I was saddened to read the news this morning that Sven-Göran Eriksson has passed away. Cancer is a monster, and it takes too many people before their time. That said, life comes for us all, and when you’ve had a life like Sven’s, you have to be thankful. The man had an outrageous amount of sauce, incredible self-belief, and he crafted a journey through life that most of us could only dream of. What a guy.
Back to Arsenal…
Eddie looks like he’s off to Palace for £25m plus £5m in add-ons at some point. His salary might have offset some of the fee; I’m not sure Palace is dropping mega cash like Arsenal can. They’re getting a brilliant player who will do really, really well. That represents pure profit for Arsenal and likely gives us the chance to make moves in the window.
Some thoughts on where that cash could go:
Leroy Sané trained with Bayern but didn’t make the squad. He’s 28 years old, at the peak of his powers, he knows Pep-ball, he’s explosive, and we could probably pick him up for €20m… because if he doesn’t move this window, his club will lose him on a free.
Arsenal are about to head into a period of three games a week for the rest of the year. The Champions League has more games, the League Cup swings into action, and we have a better squad to get past the early rounds. The Premier League is relentless. You need good players to take the workload off the brilliant ones. Sané plays across the front three and would be a brilliant cover option for the starboy in chief.
A player no one is talking about is Evan Ferguson. He’s down the pecking order at Brighton, they’ve got more options in that position than we do, and there’s been interest in his skills in the past. Could we offer him a path out of Brighton and try to rebuild him in an Arteta system behind Kai Havertz? A little loan move with the option to buy next summer if it works out? Call me crazy, but I like my own idea here. The man has a very high ceiling if his fitness can be addressed.
There’s a lot of chatter about Raheem Sterling and the love Arteta has for him. He’s a bit of a risk for me. There’s been a cloud over him for a few years now. Despite his clear talent, I do worry that he’s not quite as motivated as he was back in the day. His salary is quite steep as well. Arteta has worked with him, so if he feels it, maybe we move if no one else is willing to.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is being linked with Arsenal by the Italian media, which means it’s probably not true… but the Georgian drips in whatever the best Italian sauce is. He’s fast, great with the ball at his feet, has wow factor moments, and he’s won big trophies. At 25 years old, he’d be a choice I’d consider. He’s more of a left winger but can also play as a second striker. Not the perfect choice given the needs, but I love his game.
Nico Williams feels totally unrealistic at this point—he’s a primo signing, and any move sounds like it comes with complications.
Lookman still hasn’t got the “Here We Go” treatment. I like his profile because he’s a Trossard-like journeyman with a point to prove. He plays Atalanta ball, so he has the intelligence to fit into an Arteta system. He’d also have favourable wages because Serie A tends not to pay well. He’s right-footed, can play centrally or wide… and he gets the goals.
Simon Adingra has also had some light links to Arsenal… my concern here is he’s a bit of a rising star at Brighton, and leaving them would come with some pain. Pain means money. Tony Bloom does not let his favourites leave for cheap.
So, plenty of options—and I still expect two of Ramsdale, Reiss, and Kiwior to exit the building before the window closes. They need minutes, or they’ll be forgotten. Not sure Reiss cares, but the other two will.
Right, nice and punchy today. See you in the comments. x
