Morning. With none Euro 2024 motion yesterday or at present, there’s some Arsenal focus for at present’s weblog, and it seems like there’s a bit of bit stuff starting to drip in terms of transfers.
The principle story is broadly reported curiosity in Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori. The Bologna man impressed on the Euros, regardless of the actual fact Italy had been fairly poor all through, and a number of sources are saying we’re in talks and so forth and so forth. I’m a bit of cautious, as a result of Serie A to the Premier League isn’t a pathway many Italian gamers take, and even much less so to Arsenal. Nevertheless, there’s a whole lot of smoke round this one, so maybe there’s some fireplace.
On the newest Arsecast Further, James spoke a bit of about incoming enterprise being considerably tied to outgoing enterprise, and it’s onerous to not assume that may effectively be the case right here. Because it stands, Arsenal are well-stacked with left-sided defenders. Gabriel is the principle man at LCB, we have now Jakub Kiwior who can play there too, as can Takehiro Tomiyasu. The latter pair have additionally featured at left-back, the place we even have Oleksandr Zincheko on the books, a stricken Kieran Tierney whose future seems difficult due to that damage, and Jurrien Timber as another choice.
So, it’s onerous to not assume that if there’s real curiosity in Calafiori, somebody vital from that group has acquired to depart. Zinchenko was on the outs throughout the run-in and it has been urged he may very well be up on the market with simply two years left on his deal and no signal that the membership need to prolong him, whereas Kiwior has – greater than as soon as – been linked with a transfer again to Italy. We signed him from from Spezia in January 2023, and names like AC Milan and Napoli have been talked about as events.
I suppose one other factor to contemplate is that Mikel Arteta is kinda the reverse Arsene Wenger, in that there’s been a lot concentrate on including a striker and a midfielder that bringing in one other defender appears on level for this supervisor. If he sees Calafiori as a left-sided Ben White, that may make some sense to me – significantly within the context of earlier reported curiosity in bringing in a left-back this summer time. Wenger, as we noticed greater than as soon as, typically had the necessity for extra defensive power, however would determine the most effective factor to do is signal a mercurial attacker who appreciated to eat biscuits. Anyway, I suppose it’s one to regulate, and Chelsea are reportedly too – however then I heard from very dependable sources they tried to signal the complete movie star contingent from Soccer Support till somebody had a phrase with Todd Boehly.
The remainder of the tales are about gamers on the best way out. First, Albert Sambi Lokonga is closely linked with Sevilla, with the participant blissful to go there, however with particulars nonetheless to be finalised between the 2 golf equipment. It seems prefer it is likely to be a mortgage take care of a purchase order clause hooked up, however how that’s triggered and what the ultimate worth would possibly stay unclear proper now. There’s discuss of Sevilla suggesting £8m and Arsenal holding out for £12m. Meet within the center lads. If solely Sambi was known as Bob Smith and had by no means performed a recreation of soccer in his life and was an precise apprentice electrician, we might have offered him to Aston Villa for £40m.
Fulham, quickly to be flush with money from promoting Joao Palinha to Bayern Munich for £47m (what a worth that’s for a 29 yr outdated btw), are reportedly eager on Emile Smith Rowe and have made him a serious goal for the summer time. I’ve written about him earlier than, greater than as soon as, and if the correct supply was on the desk, I feel it could be the correct factor for the membership to just accept, and the correct factor for the participant to maneuver. Let’s see.
Lastly, Nuno Tavares is being linked with a transfer to Ajax by Sky Sports activities. It’s the Kaveh lad, so take no matter sized pinch of salt you want with it, however you could possibly see how it could work out for all involved. As I’ve outlined above, Arsenal have an abundance of left-sided defensive choices, and with only a yr left on his contract, it’s most likely a simple deal to do if the reported curiosity is actual.
Anyway, time will inform – and it could be a case that at present sees our first (number one) official signing of the summer time, though it’s one which gained’t be any sort of shock. Let’s depart it there for now, again tomorrow with extra and an Arsecast.
Till then.
