Raul's Transfer Targets: Summer 2019

[HairSprayGooners]

Now Koscielny is definitely going, and for a good fee I can really see us signing a CB.

 

[Garrincha]

Some of you are impossible to please. The only thing we should consider as fans is the quality of players being brought in and how they plug gaps in our current squad.

Quality of players is pretty subjective & hard to judge for us fans especially when moving from a smaller league or only played a handful of pro games.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Amaechi - £2.5M
Ospina - £4M
Bennacer clause - £4M
Bielik - £7M
Koscielny - £6M
Jenkinson - £4M?

Elneny likely to go for around £7M as well. A good £34M from selling pure deadwood. I like it. Likely to cover at least half of what we’ve spent so far on fees, smaller clubs probably paid us in instalments as well.

We can really shoot our load at Upamecano. Allows Mustafi 3 weeks to sort a transfer as well so could recoup another £20M.

Extremely impressed with Raul and co. You can tell they’re doing everything possible.

Also has anyone considered that we might be in for Rugani and Upa? Chambers, Mustafi and Kosc could all be out the door.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

It was to trick the universe in conspiring for us to go for someone big. Did the same with Brahimi on a free.

Woke up to being linked to Upamecano...working!

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Selling Kos, stalling on Tierney and the Upamecano rumour makes me think we'll go all out after a CB now.

 

[ASIF]

Agree with most of it. But we're still very far off Liverpool, even on paper.

The only team we are far off is Man city..Liverpool has a wonderful 1st 11 but they dont have enough quality to go the distance in the league.Last year they wr very lucky with injuries.if we get a proper CB and Tierney I say we give city a run for thr money.

 

[Iceman10]

If we brought in Tierney and Upamecano, I would still only expect top 4, anything else being a bonus. Tierney is 22, Upamecano is 20. Players often need a season in the PL before they show their best, and the 'gap' for me would still be one of players gelling and finding leaders on the pitch.

- GK: Promising signs in preseason, I do think there is a possibility of him becoming a worldie within 2-3 seasons. Right now he is just about top 4 quality.

- Backline: Would still struggle to be up there with Man City and Liverpool. Probably still behind Sp**s (ageing, but experience & leadership on pitch 'gap')

- CM: Top 4 in terms of players we have, but might not find our best until Xhaka sorts himself out or is benched.

- Forwards: On par with Liverpool and City, imo.

- Manager: TBD. Is he up there with Pep and Klopp? We will see based on this season.

Overall, leadership on the pitch still is a slight concern (1-3 players need to grow into being leaders). In summary, imo, expectation should still be CL qualification from 2019/20 season, possible title challenge 2020/21.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Haven't seen him in a while, but someone like him could potentially be an addition similar to Mertesacker - not rated among the world's top top CBs but still a class player with a fitting profile and probably not too expensive.

Right off the top of my head I can't think of too many CBs with good passing/opening play and good perception in their early or mid 20s. Everyone I can think of is an athletic ball winner who's maybe good on the ball, not not neccesarilly a great passer. But right now that seems to be the trend with CBs anyway as most football moves away from very slow build up and overly high possession rates.

Interesting observation. Didn't think of it that way. But to be honest, Hummels and Pique apart most of these Cbs like Boateng, Bonnucci etc developed their on the ball quality later actually or the use of it. Even Koscienly wasn't initially a good passer at all and it was surprising when he later on was able to show that side of him with on with his comfort and vision.

Looking at the likes of Saliba, Kimpembe, Upamecano, Ake or the current top CBs they are more like very capable of sorting their feet out quickly under tight situations and evade pressure than say be an active playmaker. For example, that Danish CB from Sampdoria we were linked with looked like he knew how to pass the ball at any range and build play but then he was so uncomfortable and lacked mobility in his body or feet it would've been exposed in the PL big time. But then if he was a worse passer but had better feet you could probably develop his game to add to build up.

Upamecano at least looks very mobile and seems like he can play passes comfortably with adequate weight and pace on them. That vision, technique and timing to bypass the midfield as well as the first line of opposition press with a longer pass could definitely be developed with time. Specially if he excelled at evading press and tackles in the intensity of Bundesliga its safe to say he won't get caught often on the ball here.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

I think I'd rate this window 9/10 if we got a top CB but we've got to be in the hunt of sorting out the fullback situation with a loan or something short term to just to ride it out. If not this summer then be prepared with targets for January. We could ride out not having a LB imo down to the numbers at least for this season but I'm very worried what might happen if Bellerin gets injured.

 

[FluffyDoozi]

I'm still not used to Arsenal paying these sums though. On some level I find the money in football disgusting and always respected Arsenal for not going mental with the money (and try stuff like signing Holding or Guendouzi instead). We have an awful lot of catching up to do though.

We have always done this though. We used to go for the most promising young players with plenty of upside same as we seem to be doing now with Saliba, Guendouzi, Pepe, Upamecano, Tierney and the rest. Only difference is the market has gone bonkers and we have to move along with it. I'd say paying for say Auba and Laca at their ages isn't our tradition.

How much would Nasri, Reyes, Arshavin, Pires, van Persie, Diaby (more highly sought after than Saliba is) cost in today's market where teenagers are sold for 100 plus million?
The player profiles are the same just different eras. It's why I am really happy with the new guys in charge because we'd started buying distinctively average guys in the 25+ age group.

 

[gotstark10]

If we get Upamecano then its a 10/10 window, yes fullbacks still addressing but its not a disaster like our CB options.
Plus next season we will have Saliba, Holding, Upamecano and Papa

 

[<<reed>>]

Are we buying anyone else gays?

 

[razörist]

Next year


Dembele-Auba-Pepe

 

[Jasard]

 

[field442]

Seems like a CB is a certainty at this point and Tierney is up in the air. It will probably come down to how much the CB costs.

 

[Hunta]

Positive stuff from the Ornstar.

 

[HomeSteak]

I'm excited, how the hell I'm gonna work today, I dont know.

 

[field442]

£6.5m for Koscielny and Jenkinson and £7m saved in wages. Another nice chunk of money freed up.

 

[Fewtch]

I have to go with Tierney. I just can’t stand Emery’s **** 5 atb system. Rugani on loan would also be a decent temporary solution until next summer.

 

[Rex Stone]

Inject. Into. My. Veins.