Morning all.
A fast Friday weblog for you, the golf course awaits. Mikel Arteta will maintain his first press convention of the brand new Premier League season this afternoon. One other yr of telling us nothing concerning the damage state of affairs of gamers awaits. I don’t thoughts that although. The press conferences bought a bit boring final season, however that was as a result of we had been good. I’d take the identical once more this time round if it means we’re preventing for the title.
We’d get an replace on David Raya who was at London Colney yesterday, and I believe I’m proper in saying that to be eligible for tomorrow’s sport, he needs to be registered by noon as we speak. With Matt Turner now at Forest, it’d be good to have him on the bench tomorrow, so let’s see what occurs there.
Past that there’s not a lot occurring by way of precise Arsenal stuff. There’s a narrative about Inter Milan pulling out of the ‘race’ to signal Folarin Balogun, however given they weren’t ready to pay something near what Arsenal wished, it’s hardly earth-shattering information. There does appear to be a bit happening elsewhere although.
First, Liverpool are set to interrupt the British switch document with a £110m deal to signal Moises Caicedo from Brighton. Clearly he’s a participant everyone knows, having tried exhausting to carry him in final January. It didn’t work as a result of Brighton had a valuation on the participant that they weren’t shifting from, and I believe they’ve in all probability even bought extra for him now than what they initially had in thoughts. Truthful play, they do glorious enterprise – they spent £4m on Caicedo in 2021. My guess as to why Liverpool went the additional mile on this, is the truth that regardless of an virtually full reshaping of their midfield, Caicedo can hook up once more with Alexis Mac Allister, the pair know every properly from their time on the south coast. He’s a really stable signing.
I do need to say although, as a lot as I might have appreciated Caicedo, that sort of charge would have made me extra uncomfortable than the £100m we paid for Declan Rice. In his case, the English tax was current and that could be a actual issue. I believe Caicedo is superb, however it’s an enormous charge – a brand new document as I mentioned – and his willingness to go just about wherever would simply give me just a little pause for thought. He’s chosen Liverpool, it may have been us or Chelsea, however let’s see what occurs.
In information impacting a a lot smaller Premier League outfit, it appears to be like as if Harry Kane goes to depart Sp*rs and signal for Bayern Munich. I believe he’d have been mad to remain there, and suppose they’d have been mad to reject that sort of provide. Near £100m for a 30 yr previous appears a bit insane to me, however I’m certain Bayern would take a look at considering he in all probability has extra longevity in Germany than in England – particularly as they continue to be the dominant membership there.
On the one hand, I’m fascinated to see how they waste the cash like they did with the Gareth Bale windfall, however on the opposite not a lot trying ahead to Kane blasting dwelling a penalty in opposition to us within the Champions League (that he received with a dive, after all). Nonetheless, all of these things is out of our fingers. The script has been written.
It’s price mentioning that we bought enterprise carried out early, and it’s honest to say some eyebrows had been raised over how a lot we spent. If the 2 offers I’ve simply talked about exhibit something, it’s that the ultimate few weeks of the window would possibly make it appear to be glorious worth. Just a few shifting items can actually begin to shift issues available in the market, and there’s cash sloshing round like by no means earlier than. Maintain onto your metaphorical hats, however at the very least we’re kinda on the sideline watching on, content material with the place we’re and what we’ve carried out.
Proper, let’s depart it there for now. Because it’s the eve of a brand new season, we now have two podcasts for you as we speak.
1 – An Arsenal season preview with Kaya Kaynak of Soccer London – get it right here, or in all the standard podcast locations.
2 – A broader Premier League dialogue with Ken Early of Second Captains – get it right here, or in all the standard podcast locations.
We’ll have a Nottingham Forest preview podcast for you over on Patreon a bit later this afternoon too, plus our huge season preview submit coming a bit later as we speak.
For now, take it straightforward.
