Arsenal Thread

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

I think this Robinho stuff could be a smoke screen if you like.

There have also been rumours of Baptista, Pat Rice was seen in Seville, Baptista isn't signing a new deal and Sevilla won't sell to another Spanish side. I might prefer Baptista over Robinho, as Baptista would offer us something different, Robinho would offer us what Reyes does really. Plus I am a little worried about his size.

But it looks as though Hleb is definatley on his way for £6m which is a fucking steal. I cannot wait to see who are 2nd signing will be.

←

Robinho would offer you a lot that Reyes can't offer. However, the other way around would apply too. As a whole, Reyes is much more suited to a premiership team than Robinho. Besides, I'm positive Robinho is going to Real Madrid, as Roberto Carlos is getting Spanish Nationality this season to provide an extra place for Robinho as all non-EC places in Real Madrid are taken already. The last i read/heard, Madrid was offering 16.6M euros, while Santos wanted closer to 20M. A pre-agreement between Madrid and Robinho/his agent had already been achieved aswell.

←

Edited June 27, 2005 by JohnnyPerfect

[TMM]

Defender and now we DEFINETLY need a new keeper (if only for back-up) seen as Taylor's gone now.

Great news with Hleb signing. It's good to sign a big name, especially a big name with a lot of talent/potential/both.

[therockbox]

Van Persie's been released, he's "still a suspect but it's not necessary to hold him" according to a spokesperson (bbc.co.uk).

Good news that he's been allowed to come back to England, but I suspect his form will suffer with it hanging over his head.

[Guest ZizouFWF]

Hola, this is my first ever post, I came across this site as I have just moved back to Madrid from England, well Coslada, just outside but I saw it as I was looking for EWR updates. Anyway, in Spain, they think Baptista will definitely be going to Liverpool or Arsenal, his agent has said they are talking to no Spanish club which includes Real - which is a shame but we dont need him, we just need a new defence- he is a goo player - Good on FM too.

Also, Luis Figo is being highly linked with West Ham here which is strange cos arent they awful!

Yo los deseo el mejor!

Edited June 28, 2005 by ZizouFWF

[Guest ZizouFWF]

Hola, I think we are just going to snatch Robinho of you , if we do, its likely Owen could be on his way to you as a part of the board saying thank you.

[TMM]

Just got this e-mail from Arsenal.com, and it lists all our matches that are live on Sky, so I thought I'd repost it here.

Please find listed below our first team fixtures which have been selected by

Sky TV and therefore have moved from their original date:-

Arsenal v Newcastle United

SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST 2005

Kick-off: 1.30 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Chelsea v Arsenal (A)

Sunday 21st August 2005

Kick-off: 4.00 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Middlesbrough v Arsenal (A)

Saturday 10th September 2005

Kick-off: 5.15 p.m.

Live on Pay Per View

Arsenal v Everton

MONDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER 2005

Kick-off: 8.00 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Arsenal v Birmingham City

SUNDAY 2ND OCTOBER 2005

Kick-off: 1.30 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Wigan Athletic v Arsenal (A)

Saturday 19th November 2005

Kick-off: 12.45 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Newcastle United v Arsenal (A)

Saturday 10th December 2005

Kick-off: 5.15 p.m.

Live on Pay Per View

Arsenal v Chelsea

SUNDAY 18TH DECEMBER 2005

Kick-off: 4.00 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Charlton Athletic v Arsenal (A)

Monday 26th December 2005

Kick-off: 12.45 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Aston Villa v Arsenal (A)

Saturday 31st December 2005

Kick-off: 12.45 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

Arsenal v Manchester United

TUESDAY 3RD JANUARY 2006

Kick-off: 8.00 p.m.

Live on Sky Sports

The following 2 matches are subject to change and dates will be announced

within the next few days:-

Arsenal v Fulham

Liverpool v Arsenal (A)

[FLiam]

Stack has gone to Reading on loan with a view to a permanent move in January.

Julio Baptista wants to join us by the looks of it, we want him badly and Reyes reccomended him. If we get him, then holy fucking shit! This would be one of the best summers in a while for us, Hleb AND Baptista.

I can't fucking wait until the new season even more if he joins.

Edited July 7, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[TMM]

Well Baptista has rejected a new contract with Sevilla, so he'll leave there either this summer or on a bosman when his contract expires (next summer?). He has come out and said that he wants a move to the Premiership as well.

In related news, Sergio Ramos does not want to leave Sevilla this summer. Oh well, he would be an awesome signing though.

[FLiam]

He won't be on a bosman, his contract runs until 2007.

There is this thing where a player over 23, if they have been at a club for three years I think they can leave under a tribunal or something.

Well, anyway, he could be signed by a team for as little as £500,000 next summer. But I want him now.

Rumour has it that another club have bid double what we are offering......

Who wants to bet it is those wankers from West London. I swear, if we don't get Baptista when we have been negotiating for, what, nearly 2 weeks, I will go fucking mad. Especially if it is to another English side.

Oh my god I am going to cry. The Sevilla president is the one who said the other offer they have recieved is double what we offered and it is most likely Liverpool. He also says that we haven't followed up since our bid was rejected.

Edited July 7, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[public enemy]

Where are you getting all that from?

From what I've heard there's been no involvement from a club like Chelsea and double what Arsenal are offering (which would be £30-ish Million) is a ridiculous transfer fee for the player.

Sky Sports, arguably the most accurate news site has only ever claimed that another premiership club has 'matched' Arsenal's bid (no indication of doubling it) only to have it also turned down. They say the other bidders are either Newcastle or Man Utd most likely the latter.

[FLiam]

Now the Sevilla president is claiming we tapped Baptista up.

I don't believe a word, I don't see Wenger travelling all the way to Brazil if he didn't have permission to do so. My theory is that he is trying to avoid another Reyes situation when he suffered a huge backlash from the fans.

If not, then this is embarassing after the whole Cole saga.

And in the AS, the Spanish sports paper, they report that we have offered €15m up front with a further €6m being paid based on appearences and that the transfer will be concluded in the coming days. My question is, if he does join, is he a replacement for Patrick Vieira? Because it seems as though we are willing to let him go. Will be interesting.

[public enemy]

Call me curious but theoretically couldn't Arsenal face a transfer ban if they're found guilty of another illegal approach?

I remember reading about how an illegal agent was used in the transfer of Owusu-Abeyie last summer and that Arsenal would face severe consequences if they broke a similar rule in the next few years with a two-year transfer ban seeming like the most likely punishment.

Realistically speaking, I doubt they are guilty. Sevilla seem to be clutching at straws at the possibility of losing one of they're brightest prospects again and throwing out wild accusations such as this seem all the more common when a club loses grip of one of it's key players.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

Nobody in their right mind would be stupid enough to try anything knowing the consequences and how easily caught you'd be.

[Malenko]

Just a question. What is this no-tapping up rule you talk so much about.

Regarding the Baptista news, Del Nido (Sevilla chairman) announced he got a transfer proposal for Baptista worth double what Arsenal's was but both were rejected.

And gooner he won't be a replacement for Vieira. They have nothing to do with each other.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

In England, you're not allowed to approach a player without permission from the club, although I think you're allowed to in Spain if the player has been at the club for a certain amount of years.

Edited July 8, 2005 by muddatrucker

[public enemy]

'Tapping-up' is basically talking to a player or member of staff of another club with the intention of bringing them to your club, without the permission from the club they are currently employed by.

As you know, to sign a player a fee must be agreed before the negotiating party is allowed to discuss a contract with the player. Tapping-up skips right past this process, as the club will illegally go straight to the player with the intention of 'stealing' him away from the current club via the player expressing he wants to leave.

The whole thing has been done in the past to numerous effect but the rules are becoming more and more strict towards it. Recent examples are Ashley Cole's alleged contact with Chelsea, Rio Ferdinand's two secret meetings with Chelsea's Peter Keynon and the illegal approach from Chelsea towards Tottenham's Sporting Director Frank Arneson.

...You just might be noticing a trend.

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

The laws are different in Italy and Spain though, so I don't think any laws would of been broken even if it had happened.

[Malenko]

Thanks for the explaining. But Arsenal doesn't have to worry at all in continental Europe, unless your own FA fines Arsenal for it.

In europe it happens all the time. Big clubs always do pre-deals with the players before they effectively buy them from their original clubs in order to get them cheap. It may not be a very ethical process but it is how it's done.

I'm actually surprised Del Nido would complain about that, as he has nothing to win (unless he's looking for the club's fans sympathy) from this situation. I haven't found those news yet though.

What happens in Europe (at least) is that when a player is on his 3rd consecutive year of contract with the same team, he may decide to leave regardless of his club willingness to let him go and a fee has to be payed considering his remaining contract. In Baptista's case that fee would be 41 Million €.

[FLiam]

So, if Vieira does go which looks very likely, who will be captain next season?

I am not sure if Wenger will get a replacement or not, Gilberto and Hleb could offer us something much different next season and could even work better. If Wenger wants a replacement I would only want to see Mascherano, Diarra or Emre join, but of course Emre is joining Newcastle so that is out of the question.

For captain I think that it will be Henry, or maybe Campbell.

OK, apprently the deal is around £10m plus either Zebina or Appiah or both.

Last time I checked, they both sucked.

Edited July 13, 2005 by Gooner4Life

[Guest Pirate Chasin' Booty]

I'd like to see what deal Juve can actually offer though, they don't really have the cash so its going to be an exchange and I want to know what players they plan on giving us.

I don't want to see Vieira go, but its the same shit each year and if he can't show his commitment then I don't want him in the team, let alone our captain. Henry seems a good idea for captain, but for some reason I'm not a massive fan of having a striker as a captain.

I could see Gilberto taking the roll, or if Campbell has a regular place, him.

We need to step up in this market, because currently its very frustrating. We need a striker, I'd like a Keeper too, so Arsene better get his game face on and start buying people. We've lost out on Baptista and its been a waste of time so we need to work fast.

EDIT: Zebina, Yes, Appiah no fucking way.

Edited July 13, 2005 by muddatrucker