Arsenal Thread

[G-O-D]

Dein fuming at Cole report

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein is fuming at reports left back Ashley Cole held a secret meeting with Premiership leaders Chelsea.

The News of the World is reporting the England international to have met Blues chief executive Peter Kenyon along with agent Pini Zahavi on Thursday.

Cole, who is contracted to The Gunners until the summer of 2007, is currently in talks with Arsenal with regards to penning an improved deal.

The 24-year-old is on £27,000-a-week at Highbury and Chelsea are believed to be willing to triple his deal should he switch to Stamford Bridge.

Dein is unhappy at the alleged meeting and is keen to see evidence of Thursday's events in order to validate the claim.

"This is a very disturbing matter and we will deal with it very seriously," explained Dein.

"We'd be very interested to see the evidence you [the paper] have obtained."

Should Chelsea be found to have spoken to Cole they would be in breach of Premier League rule K3 and liable for punishment.

[fineintent]

Because he's the best left back in the Premiership, if not Europe?

I'd have him over Bridge anyday.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Because he's the best left back in the Premiership, if not Europe?

I'd have him over Bridge anyday.

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[RawIsWar]

I dont really believe all this news about Cole and Chelsea, i rate Cole very highly the best English left back and possibly the best in the world on form wise. I dont blame Chelsea for wanting him

[FLiam]

This is total bullshit imo.

His agent has said it is and I hope it is, Sunday papers needed a big shocking story so they came up with this.

Next week they will dig out a quote in which Thierry Henry has said Man Utd are a good side and he cannot wait to face them because they such a big club, and then the papers will turn it around and the back page you will have

"THIERRY HENRY DREAMS OF MAN UTD SWITCH"

Also in other news:

Finally for today I was sent an email about our Spanish keeper Manuel Almunia who fired an off-target shot at Jens Lehmann during the warm-up yesterday. It went into the crowd and smashed a young kid right in the face who was in floods of tears. Thierry Henry pointed the kid out to Manuel who went up and gave him a big hug and so on, then at the end of the warm up he went back up to the kid and gave him his gloves as a little memento. Nice work, Señor and thanks to Jon for the info.

source: arseblog.com

I can't help but laugh at that, it brings back memories of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hitting one his piledrivers at Old Trafford, only for it to go high and wide and smash some bloke in the face, who of course, had to be wearing glasses.

Edited January 30, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[supergrass]

I was told today that in an interview Jose Mourinho has claimed he was in Milan when he was supposed to be in these private meetings with Ashley Cole - that was only through word of mouth I heard that but I was told Jose said it himself.

Quality story about Almunia...though it doesn't fill me with confidence about his kicking. JFH's one at Old Trafford has to be one of my favourite moments in football history. The fact the guy had glasses on just seemed to make it so much better.

[FLiam]

Mourinho has said on that day he was in Milan talking to Adriano.

Maybe he is digging a bigger hole for himself?

[Malenko]

Mourinho has said on that day he was in Milan talking to Adriano.

Maybe he is digging a bigger hole for himself?

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[FLiam]

Well, not for himself. But the media are most likely going to take that as an illegal approach for Adriano, I am sure it will be put like that somewhere.

I know he wasn't tapping him up, but what I meant was the media will take it, and twist it. You know how it is.

[G-O-D]

More on the Cole story:

Jose Mourinho has denied attending talks with Arsenal defender Ashley Cole.

Reports on Sunday had claimed that Mourinho and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had held secret talks with Cole over a move to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho watched his side beat Birmingham 2-0 in the FA Cup on Sunday, and after the match he denied meeting Cole.

"I can answer you in several ways," Mourinho said on Sky Sports.

"I can tell you that it is not true.

"I can answer you that every player, who is a really good player, or every agent who wants to improve his player's situation, is linked with Chelsea."

Mourinho went on to joke that he was talking with Brazilian striker Adriano merely to practise his Portuguese, with the real meaning behind his statement being that he is too busy to meet players.

"I can also answer you that I wasn't even here, I was in Milan taking to Adriano."

The former Porto boss has publicly stated his admiration for Inter marksman Adriano, but he has insisted that he does not need another striker at this time, saying that evey player is being linked with Chelsea recently.

"Steven Gerrard, Adriano, Ashley Cole - and next week it will be another one," Mourinho added.

"I have a perfect and wonderful squad and I don't need any more players this season. Next season I will need one or two.

"It is names after names with us, because it is Chelsea."

[Malenko]

More on the Cole story:

Jose Mourinho has denied attending talks with Arsenal defender Ashley Cole.

Reports on Sunday had claimed that Mourinho and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon had held secret talks with Cole over a move to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho watched his side beat Birmingham 2-0 in the FA Cup on Sunday, and after the match he denied meeting Cole.

"I can answer you in several ways," Mourinho said on Sky Sports.

"I can tell you that it is not true.

"I can answer you that every player, who is a really good player, or every agent who wants to improve his player's situation, is linked with Chelsea."

Mourinho went on to joke that he was talking with Brazilian striker Adriano merely to practise his Portuguese, with the real meaning behind his statement being that he is too busy to meet players.

"I can also answer you that I wasn't even here, I was in Milan taking to Adriano."

The former Porto boss has publicly stated his admiration for Inter marksman Adriano, but he has insisted that he does not need another striker at this time, saying that evey player is being linked with Chelsea recently.

"Steven Gerrard, Adriano, Ashley Cole - and next week it will be another one," Mourinho added.

"I have a perfect and wonderful squad and I don't need any more players this season. Next season I will need one or two.

"It is names after names with us, because it is Chelsea."

Source

And the Adriano story was made in jest. Although I wouldn't mind him as a Chelsea player

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[FLiam]

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger looks set to add to his collection of young talent with the acquisition of Raffaele De Martino.

The Roma youth player is regarded to be a prospect of considerable potential and it would be a noticeable coup if Arsenal do indeed clinch his signature.

Talk in Italy suggests a move is imminent, with De Martino having recently withdrawn from an international youth tournament after claiming he was ill.

The midfielder's agent, Giuseppe Galli, concedes that negotiations have taken place but as yet, no deal has been struck.

''The guy called me yesterday (Friday) and assured me that he was always in Italy and has not signed a contract with any English club,'' said Galli.

''There does exist a negotiation but Roma were informed of it in the last few weeks.''

Roma's vice-president Daniele Prade is keen to put an end to the matter but also conceded that talks had been on-going between De Martino and his English suitors.

''We offered him a contract but he asked for double the sum,'' said Prade.

''Now De Martino is at home and is absolutely confused.

''His agent has been contacted by English officials but these are his things.''

Meanwhile, Roma coach Luigi Delneri believes that the player has been ill-advised and urged him to think carefully before making a final decision.

''The guy is ill-advised,'' lamented Delneri.

''I hope he will have the strength to decide on his own what to do.

''The club must give a strong signal and that is that we cannot be conditioned.''

source: planetfootball.com

I first saw this at the Arsenal-Mania website where some guy said he had sources which said De Martino was in talks with us over a move, I didn't believe it, but not it seems quite true. I have to say, I would love him to join, he is a top class player from what I have seen of him so far. Hope it happens.

EDIT:

Arsenal Behind Young Roma Prospect Swiss Escape?

1/31/2005 8:01:00 PM

Young Italian prospect Raffaele De Martino signed with Swiss side Bellinzona today, a move Goal.com’s Italian edition believes was orchestrated by Arsenal.

De Martino, who signed with the Swiss until 2010, will play with Bellinzona for the next sixth months, after which he will make the move to London’s main stage, continues our Italian site's report.

Last week, the former AS Roma player ran away from the Viareggio youth tournament he was partaking in with the young Roman wolves in order to allegedly agree terms with the Gunners.

"Roma made us an offer that could have been considered good at the beginning of the season, but not now. We moved perfectly within the rules," said the player's agent Galli.

Roma have already said they will bring the case against the player to court

This seems very legit.

It seems to be going toward another Flamini situation, but the thing is, he doesn't have a pro contract, there is no law stating he has to sign it with them in Italy. So they can't really do anything.

I love the way Wenger poaches other teams youngsters.

Edited January 31, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[FLiam]

Roma starlet Raffaele De Martino has snubbed an offer from the Italian giants, along with possible English interest to move to Switzerland.

The 18-year-old has moved to Swiss side Bellinzona, penning a deal to keep him at the side until 2010.

Premiership champions Arsenal had are thought to have been interested in the talented youngster, who has played in the UEFA Champions League for Roma.

The Serie A giants did make him an offer to graduate from the youth side into the full squad for next season, but he decided to turn that down.

De Martino's agent Giuseppe Galli says that he wanted an immediate first-team chance, and so opted to leave Stadio Olimpico to play in Switzerland.

"He had an offer, he evaluated it and he accepted it," said Galli.

"Roma made him a proposal that could be good at the beginning of the season, not now.

"We moved respecting rules."

Raffaele de Martino

source: planetfootball.com

One thing makes me think, the fact that he has joined this nothing side from Switzerland, I mean, they don't even get into Europe I don't think.

Other places are still reporting that we are the middle man in this deal and he will join us in the summer.

Who knows, we will have to wait and see.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Tonight is huge for Arsenal and United.

I still think that one of them two will win the title whatever anyone says. I also think tonight decides which one of them it can be. I can honestly see both Arsenal and United beating Chelsea when they meet them, which slightly brings the three closer and well it'd only take one more slip up or so for Chelsea and before you know it they're pushed off the top.

Favourite game of the season tonight though, cant wait for it.

[Cortez]

Cracking game so far, Bergkamp is red hot tonight, Rooney is on the edge, if he goes into the second half with the same attitude that he has had so far then i can see him walking. We should have had a penalty, and Bergkamp was never offside, had they allowed play to go on it could be 3-1. Second half should be a firestorm of a match.

[Guest Ringmaster]

Bwahahahaha Silvestre is a dumb cunt.

[Malenko]

a question: does anyone know how much Vieira weighs?

[supergrass]

4-2 FT. We're just not good enough. First half, fantastic - we chased everything, closed Utd down and that's why we got the lead. That didn't exist in the second half.

No excuses. Just plain not good enough, well beaten in the second half.

How Arsene Wenger cannot see how much we need a goalkeeper and a defender I will never know.

[Cortez]

2-1 up and we lose 4-2, shocking. And once again are keeper fucked up.

[Jonny D]

Great game, and a good win for United. Slvestre is fucking dumb though, butting someone two yards away from the ref. No complants though, we had Arsenal comprehensively beaten.