude to questions in that regards from the press, there is no reason to believe that he will not be extending but then strange things have been known to happen. Not that I think he's indispensable but the club needs to show some semblance of stability as things stand now and avoid leaving the impression that we'll keep losing our best players season-after-season.

On to Nuri Sahin's loan move to us, Mourinho has given his blessing to the move, saying after Real Madrid thrashed LA Galaxy 5-1 yesterday,

"The point is, he's a young boy, he wants to play every match. He wants to be happy to play, he wants to play to be happy. And in Real Madrid with Xabi Alonso, with [Sami] Khedira, with Lassana [Diarra], [Esteban] Granero, [Mesut] Ozil, the situation is not easy. Real Madrid is very difficult. It is not an easy club, because we demand a lot. We have great players, and when you don’t start well, it is difficult to do it. If he stays, hes' not a problem for me, he's one more solution. We leave the situation in his hands. Be happy"
Sahin moved to Madrid only a year ago in an £8m pound move after an astounding season with Borrusia Dortmund that saw him finish as player of the season. Due mostly to injury he was unable to nail down a place in the Madrid team that won the La Liga title with the above mentioned midfielders performing creditably well and you know what they say about changing a winning team.

My fear is what happens after the loan spell if he performs really well during his time with us but who wants to look that far ahead right now. That bridge will be crossed when it will be crossed. Sahin's got proven abilities and will be a welcome addition to the squad if the move happens.

Giroud.
Podolski.
Cazorla.
Sahin.

All in one transfer window. Who says we lack ambition? Robin Who?

5 comments:

  1. Robin Van Persie is going on season long loan to Swansea. serves the fucker right

    ReplyDelete
  2. Loan deal has been agreed for Sahin with the option to buy for 17million at the end of the loan

    ReplyDelete
  3. And where do you get your information from if i may ask, George?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hahahahahahahahha@RVP to Swansea.

    ReplyDelete
  5. secondend RVP to Swansea

    ReplyDelete

What do you think?

Naija End Gooner