Hi there there, a really fast Saturday round-up for you.
Deadline day got here and went with out a lot pleasure from an Arsenal perspective. Two gamers who wanted to go away did so, two gamers who additionally wanted to go away didn’t, and no one else got here in. Let’s take a look at the departures.
Rob Holding to Crystal Palace
When studies of curiosity from Palace emerged, I believed they made sense for that membership and in addition the participant. I believed the reported charge of £4m was nonetheless a bit low in a market once you see gamers you’ve barely heard of routinely go for £20m and £30m, however I get Rob isn’t precisely a scorching property simply at the start of his profession.
Then I noticed David Ornstein report the charge as £1m + £2.5m in add-ons. Eeek. I do know we’re not nice sellers, however the preliminary fee is lower than the £2m we rejected from Besiktas earlier in the summertime as fully unacceptable. Leaving the add-ons to 1 facet, we obtained the identical for Rob Holding in 2023 as Birmingham obtained for Trevor Francis in 1979. As I stated, I get that he’s not flavour of the month or something, however at 27 together with his expertise, I feel we should always get a bit greater than that.
Nonetheless, it’s a very good transfer for the participant who stays within the Premier League, and after 162 appearances since his transfer from Bolton in 2016 we want him effectively. I feel he, like Kieran Tierney to a lesser extent, is somebody who was left behind a bit by this group, however he had good spells for us – not least across the time he suffered that ACL harm. And that 2017 FA Cup Closing, when he, Nacho Monreal, and Per Mertesacker, fashioned an outstanding defensive trio for these 90 minutes towards Chelsea, will stay a part of Arsenal’s historical past perpetually.
Good luck, Rob.
Albert Sambi Lokonga to Luton
One other participant who wanted to go. His future was all the time elsewhere. He wasn’t included in any respect within the media day when gamers get their photos taken within the varied kits to be used within the season forward (Holding was), and there hadn’t been a lot in the best way of hearsay. Then, on deadline day, speak of Luton emerged. Arsenal have been pleased sufficient, it was about them convincing the participant which they appear to have carried out, and he was in attendance as they misplaced 2-1 to West Ham final night time.
He’ll fancy his probabilities of taking part in a variety of minutes there, and I hope it goes effectively for him. I do really feel prefer it’s gonna be an extended, arduous season for Luton, however what he wants is common soccer at this level, so fingers crossed he does effectively and subsequent summer season we will promote him for a similar value Herbert Chapman purchased David Jack in 1928.
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Past that, goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who helped Sturm Graz end second within the league and win the Austrian Cup final season, has joined Wrexham on mortgage (It’s all the time sunny there, I consider). He has simply 12 months left on his contract, so he’s gone for nothing – or a nominal mortgage charge – and will probably be a free agent subsequent summer season. A couple of different younger gamers went out on mortgage.
There was, unsurprisingly, little interest in Cedric or Nicolas Pepe. There are some international locations the place the switch window stays open. In addition to Saudi Arabia, there’s Belgium, Greece, Turkey, and Azerbaijan amongst others. I believe each gamers may have their contracts terminated at this level, it’s clear neither are in Mikel Arteta’s plans, they usually can kind themselves out subsequently. Not very best, clearly, particularly once you pay £72m for a participant whose worth dwindles to absolute zero, however it’s what it’s.
I do know some folks will say what we promote gamers for doesn’t actually matter, however I feel it does. I do surprise if we’d managed to herald higher cash on a few offers, and perhaps discovered a everlasting residence for somebody like Kieran Tierney, if we would have been in a position to do one thing else to cowl for the Jurrien Timber harm. As I stated yesterday, I really feel we’re a bit mild on the again, particularly if there’s an harm we don’t count on to a participant who would possibly give us some cowl there however, barring a promotion from inside, that is our squad now till January, so let’s preserve fingers crossed we will stay as wholesome and match as doable.
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For extra on deadline day, the state of the squad because it stands, and a look forward to the sport towards Man Utd tomorrow, be part of us over on Patreon a bit later once we’ll have a preview podcast masking all that and extra.
For now, get pleasure from your Saturday people.
