Nicely, right here we go once more.
Mikel Arteta will meet the press for the primary time forward of a Premier League sport because the 2024-25 season kicks off. To be honest to the supervisor, he’s been doing the rounds this week. There was a giant interview on Sky Sports activities, and a pleasant one with our pal Rog from Males in Blazers, and all through the messaging has been related.
A lot chat about mentality and the way this group goes once more after final season. Creating the correct of setting, one which challenges the gamers to do even higher than final trip. Simpler mentioned than carried out, after all, but when we all know something about Mikel Arteta that’s what he’s going to demand from everybody.
I believe there might be questions on transfers which he’ll play with a straight bat, giving nothing a lot away both about departures or arrivals. We would get a line about how we’re open to doing extra enterprise, however that’s so far as it should go. Then we’d get a bit about accidents and who is out there, how good Wolves are, and after that allow’s wait and see what else crops up. There’s very hardly ever something too juicy, fairly intentionally too, so I don’t anticipate that to alter right this moment.
Wanting round on the information, it appears as if Bournemouth’s curiosity in Eddie Nketiah is over after they agreed a deal for Porto striker Evanilson (Andoni Iraola insisting he can ‘Carry me to life’). He arrives in England on the again of 25 objective season for his membership, together with some Champions League targets, and it makes Eddie’s return of 6 in the identical marketing campaign look considerably meagre. What now for Eddie although? Your guess is pretty much as good as mine.
I don’t suppose it’s past the realms of chance that our want to promote must be matched with the fact of the market. If a late bid from someplace emerges, nice – however proper now, I believe we’ve to be open to the concept he ought to go away on mortgage, with the hope {that a} first rate season someplace else means there is likely to be extra curiosity subsequent summer time. It’s not best, however what else is there? I don’t suppose it does him, or us, any good if he stays. Which isn’t to say I don’t suppose he’d do his finest or work onerous, after all he would, however like Reiss Nelson, he’s at an age the place he must be enjoying often someplace, and barring some type of damage disaster, it’s not going to be at Arsenal.
In the meantime, the Mikel Merino talks proceed with some suggestion he’ll be omitted from their squad for the weekend sport in opposition to Rayo Vallecano. One other one to simply wait and see what occurs, however what’s clear is that what we’ve proper now’s what we’ll have in opposition to Wolves on Saturday, and as Arteta has mentioned repeatedly, his first job is to get probably the most out of the gamers at his disposal.
Elsewhere, I assumed this was an fascinating little video on the official web site with Martin Odegaard chatting to Ethan Nwaneri. It pushes the 17 yr outdated just a bit extra into the highlight, and I’m so curious to see how he’s used this season. He’s had an actual style of first group soccer throughout the summer time, enjoying with (and in opposition to) males in entrance of massive crowds, and he – and the opposite kids – are going to be hungry for extra.
There have been tales about Odegaard has been mentoring Nwaneri behind the scenes, and I like the concept of that. He was a star at 15 earlier than he selected Actual Madrid; Nwaneri made his debut on the identical age – making him the youngest ever participant within the Premier League. That’s right down to expertise and onerous work (and a little bit little bit of alternative), however think about your self again whenever you have been 15 and having that type of a landmark occasion in your life. To have somebody like Odegaard in your nook to supply recommendation about the right way to cope with it on and off the pitch have to be unbelievable, and I believe it speaks very extremely as to how holistic the strategy is on the membership proper now on all types of ranges.
For some further studying this morning, right here’s the normal Arseblog Massive Season Preview 2024-25. I’m joined by Andrew Allen and Tim Stillman to evaluate the state of the squad because it stands from entrance to again, and provides an total view of the place we predict we’re (making an allowance for the window remains to be open). These have been all written individually to make sure all ideas are our personal, however it’s fascinating to notice some widespread floor in sure areas.
Afterward, we’ll have our first preview podcast of the brand new season over on Patreon, so please do be a part of us for that as we stay up for Wolves, and run an eye fixed over the remainder of the weekend’s fixtures. Except for that, there’s a brand new Arsecast out there beneath, wherein I chat individually to Amy Lawrence, Nick Wright (Sky Sports activities), Adrian Clarke and Dara O Briain in regards to the new season, and a great deal of different stuff too.
We’ll convey you all of the press convention stuff on Arseblog Information afterward too. For now, have an excellent one.
