Merino rejects new contract offer amidst Arsenal strong interest

By Danong and 1970s Gooner

One of Arsenal's major needs is to sign a talented midfielder who can join Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to form a dream midfield trio.

In recent months, Arsenal has been linked with several elite midfielders including Merino's teammate Zubimendi who has however declared his intention to stay at Real Societad.

Mikel Merino is the player Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is now actively targeting and in an attempt to persuade the midfielder to join his project the Arsenal manager spoke with him over the phone. It is reported that the club has offered him a deal of a lifetime to move to the Emirates.

Martin Odegaard who collaborated with the midfielder in Sociedad's engine room in the 2019/20 season could also potentially influence his decision to move to North London.

However, there is no guarantee that the player will move to the Emirates Stadium. 

In fact, both Barcelona (who are willing to offer their defenders in swap deals to clinch the deal) and Atletico Madrid are interested in the Real Sociedad star, who may be available for as little as £17 million.

A significant reason for his low valuation is the fact that he has one year remaining on his contract. And according to Mundo Deportivo he has rejected an extension.

As much as we want Merino to join Arsenal what can he bring to Mikel Arteta's midfield?

The Sociedad midfield standout, who is a fantastic box-to-box midfielder, is capable of filling Xhaka's 22/23 LCM role.

His strong aerial presence will improve Arsenal's box-crashing skills and further increasing its goal threat especially from set pieces.

Mikel Merino is a defensive beast; he has won the most duels (326) in Europe's top seven leagues. And he was rightfully assessed as the highest-ranked centrral midfielder in La Liga last season by WhoScored.

Summarily, Merino's stats last season were as follows:

 • He made 79 tackles, which ended up being 2.86 tackles per 90 minutes.

 • He attempted 581 ground duels, but as highlighted above, he won 327, which is 11.85 duels per 90 minutes.

• He won 170 aerial duels, which was 6.16 per 90 minutes.

We refer to Declan Rice as Mr. Reliable, always available when called upon and never missing a game. Given that Merino is virtually always fit and has only missed 13 games in five seasons is music to Arteta's and every Arsenal fan's ears.

Calafiori tells Bologna to let him fulfill his dream move to Arsenal

By 1970s Gooner 

Riccardo Calafiori on his return from holidays for pre season told the Bologna hierarchy that he wants to leave and asked them to let him fulfill his dream and play for Arsenal. 

This is according to respected journalist Fabrizio Romano who also claims that Bologna have accepted Arsenal’s offer of an initial £33.7m plus £4.2m add-ons!

Arsenal are now working round the clock to finalise the deal and get it over the line so that the player can join the Arsenal squad that will be travelling to the States for a series of friendlies.

Personal terms with Calafiori have already been agreed. 

GREAT NEWS

Meeting this morning opens the way for Calafiori to join Arsenal

By 1970s Gooner 

We all know of Bologna's reluctance to part ways with their star defender unless the gap in valuation between themselves and Arsenal of 10m is closed. 

Behind this lies ofcourse the reported 40% sale on clause they agreed with Basel when they bought the player only last season!

It has now become apparent that Arsenal have offered Kiwior as part of the transaction to help Bologna fill the gap that will be left.

This ofcourse opened up a can of worms because firstly Bologna have to assess if they deem Kiwior as an adequate replacement and hence raise additional valuation issues.

And secondly Kiwior himself has to be convinced to make the move too with reports stating that he is set for joining A.C Milan. 

Amidst all these complications however the Italian journalist Gianluca Dimarzio has reported today that Bologna is actively looking at replacing Calafiori with Juventous defender Daniel Rugani.

And that a meeting took place this morning at Bologna's headquarters between Rugani's agent, Torchia and the team's hierarchy to discuss this possibility. 

So a way out looks likely but it now depends on Rugani and Juventus agreeing to this deal...

You know what they say : things need to get worse before they get better...

It's not Gyokeres or Osimhen but this Dutch sensation is the hitman closer to Arsenal switch

By Danong and 1970s Gooner

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Arsenal's search for a new striker.

There was a time when it seemed like the Gunners really wanted to bring in a top striker. 

Then it turned out that getting a new striker wasn't really a big deal because they believed that with Kai Havertz, the Arsenal attack was still strong enough.

So apparently the Gunners have given up on plans to sign Napoli's Victor Osimhen and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

The club's decision to snub Osimhen is understandable, given his hefty price tag of over £100 million.

Snubbing Gyokeres is interesting, but I hope the chiefs at Arsenal know what they're doing because the Swedish striker had an impressive campaign last season, scoring 43 goals and providing 15 assists in 50 games for Sporting CP.

This was his first season at the club after leaving Championship side Coventry. Based on these statistics, he would have been an excellent recruit. 

It's reported however that he has an 86m release clause and like Osimen he will not come to Arsenal if he is not guaranteed a starting place in the team.

Which brings us to Ajax's Brobbey as the likeliest to grace the carpet. He is 22 and will be willing to fight for his place as the number 9, which means he will more often than not start on the bench.

He offers youth and potential without upsetting the apple cart in the Arsenal forwards hierarchy.

He is an excellent finisher with18 goals and 8 assists last season in 30 matches. He's also quite strong, evoking similarities with Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Didier Drogba.

He's also agile and has the ability to drive the ball forward quickly, which is what the Arsenal attack craves.

Arteta will aim to use him as an alternative for the forward line while helping him develop further to be able to challenge for a first team place in his own right.

Transfermarkt value him at 35m 

Teammate admits he gets why Arsenal wants to sign 21yo rapid winger

By Danong    

Spain No. 1, Unai Simon, has shared his thoughts on why top European clubs are interested in Nico Williams. The Athletico Bilbao star is definitely one of the best up-and-coming Spanish talents. 

Rumours suggest that Arteta is interested in bringing him to the Emirates Stadium, as he's keen to add a versatile winger to his project.

Williams has been absolutely outstanding in the European Championship, playing a crucial role in Spain's incredible success in the competition. 

One cannot overlook his impressive performances along with Lamine Yamal when discussing Spain's 2024 Euro campaign. Their brilliance on Spain's wings has truly been dazzling.

That said, just before the Euros started, Williams signed a new deal, which suggests he's not in a rush to leave his La Liga side.

Despite the new deal, Arsenal is really keen on signing him, and there's even talk of them considering activating his around £47 million release clause.

When Unai Simons was asked about the attention his fellow countryman was receiving in the transfer market, he responded, as quoted by Estadio Deportivo:

“Nico can play wherever he wants, and that’s what he’s going to do. Well, honestly, I think it’s normal that you hear all these rumours that Nico can go to Barca, that he can go to Chelsea, to Arsenal... 

It’s normal that you hear that because Nico is a player who right now could play in most teams in the world because of what he is showing in this Euros, because of the growth that Athletic have had this season, and because he is very decisive in many situations."

It is without doubt that Williams could bolster Arsenal's attack. At only 21 years old, he's already showing a lot of promise for the future. He's got some serious speed and killer dribbling skills. 

Adding his skills to Arsenal's attack would bring a fresh dynamic, making them harder to predict and more adaptable. In 37 games last season, he racked up 8 goals and 19 assists.

Williams is versatile and can play on either wing, which adds flexibility to attacking formations and Arteta can try out various tactical setups thanks to his adaptability.

Certainly, bringing him on board would be a key step in the long-term plan to further strengthen rhe team and establish Arsenal as a dominant force in Europe. His signing would help build a solid foundation of young, skilled players who can consistently compete at the highest level now and in the long run.

With Calafiori joining will Mikel Arteta now have the best defence in Europe?

By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

It looks like Riccardo Calafiori's move to Arsenal is a matter of when, not if. Over the last few days, it has seemed that the Italian Euro standout is getting closer to signing for Arsenal.

One of the best aspects of the Calafiori signing is that he significantly increases Arsenal's defensive squad depth because he can play either left back or left central defence. 

He will be joining a set of central defenders who could be playing in all four positions at the back: White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Timber, Kiwior. 

The latter however may be transferred to make room for Calafiori.

So, what would Arsenal's defence look like with Calafiori? 

Mikel Arteta could choose between three defensive setups.

Option A:  White, Gabriel, Saliba, and Calafiori. 

This defensive line is one of the tightest, capable of repelling any attack. You can play it against teams with strong attacking talent, such as Real Madrid and Manchester City especially in the Champions League which will give you the best platform to go deep in the competition.

• Option B: Timber, Saliba, Calafiori and Zinchenco. 

This defence features our best on-the-ball defenders. You can field this defensive line against teams that prefer to sit back and defend with a low block. 

If one wants to break down one of the toughest defences, this may be the backline to lay the foundation for unlocking such opponents. 

One may question the need to take a risk with Zinchenko, but with a strong LCM in Calafiori to cover for the Ukrainian international, the left side will be defensively sound.

•Option C: Timber, Saliba, Gabriel and Calafiori. 

This option might rely on Timber and Calafiori's on-ball abilities while also exploiting their defensive qualities. On any matchday, you can use this defence against any opponent. 

I'm sorry, Ben White fans, but this option could potentially be Arsenal's strongest defensive unit on paper and possibly the best defence in Europe.

In addition to the six defenders mentioned in the three options above, Takehiro Tomiyasu, who can play throughout the backline would also be a strong option to fill in for anyone who isn't fit.

Along with Jakub Kiwior reports also predict the departure of Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares.

Calafiori to reject Chelsea?

 By Danong and 1970s Gooner 

According to Fabrizio Romano, it seems that Arsenal and Chelsea are currently the only clubs in discussions to acquire Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

But have Juventus really cooled their interest or is there a game being played here by his agent and/or his current employer, Bologna, to spike the price up that Juventous will eventually have to pay.

There are some similarities here with the Vlahovic case where Arsenal, if you remember, were led to believe that the

player was available but of course he ended up at Juventous where he wanted to go to in the first place!

In any case the Bologna defender, who is reportedly interested in moving to the Emirates Stadium if Arsenal can reach an agreement with his club, has according to some press outlets received a long-term offer from the Gunners.

However, Arsenal might have to deal with competition from Chelsea, which is also interested in the player as they tend to follow what Arsenal aim for in the transfer windows (remember the Mudryk transfer saga).

What if Chelsea also ends up making a tempting offer to the Italian? And what if they "confuse" him with a tempting wage package that he won't be able to turn down?

If this ends up a straight fight with Chelsea, Arsenal have two very strong cards to convince the 22-year-old to join them.

Firstly playing for Arsenal he will be competing in probably the best and most high profile league in the world. And fighting neck and neck against Man City directly for the league title.

Secondly, next season, playing for Arsenal will present Calafiori the opportunity to compete in the prestigious Champions League and have a realistic chance to go deep in the competition and possibly win it.

He will of course play in the CL with Bologna if he decides to stay but it's debatable if they manage to go deep in the competition.

Chelsea will not have Champions League football on offer and there's no guarantee they'll be in the Premier League title race. In fact they are more likely to be competing for a top four place!

If Riccardo Calafiori is ambitious, he's definitely not going to settle for a club playing in the Conference League.

For him, there's only one destination—Arsenal.

Saka and Rice can bring it home in this new formation

By 1970s Gooner 

Well it's very obvious that England and Southgate haven't got a cat in hell's chance to progress through the quarter finals let alone win the damn thing.

The players are knackered, they can't play through the mid or even a low block that is deployed against them, they can't press the opposition themselves and to cap it all haven't got any ideas how to progress forward with the ball!!

No wonder Pickford more often than not elects to go long looking for Kane's head! Reminds of the kind of football I grew up with in the 70s!

I can confidently predict that if Southgate picks the same team and more importantly the same formation England will get knocked out by Switzerland in the quarter finals. 

There is no way that England will be able to call again upon the extremely fortuitous chain of events that materialised 35 seconds in the 90 +5 minute of the game and again in the second minute of extra time!

The radical change that absolutely needs to happen is not necessarily a change of players but a change of formation. I would suggest to change to a 3 4 1 2 formation.

Pickford 

Walker Stones Konsa

TAD/Trippier Rice Mainou Saka

Bellingham 

Toney Kane

The message should be: pass the ball forward not side ways, take your player on and play with freedom.

Can Mikel Arteta forego a superstar forward signing?

By Danong

Let's be honest: with King Kai Havertz's form we shouldn't be keen to add a striker.

Benjamin Sesko, who many believed to be our top target, revealed the other day that he will not be joining; he has committed his future to RB Leipzig.

Prior to Sesko, Alexander Isak expressed his desire to stay at Newcastle following a successful season last year.

There are other striking options to consider but Arsenal's striker search is becoming more difficult than some of us anticipated.

Currently, teams may perceive Arsenal as desperate to sign a striker and attempt to exploit the situation.

In addition, strikers might be apprehensive about joining Arsenal, observing Havertz's comeback and questioning whether their move to the Emirates would ensure a starting position.

As difficult as it is for Arsenal to sign a striker, do they really need one given Havertz's form?

In 17 games for club and nation since last season, the German striker has scored or assisted 19 goals (11 goals and 8 assists).

Interestingly, in Arsenal's final nine games of the season, he had 8 goals and 7 assists. By the end of the season, most Gooners were content with Havertz directing the offensive.

After initially playing Havertz as a left back, German head coach Julias Nagelsman was eager to capitalise on Havertz's revival at striking. A week before the Euros, the German boss made it obvious he trusted the Arsenal player to lead his forward line.

Well, clearly, it was the best decision he ever made, as Havertz validated his selection in Germany's Euros opening against Scotland.

Havertz shined as the lone striker, getting a high 8/10 Sofascore rating with a spectacular performance that demonstrated his skill and authority on the pitch.

He contributed one assist for Jamal Musiala's goal in the 19th minute and he converted a penalty with composure and perfection to make it 3-0 for Germany.

He had a 100% success in duels (3/3), demonstrating his dominance on the pitch and his ten passes in the final third demonstrated his vision and ability to pierce Scotland's defence.

Niclas Fullkrug replaced him in the 63rd minute, and the spectators showered him with a well-deserved standing ovation as he exited the pitch.

Kai Havertz has transformed his circumstances in just over half a season, going from the least popular player to one who is always well-supported by both Arsenal and the German national team.

Looking at the ex-Blues' performance in the last few months, I can't help but believe that even if we don't sign a striker, we have one we can rely on.

I don't know about you, but with Gabriel Jesus and Havertz covering the number 9 (or 9 1/2) position and us signing a superstar winger who can play both wings and has an eye for goal, Arsenal's attack should be fired next season to go and win the league. 

£34m French wonderkid the X-factor Arsenal attack needs

By Danong

Arsenal seems to heavily rely on Bukayo Saka as its go-to player. He only missed three league games in the last three seasons, which might not seem like a big deal to some. But he's playing way more than he should. And burn out is what we should avoid.

But out of all the potential transfers to the Emirates Stadium, I would be genuinely surprised if Arsenal didn't view a £34 million move for Desire Doue as an opportunity.

This 18-year-old Rennes winger has been making waves in the French football scene since his debut in the 2022–23 season.

On the pitch, he's known for his versatility, playing on either side of the wing as well as in the attacking and central midfield positions. 

He's known for his stylish dribbling, quick feet and entertaining football, which creates plenty of chances for the team. 

He's pretty young, but he's already got the freedom to call the shots when he's got the ball at his feet. He's got some serious skills when it comes to controlling the tempo of the game with his dribbling and passing abilities. 

Stats, as per fbref, he's a pretty solid ball carrier:

Progressive carries: 4.38 (ranking 99 percentile)

Carries into Penalty Area: 1.55 (ranking 99 percentile)

Carries into the Final Third: 4.20 (ranking 99 percentile).

If he signs, the young Frenchman could be a fantastic backup for Saka. His versatility allows him to play in various attacking positions, although he may not be the best option for a striker. 

With him at Arsenal, our offensive game would definitely improve, so I wouldn't mind spending £34 million to secure his deal.