Raul's Transfer Targets: Summer 2019

[OnlyOne]

I think that's one of the reasons Arsenal is looking at Fraser, who may not be the perfect player but who can add some quality and PL experience while leaving room in the budget for others. A young player with lots of upside like Claude-Maurice could back him up and be developed along with Nelson and Martinelli.

I think Umtiti is a lot more likely than Konate (virtually no chance of that), assuming Umtiti passes the physical exam, because I think they want some experience to lead the back line. Saliba could be brought in to be developed to eventually take over from Sokratis/Koscielny, along with Holding.

But whoever they ultimately go for, it's going to be an interesting summer.

Why do you think Konate is unrealistic? I hope we stay very clear of Umtiti now.

 

[benjamin86]

Hoping Saliba is Konate at Sochaux as i think we can get Saliba.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

I think that's one of the reasons Arsenal is looking at Fraser, who may not be the perfect player but who can add some quality and PL experience while leaving room in the budget for others. A young player with lots of upside like Claude-Maurice could back him up and be developed along with Nelson and Martinelli.

I think Umtiti is a lot more likely than Konate (virtually no chance of that), assuming Umtiti passes the physical exam, because I think they want some experience to lead the back line. Saliba could be brought in to be developed to eventually take over from Sokratis/Koscielny, along with Holding.

But whoever they ultimately go for, it's going to be an interesting summer.

Umtiti is damaged goods I heard. I think we could easily get Konate for around 40-50m.

 

[benjamin86]

Why do you think Konate is unrealistic? I hope we stay very clear of Umtiti now.

To summarise me and Slartibartfast conversation - Only behind De Ligt in young center backs, going to be a lot of competition and if we don't qualify for champions league what can we offer him? RB are in champions league, they're the third best team in Germany and closer to winning that title than we are to winning premiership.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Why do you think Konate is unrealistic? I hope we stay very clear of Umtiti now.

Because he's 20 years old today (Happy Birthday Ibrahim), will cost €50 million euros and if he leaves Leipzig (which I don't think will happen this season with them in the Champions League), he'll have better positioned clubs than Arsenal after him.

I see no reason to steer clear of Umtiti if they're satisfied that his knee issue will not be an ongoing problem (and the last I saw they were very optimistic that this was the case after his treatment program). He could be a bargain (cheaper than Konate) and is probably the closest thing to a fully-developed Van Dijk that Arsenal could hope to find.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Buying a quality CB and young CB like Saliba and French Alexis and AM favorite fraser would be nice but I don't that will leave money to get ramsey replacement LB and GK

 

[OnlyOne]

To summarise me and Slartibartfast conversation - Only behind De Ligt in young center backs, going to be a lot of competition and if we don't qualify for champions league what can we offer him?

I disagree really, there are a huge amount of young talented CB's out there currently, many I'd be happy with but I've actually had the chance to watch Konate and he's very impressive so it's a pretty big market for teams.

We can offer him more than you think, especially if we get CL.

In my opinion, with CL we could get him.

 

[benjamin86]

I disagree really, there are a huge amount of young talented CB's out there currently, many I'd be happy with but I've actually had the chance to watch Konate and he's very impressive so it's a pretty big market for teams.

We can offer him more than you think, especially if we get CL.

In my opinion, with CL we could get him.

I'm not saying there arnt? Just that Konate is the number 2 pick of cb's around this summer.

What can we offer him if we don't get CL? (MUFC will beat us on wages as could a bunch of other clubs)

 

[Taxi Driver]

I disagree really, there are a huge amount of young talented CB's out there currently, many I'd be happy with but I've actually had the chance to watch Konate and he's very impressive so it's a pretty big market for teams.

We can offer him more than you think, especially if we get CL.

In my opinion, with CL we could get him.

Don't do this to yourself.

 

[OnlyOne]

I'm not saying there arnt? Just that Konate is the number 2 pick of cb's around this summer.

What can we offer him if we don't get CL? (MUFC will beat us on wages as could a bunch of other clubs)

So my thoughts are that while Konate has huge potential and is very good, he isn't a starting CB at most top clubs, Arsenal he would be. Most top clubs, imo will want someone to come in do a job right away. I think 40/50M on a player who won't start would be silly which is why we could be a good destination, even if it means being a stepping stone.

He's not up there with De Ligt, De Jong or Mbappe.

He's good friends with Matteo too, plus Auba and Laca, London, first team footy, very good wage and hopefully CL.

 

[ChefMan21]

If we're talking about Germany-based defenders, I'd like us to have a crack at Stark as well. Good player now and great potential; reminds me a little of Javi Martinez.

 

[dashsnow17]

Charles Watts on the arsecast did actually mention strong interest in Saliba, but didn't mention anything about Konate. Personally I'd go for Konate, but maybe Saliba is the one at the top of the club's list and the one they think they can get.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Because he's 20 years old today (Happy Birthday Ibrahim), will cost €50 million euros and if he leaves Leipzig (which I don't think will happen this season with them in the Champions League), he'll have better positioned clubs than Arsenal after him.

I see no reason to steer clear of Umtiti if they're satisfied that his knee issue will not be an ongoing problem (and the last I saw they were very optimistic that this was the case after his treatment program). He could be a bargain (cheaper than Konate) and is probably the closest thing to a fully-developed Van Dijk that Arsenal could hope to find.

Umtiti is not coming to Arsenal if his knees are good. Barca would then be very reluctant to sell and if they do sell the transfer fee as well the wages would be out of Arsenal's ability. He is nothing like Van Dijk. Very different players.

Konate would be much easier to sign and convince.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Wouldn't mind some of the free agents this summer and maybe probable loan signings. Just in case if we're going after investing mostly on young players, doing a few loan deals from elite clubs wouldn't be a bad idea.

Interesting free agents
-Godin
-Juanfran
-Hector Herrera
-Rabiot
-Buffon
-Victor Ruiz
-Brahimi
-Max Kruse
-Alberto Moreno
-Felipe Luis
-Milner
-Rafinha

Possible loan signings
- Dani Ceballos
- James Rodriguez
-Andre Gomes
-Rafinha
-Malcom
-Kiko Casilla
-Marcos Llorente
-Theo Hernandes
-Odriozola
-Hakimi
-Semedo
-Meunier
-Kimpembe
-Nkunku

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Wouldn't mind some of the free agents this summer and maybe probable loan signings. Just in case if we're going after investing mostly on young players, doing a few loan deals from elite clubs wouldn't be a bad idea.

Interesting free agents
-Godin
-Juanfran
-Hector Herrera
-Rabiot
-Buffon
-Victor Ruiz
-Brahimi
-Max Kruse
-Alberto Moreno
-Felipe Luis
-Milner
-Rafinha

Godin is off to Inter, Hector Herrera basically confirmed to go to Atletico. James Milner i think is close on signing a new deal, Rafinha will go back to Brazil with Flamengo as i understand it. Buffon is absolutely terrible, we need young competition to push Leno even further. Filipe Luis i don't think will suit PL well, but i might b wrong. Max Kruse is interesting, would have him as a squad option as he is very tenacious and annoying for defenders but he wouldnt play all that much. Alberto Moreno is one of the worst footballers ive ever seen in the Prem, but he was good under Emery in Sevilla. Juanfran as backup to Bellerin seems too similar to Lichtsteiner; but i might be wrong. Don't know who Victor Ruiz is. Brahimi always seemed quite one dimensional in my eyes, but i don't know him all that well.Adrien Rabiot is interesting.

 

[L3T5 PL4Y]

Godin is off to Inter, Hector Herrera basically confirmed to go to Atletico. James Milner i think is close on signing a new deal, Rafinha will go back to Brazil with Flamengo as i understand it. Buffon is absolutely terrible, we need young competition to push Leno even further. Filipe Luis i don't think will suit PL well, but i might b wrong. Max Kruse is interesting, would have him as a squad option as he is very tenacious and annoying for defenders but he wouldnt play all that much. Alberto Moreno is one of the worst footballers ive ever seen in the Prem, but he was good under Emery in Sevilla. Juanfran as backup to Bellerin seems too similar to Lichtsteiner; but i might be wrong. Don't know who Victor Ruiz is. Brahimi always seemed quite one dimensional in my eyes, but i don't know him all that well.Adrien Rabiot is interesting.

Hmmm but I just listed possibilities without much thought to what could happen and is happening. Though yeah those players could possibly be options and opportunities to exploit if it came down to it.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Umtiti is not coming to Arsenal if his knees are good. Barca would then be very reluctant to sell and if they do sell the transfer fee as well the wages would be out of Arsenal's ability. He is nothing like Van Dijk. Very different players.

Konate would be much easier to sign and convince.

Mark Ogden reported this morning that Manchester United believes they have lost the battle for De Ligt to Barcelona. If they sign De Ligt, Barca almost surely will be looking to move a center back. It's not going to be Pique. They just bought Lenglet last summer and he's moved ahead of Umtiti in the pecking order. Umtiti's value has fallen. Konate's value continues to rise.

Since I'm not a doctor, I'll leave it up to the professionals to decide on Umtiti's knee. But in terms of quality and readiness, he would be the closest thing Arsenal could find to a Van Dijk for this season. Nobody said he was exactly the same kind of player as Van Dijk (although both are good at passing from the back), but Umtiti is a player of extremely high quality and has the experience to slide right in and solidify Arsenal's back line.

Konate is an incredible physical presence, although if you've watched a lot of him this season, as I have, you know that he's prone to the mistakes that come with inexperience -- or even with experience if you're Mustafi. Also he needs to improve his passing. He really probably needs another season at Leipzig and I think it's likely they will keep him until at least next summer. If he does move, it will be for a price Arsenal isn't likely to pay, especially considering that they are said to be interested in "the next Raphael Varane" (Saliba) at a much more modest price.

 

[drippin]

Mark Ogden reported this morning that Manchester United believes they have lost the battle for De Ligt to Barcelona. If they sign De Ligt, Barca almost surely will be looking to move a center back. It's not going to be Pique. They just bought Lenglet last summer and he's moved ahead of Umtiti in the pecking order. Umtiti's value has fallen. Konate's value continues to rise.

Since I'm not a doctor, I'll leave it up to the professionals to decide on Umtiti's knee. But in terms of quality and readiness, he would be the closest thing Arsenal could find to a Van Dijk for this season. Nobody said he was exactly the same kind of player as Van Dijk (although both are good at passing from the back), but Umtiti is a player of extremely high quality and has the experience to slide right in and solidify Arsenal's back line.

Konate is an incredible physical presence, although if you've watched a lot of him this season, as I have, you know that he's prone to the mistakes that come with inexperience -- or even with experience if you're Mustafi. Also he needs to improve his passing. He really probably needs another season at Leipzig and I think it's likely they will keep him until at least next summer. If he does move, it will be for a price Arsenal isn't likely to pay, especially considering that they are said to be interested in "the next Raphael Varane" (Saliba) at a much more modest price.

Konate is likely very expensive, funny that people dream of such this season. I'd like to be surprised of course, but makes no sense we can afford the likes of him now.

Otherwise I would say let's leave it to professionals (which we will anyway of course), but in the case of Arsenal + Holding & Bellerin coming from season ending knee injuries and the premise of signing Umtiti with knee problems, the answer should be straight NO.

 

[Slartibartfast]

Konate is likely very expensive, funny that people dream of such this season. I'd like to be surprised of course, but makes no sense we can afford the likes of him now.

Otherwise I would say let's leave it to professionals (which we will anyway of course), but in the case of Arsenal + Holding & Bellerin coming from season ending knee injury and premise of signing Umtiti with knee problems, the answer should be straight NO.

Arsenal isn't going to sign Umtiti unless their doctors are fully satisfied that his conservative treatment program has resulted in a clear long-term prognosis. So it makes no sense to me to reject such a move out of hand based on speculation. We'll see what happens.

I'd love to see Konate at Arsenal someday (he was near the top of the wish list of players I'd like to see at Arsenal in the future that I was talked into doing in the wish list thread). So I certainly get wanting him. I just don't see it happening for Arsenal this summer. As I said, I think he's likely to stay at Leipzig for another season, especially as they're in the Champions League, and think he would benefit from it and be more the finished product (and thus even more valuable) next summer. If Arsenal is going to buy a center back that still needs some development, Saliba would be more in their price range.

 

[drippin]

Arsenal isn't going to sign Umtiti unless their doctors are fully satisfied that his conservative treatment program has resulted in a clear long-term prognosis. So it makes no sense to me to reject such a move out of hand based on speculation. We'll see what happens.

I'd love to see Konate at Arsenal someday (he was near the top of the wish list of players I'd like to see at Arsenal in the future that I was talked into doing in the wish list thread). So I certainly get wanting him. I just don't see it happening for Arsenal this summer. As I said, I think he's likely to stay at Leipzig for another season, especially as they're in the Champions League, and think he would benefit from it and be more the finished product (and thus even more valuable) next summer. If Arsenal is going to buy a center back that still needs some development, Saliba would be more in their price range.

Well I don't want to be the one saying "I told you so", and the likelyhood for such with Umtiti is too high. Big NO, rather get Manolas and next year Konate or something.