Is Melo really coming to Arsenal?

By 1970’s Gooner

I have been enjoying the sun and the beach for the last week or so without really paying too much attention to all the speculation regarding the “impending” transfers that are about to happen at the Emirates.

One such transfer speculation that has excited a large proportion of Arsenal fans judging by the way that some Arsenal related blogs covered the matter is the Filipe Melo saga.

They have been led astray of course by the way the press has distorted a statement made by Fiorentina with regard to the possibility of Melo moving clubs this summer.

What has really prompted this statement is not Arsenal’s bid for the player (and the offer of part exchanging Eboue). It is that Melo has been in advanced negotiations with Juventus which has got the Fiorentina hierarchy all flustered.

They obviously want to agree the transfer fee first and THEN for the player to agree personal terms with his new club. Since it is obviously happening the other way round, with the player set on a move to Juventus, they see their bargaining power being eroded.

Hence the statement from Fiorentina which refered to the get out clause on Melo’s contract setting his price at €25m.

“In case the footballer has already reached an agreement with any club, the release clause fixed with the player himself is 25 million euros. We would not contemplate any exchange, unless it is to the liking of Fiorentina”

Yes Arsenal did put a bid in for Melo but a) they wanted to reduce the cash outlay to €21m by offering Eboue (which is a good move if you ask me) but b) Melo himself, as he has stated before, wants to stay in Italy and has already been negotiating personal terms with Juventus.

As you may already know Melo signed a new contract with Fiorentina only a week or so ago which set the release clause of €25m! This tells you that it was just a move agreed between the player and his club so that Fiorentina could get some extra cash.

In other words the real power lies with the player’s wishes (as always) and not really with Fiorentina.

And Melo is not choosing the Emirates is he?

As I wrote before I am not very optimistic that Wenger will get a new defensive midfielder this season.

This is because there is a tight budget (hence the offer of Eboue in part exchange), the relative unavailability of quality defensive midfielders (at an affordable transfer price and subsequent wages) and also the need to preserve the tremendous improvement that Song in particular has shown last season.

I hope I am wrong as we will need extra cover in this area as the season unfolds.