Squillaci sold on Arsene-al

By Eldo71 Published: 24th August 2010

arsene-wenger1

by CARL ELDRIDGE Sevilla defender Sebastien Squillaci has revealed that he couldn’t resist the lure of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger ahead of his signing this week for the rip-roaring Reds.

Squillaci says he found it ‘practically impossible’ to turn down the offer to come to the Emirates from fellow Frenchman AW after the Spaniards confirmed they have accepted an bid for the central defender.

‘If a French player receives an offer from Arsene Wenger, it’s practically impossible to turn down,’ he said. ‘It was a sensational offer for me and I was happy Sevilla let me go. It was a difficult situation but I knew I had to take this chance.

Speaking in the Guardian, Squillaci says he withdrew from Sevilla’s Champions League qualifier against Braga last week to avoid being cup-tied. ‘I knew if I played against Braga then I would not have been able to play for Arsenal in the Champions League,’ he added. ‘Arsenal were always the team I watched out for. For any spectator like me, you had to watch a squad with Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and William Gallas. Now, I’m happy to have my name in the history books.

‘For me, this is a great new challenge and I’ve gone there purely to be part of that. I don’t think my age is a problem. My experience in football is great and players of my age tend to be at the peak of their playing career.’

It’s a positive move to bring in the experienced defender who is 30 but would it not have been also beneficial to keep Bill Gallas instead of allowing that lot to nick a player who can play at the top level but who is flawed by a so-called divisive nature and who is prone to injury?

Defender in…next up a keeper anyone?

{jcomments on}

Eldo71

Arsenal fan for 40 years. Schoolboys, North Bank, Clock End then East Upper. Then Emirates. AFC dream team: Wilson, Dixon, Sansom, Adams, Pates, Brady, Williams, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, Wright. Subs: Seaman, Eldridge, Wilshere, RVP, Ball. Manager: Arsene Chapman.

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David

Why the fuck ain’t this official yet ? squad number 12 or 18 ??
TerryWogan

No it would not have been beneficial to keep Gallas. He is a dirty spud. He wanted too much money and he is long since past it. If it was right to keep him we would have.
nik

Hooray! another bargain unearthed by Wenger…at this rate we will have a billion pound bank balance in 10 years time!
nik

Hooray!
Another bargain unearthed by Wenger!
At this rate we will have a billion pound bank balance in 10 years time!
John in Norfolk

Now that the Squillaci signing is imminent it’s time to turn the spotlight onto the search for a new ‘keeper.

With both Schwarzer and Given subject to long term injuries Le Professeur must find us another of his gems.

With Chamakh arriving on a free, Koscielny costing £5 million and Squillaci a reported £6.5 million there should be plenty left in the piggy bank to secure a decent ‘keeper. Both Almunia and Fabianski could be sold which should bring in a few quid.

C’mon Arsene do the business!!

All we are saying…Give us a goal (keeper).
samuell

And we,ll make you Arsenal coach next ?
Ejike

the no. 18 jersey is jinxed, i think he should wear 12. remember cygan,silvestre. 26 will be just fine
Ejike

WE NEED A DECENT GOALKEEPER, PLEASE ARSENE…… PLEASE
TJ14

Because he hasn’t signed yet you idiot. Once he signs it will be offiical.
TJ14

We are buying a proven international player. If he is a bargain, then all the better. Stop moaning.
Pat

I am in the process of creating a feed of all the Arsenal blogs I can find in the world, so the fans can check out the posts from every Arsenal site in the one place. I intend to only have sites from real fans, so there will be NO SkySports, Goal, Clubcall, The Sun, Mail, etc or all that “news” and rumours crap.

I have been working on it for a while now, and already have 29 Arsenal Blogs added. It is not a list of blogs but a feed of all the various posts on each blog. I am going to contact every Arsenal blog around that I can find to ask for permission to add them as well.

All it has is a couple of lines of your post, and the headline will go straight to your website, so each post will link directly to you. You will also have a link to your home page on the contributors blogroll.

If you would like your site added to the site, please send me your feedburner or RSS feed url and I will get it added straight away.

All I ask in return is a simple text link to “Just Arsenal Blogs” somewhere on your homepage or you can use my button if you prefer.

You can have a look at the site here:
http://justarsenalblogs.com.

Regards
Pat
dosty

i think with the signing of squillaci, our central defence will be up and keeping with the league, but the most important fact that is still missing from the arsenal team is a quality ball stopper who will be there for the team when the going gets tough that our midfielders cannot coupe with opponents and the defenders cannot either then the only person to be the savioure at the end of the day will be the goalkeeper and to me i dont think neither almunia nor fabianski can be there for us when the going gets tough.
Mexican Gunner

I read that Koscielny was 10 millions and Squilacci 5.5 Not sure about that, hope someone could tell us.
goonamerica

reports have quoted fees in both euros and dollars and therefore they are all over the place. bottomline a good bit of business so long as he stays healthy!!! played only 14 games last year…
daniel

squilaci 5.3 million kosicelny 8.1 bring in experience goal keeper and the tittle is ours come on u gonners
Paul

So will Squillaci or Koscielny be first choice in our best 11?
Mexican Gunner

Yes maybe is that about dollars, euros or punds. Im almost sure it was £ 5.5 m for Squilacci and £ 8 m for Koscielny.
Notoverthehill

As far as I can gather from the facts available, Squillaci is good for 30+ games a season. Last January 2010 he suffered an ankle injury, before that a hamstring in the leg back in 2007.
A note in a Champions League game against Roma, Squillaci was bothered and bewitched four times on the trot by a Ronaldo type Brazillian.
I would hope with Squillaci and Almunia can bawl each other out in Spanish, to improve the defence against the Allardyce tactic of “they do not like it up them”.
Indian Gunner

Sevilla have bought the replacement for squillaci and they have also officially announced the signing itself….I have been refreshing the arsenal official site for the past two days and there is nothing in it about squillaci…why does it take really, really long time for us to announce the new signings?
Neo

Im hoping they haven’t announced his signing because they are waiting to complete a deal for a goalie (please not Schwarzer) and announce at the same time!!!!!
Notoverthehill

Squillaci will require an ITC (International Transfer Certificate) etc., in accordance with the rules for Registration of Players. A copy of the agreed contract etc., must be also provided.
Therefore Arsenal FC will ensure the paperwork is correct and authorised by the proper Authorities, before confirming the signing of a player.
This is all time consuming and obviously grist to the mill, for the time=serving and tine-wasting officials!
jaylouchh

y dont arsenal buy lloris then sell fabianski for 3million and bring in juan for 5 million with traore n simpson left we got few million from them. n sell almunia for 3million n with that we can get a experienced player like hyuate
majaa

Yes.. And if they don’t work out we will save the game and reload from the transfer window. This is not FM dude… Fabianski out, Almunia out. How sure are you that Lloris will fit in. If he gets injured? Who’s coming in.
keepthefaith

Well said! The Blackburn game will be our goalies’ litmus test. Another flap against their long balls, and Arsene will start crossing their faces on the official team photo, if he hasn’t already.
brayn

correct you can see alumina in air, not with ball ha ha ha…we shall loose points again and again………….

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Squillaci sold on Arsene-al

Eldo71

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