Arsenal Thread

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

If this deal happens I'll be really happy, I still cant see it happening in all honest. I still stick to saying I'd rather take Pires, I'm so desperate for a bid at him. The deal will never be Zebina I don't reckon, we've already said how we cant afford to lose him because we struggled badly when he got injured last season. Appiah is a really good player trust me, an underated one too. He's a damn good striker of the ball and has some pretty decent skill. He's no world class player but he's certainly talented and looking to improve.

I don't know why we don't involve Maresca if we're so desperate to get rid of him. Arsenal might be interested.

Edit - Okay I just read the stuff in the transfer thread and noticed how it's nearly a done deal. I still wouldn't gurantee anything though, but damn this is quite nail biting for some reason. Oh and also if he does leave I think Henry should be captain. Even when Viera is there that man demands the best out of his team mates. He's always getting them fired up, I personally think he'd be a brilliant leader, you can rely on the guy.

Edited July 13, 2005 by JohnnyPerfect

[FLiam]

Italian media reports claimed Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira has agreed to move to Juventus.

The Gazzetta Dello Sport website, citing unnamed officials from both clubs, reported that a deal was struck late on Wednesday evening.

Both Gazzetta and ANSA, the Italian national press agency, reported that the clubs have agreed a deal which will be made official on Thursday.

source: This is Network Sport

Well, looks like a done deal, will be interesting to see what the fee is and if one of those players joins.

I agree with mudda too. If we don't get a new keeper, we will be starting our first 2 Champion's League games with Manuel Almunia in goal and some shit young goalkeeper in reserve.

Edited July 13, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Hopefully he's a flop, unless we get some exchanges I don't see the point in getting excited about a fee, we have money already, we just don't seem to be using it.

[FLiam]

I just realised.

Kolo Toure might be an awesome pick to replace Vieira in the midfield. I read on a site and thought that would be great. Allowing Senderos to partner Campbell in defence.

But I would still prefer Diarra. I just realised too, apparently Ballack could be on the market for £10m. Would anyone mind him as a replacement?

In other news, Ashburton Grove is looking fucking great. I really cannot wait until we play there, will be amazing.

Edited July 14, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I just realised.

Kolo Toure might be an awesome pick to replace Vieira in the midfield. I read on a site and thought that would be great. Allowing Senderos to partner Campbell in defence.

But I would still prefer Diarra. I just realised too, apparently Ballack could be on the market for £10m. Would anyone mind him as a replacement?

In other news, Ashburton Grove is looking fucking great. I really cannot wait until we play there, will be amazing.

←

[supergrass]

It's hard to see how the club is progressing when we're allowing our captain to leave. But then as a few people have been pointing out in the press, players like Petit, Overmars and Anelka were all sold off for decent prices and we survived.

Letting Vieira go isn't the end of the world providing we can bring in some good, world class players. Somebody like Ballack would be ideal, I wouldn't mind seeing Diarra get a chance. It'll be good to see Gilberto step up to his role as the main holding midfielder now, I think it might actually do him some good to feel a bit more important.

[Guest Zeus]

Its official, a done deal, £13.7m deal to Juve!

Now wenger u need to buy an experienced midfielder not a nobody, and spend some MONEY!

[FLiam]

I don't understand how a players valuation can drop more than £10m in one year.

Sad to see him go really, I knew he would one day. Quite a sad day, he isn't irreplaceble though. But still sad to see him go.

First chant for the Charity Shield then?

[TMM]

Terms agreed with Juventus for transfer of Patrick Vieira

Arsenal Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for the transfer of Patrick Vieira to Juventus for a total fee of 20 million Euros.

At this stage, Patrick is now finalising his personal terms and conditions with Juventus.

The Club would like to take this opportunity to recognise the enormous contribution Patrick has made to Arsenal since he joined as Arsène Wenger's first signing in 1996. During his time at the Club, Patrick made over 400 first team appearances, with three years as Captain and was instrumental in the Club winning three Premiership titles and the FA Cup on four occasions.

Also during his time at Arsenal, Patrick enjoyed great success with the French national team, by winning the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championships in 2000. He also became the Captain of France and made a total of 79 caps for France as an Arsenal player.

Everyone at Arsenal Football Club wish Patrick the best of luck for the future.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, Manager Arsène Wenger said: “I share the sadness with our supporters that Patrick has left us, but on the other hand I would say to them trust us and support us. We’ll be strong next season and we need you behind us like you have always been. We will not disappoint you.

"Patrick was a great player for us, one of the greatest in the Club’s history and I feel I had a special relationship with him because I made him come here. I think his impact, not only at Arsenal but in English football overall was just tremendous.

"The sad thing is that he leaves us, but the good thing is that he leaves us on a high. His last kick for the Club was symbolic as it won us the FA Cup.

"Patrick will always be special for Arsenal Football Club, always in our hearts and our minds. All I can do is thank him for all he gave to the Club and wish him well in his career."

Patrick Vieira added: “When you spend nine years at the Club, like I did, it is a difficult decision to leave. But in the end you have to make a choice for your future. It was a very difficult decision, but I am happy with it.

"I made the decision to leave because I felt it was time for me to have a new challenge. But that does not mean I was unhappy or that I was having a problem at Arsenal.

"It was just that I had the feeling I needed to grow and meet a new challenge, and I feel Juventus was the best challenge for me.

"I‘d like to thank the Arsenal fans. They have been fabulous. Even recently in the street they were saying ‘if you are going, then thanks for the last nine years’. That is really touching and it makes me feel that I gave my best for the Club.

"I can go with my head held high. I did my best every day in training and in every match, and I left shaking the hand of Arsène Wenger and Mr Dein. That was really important to me."

Just a medical is in the way now I believe. It's a shame, but I have no time for people who aren't commited to club 100%.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Yeah, without sounding like a bitch, he can fuck off and I hope (and I know) that he'll be no-one special in Serie A. My only worry is our ability to be firm and actually sign someone. We can't proceed in our goals if we're letting our players go and not making any signings.

[supergrass]

With regards to the price dropping so much since last year, Vieira is a year older and has a year less left on his contract. He didn't have a great season last term either so it was always going to drop a little. Considering you could probably get Ballack for that price it isn't bad business for a 29 year old who's given us his best years. It's not really the point but in the long run we've still made a profit on him as well as getting a lot of service from him.

I'd like to see him succeed, as long as it isn't at our expense in Europe should we meet. So good luck to him anyway, in all honesty it's probably a year too late moving but he's given us a lot and was a big part of us becomming one of the top 2 or 3 clubs.

Souness has been warning us off Jenas as well, though I'm not too keen on him coming to Arsenal (and haven't seen any interest reported from Arsenal anywhere).

Edited July 14, 2005 by supergrass

[TheArsenal]

We were Arsenal before Vieira, and we'll be Arsenal after him.

However, of course now we need to try and fill the void left by the departure of a worldclass player. I think the decision to sell wasn't too bad - on the assumption we get a good replacement. I'm not sure the decision to sell for 13.7million is too good though. I would have expected 18-20million MINIMUM.

[fineintent]

Who's the new captain then? There's no one in the current squad who screams leader at me, I say they'll give it to Henry to show that he's unobtainable to other teams.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Hopefully Henry, like I said before, that guy was born a damn leader. Personally I think he'll do as good a job as Vieira as well.

Pretty damn overjoyed right now. In all honesty at first I thought it was basic crap rumours and I wasn't really excited. We could have done without Vieria, but now it's just brilliant in so many ways. He's a top class player too, so it cant do us any harm what so ever. We said at the start we'd buy possibly no one hardly, so seeing this sort of signing is great. This probably means Nedved will drift into left midfield so Vieira and Emerson can sit in the center. Personally I don't think he'll be a flop in Italy. It'll be one heck of a new challenge for him, but I reckon it'll work great. I wish we went for Pires too

All we need now is to draw Arsenal in the champions league sometime in the new season. Seeing Henry and Vieira against their old clubs would be such a damn great sight again. Seeing Vieria go up against Arsenal would be quite awesome I reckon, I'm really hoping it happens.

[supergrass]

I think the captaincy might well go to Henry, but if the choice was mine it would be Sol Campbell without a shadow of a doubt. He has experience, a cool head and I still think he's the best defender we have. I think he's the kind of player people do look up to.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Apparently he's being used as bate for Jermaine Jenas, so we take the 2 rocks from our team, let them slip away and replace them with an overpriced kid.

[supergrass]

I can only hope that's speculation and not true. Senderos is good, as is Toure, but neither can compare to Sol Campbell yet. Letting him go would be a massive mistake, I can't see it happening.

[therockbox]

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has told Arsenal they would have to pay £20m to take Jermaine Jenas to Highbury.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been linked with a move to Arsenal as a replacement for Patrick Vieira, who has moved to Juventus for £13.75m.

Souness, who has secured the signings of two midfielders this summer, told BBC Radio Five Live: "We are not a selling club."

But when pressed, he said: "For £20m, the chairman might be tempted."

Jenas joined the Magpies from Nottingham Forest for £5m in February 2002 and captained the side in Alan Shearer's absence last season.

The midfielder will play no part in Sunday's Intertoto Cup clash with Dubnica in Slovakia - although Newcastle have played down the significance of this.

The club maintain that Jenas and Stephen Carr will not play because they were on international duty at the end of last season.

Newcastle have been linked with Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who could be used as a makeweight in any deal between the two clubs involving Jenas.

"Sol has been outstanding for Arsenal and the rock they have built their defence on," said Souness.

"The downside for us would be the money he earns - but he is a top defender."

However, asked if it was true Campbell could be switching to St James' Park, Souness said: "No, it is not true."

And the Magpies chief is equally adamant that Jenas is not leaving.

"Listen, I am not going to comment on speculation," he said.

"The only thing I will say is we are not in the business of selling our best players.

"We are not in the business of selling our best players and I am not going to talk about it. We have a big game to try to concentrate on on Sunday.

"It is not going to be an easy game for us because of the lack of fitness we will have and the fitness that the other team will have, so that really is what we are concentrating on, not speculating on who is leaving or who is arriving."

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

I'm not even sure why Wenger is interested, Jenas is shit.

[fineintent]

I'm not even sure why Wenger is interested, Jenas is shit.

←