Whether we, the football consuming public, like it or not, transfer rumours have become a year round business. From the enlightened to the fabricated, stories of unrest, expiring contracts, and scouts watching players now fuel the full time obsession. Arsenal, whose summer window only included 2 new signings, have been repeatedly linked to a busy January window, where decisions will finally be made on at least 2 of the club’s most important players. A normally quiet January window could easily see a flurry of activity from Premier League teams desperately jockeying for position in the world’s most competitive league.
We start first with one that got away in new Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans. Still just 20 years old, it feels as though he has been around and highly touted for years, in truth having probably outgrown Belgian football at the age of 18 with Anderlecht. A supremely versatile box to box type midfielder, Tielemans has long been coveted around Europe for his deft touch and incredible passing ability, especially at such a young age.
As it turns out, Arsenal was very interested this summer, trying to bring him to the Emirates. Unfortunately for Arsene Wenger (who likes himself a young, technical midfielder or 6), Tielemans saw the wealth of talent in the Gunner midfield and instead chose Monaco, believing the French Riviera club would be able to offer him more playing time to continue his development. Smart lad, considering Monaco just spent the summer turning the creme of their crop into about a quarter billion euros. I suspect there will be room for him there this year. He has already made 6 appearances for the principality side, scoring 1 goal, so maybe Arsene will want to take a crack at him again when he comes back for Thomas Lemar in January.
Despite the depth in the Gunner midfield, it is obvious that Arsene Wenger was looking to improve his options over the summer with the failed Tielemans bid. It appears that an option may exist for the club in January with Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka refusing to sign a new contract with the German club. One of the stars of the summer’s Confederations Cup, a Goretzka not only attracted the interest of several of Europe’s top clubs, but also put himself into consideration for Germany manager Joachim Loew’s World Cup team. He is a versatile midfielder with first rate attacking instincts, so Arsene Wenger would positively salivate at the prospect of getting to sign another quality player from Schalke on a free transfer in January.
Far from the only young player that Wenger seems to be interested, this week has seen Arsenal linked with young French defender Harold Moukoudi and 16 year old Genoa wunderkind striker Pietro Pellegri. Moukoudi is a 19 year old defender from Le Havre is also being considered by Bordeaux, Nice and RB Liepzig, all of them clubs that place a premium on talented youth. Meanwhile, the big guns are being linked to Pellegri after a striking a brace last week against Lazio, with Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea all being linked. It is probably is not difficult to figure out which of the two players has the better agent there, eh? The fact that neither player is well known around Europe is not likely to stop their transfer values from skyrocketing whenever they are sold on, as youth is no long the great value that it once was after a ridiculous summer of spending.
The exorbitant prices that big clubs (especially big, English ones) have had to pay in recent times makes the details of Greek defender Kostas Manolas’ new contract with Roma all he more surprising. Having been already on the books in the Italian capital until 2019, his new contract will offer him improved terms, additional years and a hefty signing on fee. None of that is surprising at all, given Manolas reputation as a solid, no nonsense defender. However, £27 million release clause his new deal contains sure would be. Having turned down Zenit St. Petersburg this summer, Premier League clubs will be free to take a run at a very good defender for a steal in today’s market. Chelsea were credited with interest during the summer window before opting to sign Antonio Rudiger instead, so the coast could be clear for Arsenal to make an attempt at signing a player that has long interested them.
In the world of lazy reporting, Arsenal are allegedly still interested in signing unsettled Juventus “star” Juan Cuadrado. That he has struggled for a consistent place at Juventus, as well as his brief washing out at Chelsea has not stopped some from considering the Columbian to be a priority target for Arsene Wenger (as he was all summer). There is no denying his many abilities and his versatility, but Cuadrado has never fulfilled the promise that he has repeatedly shown throughout his career. He may actually have been a good target for Arsenal several years ago, but now pushing 30, Wenger is unlikely to see the value in bringing him to the Emirates.
Finally, what collection of Arsenal transfer rumours would be complete without the news that several first team stars are desperate to leave to club? According to the Sun, Jack Wilshere was so incensed about having to go on loan to Bournemouth that he decided to reject a contract offer this summer, and is now looking to leave at the end of the season, possibly even January. If true (it isn’t) then it would certainly be cause for alarm, especially considering it was Wilshere himself who asked for the move after realising he would not be getting regular game time behind Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka and Santi Cazorla. Still, Wilshere has been slowly working his way back into the first team picture this term, and as an Arsenal man through and through he could find his contract situation resolved quickly if his desires for playing time are met by Wenger.
Sadly, an entire spring and summer of speculation have not ended to transfe sagas of the club’s two most important attacking players: Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Sanchez has continued to be linked to Manchester City despite the poor start to his season, but PSG and Real Madrid have also been sniffing around the Chilean. The never ending rumours have obviously affected Sanchez’ play on the pitch, with him clearly pressing for results while committing far too many turnovers in the process.
He would have almost certainly have been sold to Manchester City this summer had the Sky Blues not tried to back Wenger into a corner with their whopping £60 million bid not coming in until the dying hours of the window. City was almost certainly trying to get their man while simultaneously leaving a rival without the proper time to replace him. Pep Guardiola already has an embarrassment of attacking riches at his disposal, but would certainly welcome the opportunity to work with the Chilean again after their first spell together at Barcelona. To most fans, Alexis Sanchez is as good as gone after having tried so hard to make the switch to a rival during the summer.
Fellow contract rebel Mesut Ozil has also been repeatedly linked with a move away in January, but has largely been spared of the wrath that his teammate Sanchez has been facing from the fans. Despite being in exactly the same situation as the Chilean, Ozil (or his media relations team, to be accurate) has continued to say all of the right things during his contract impasse. In fact, Ozil was so relaxed and loose on the preseason tour to the Australia that many were speculating at the time that he had already signed a new deal with the club. This was not to be, however, and now Gooners must come to grips with the prospect of losing their two biggest players.
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