2012 Summer Transfers

We obviously have a lot to go this season, but it is hard to not look forward to the potential summer signings. So....

What do we need?

As a team

We need 2-3 players who are leaders, winners, and hopefully at their peak age of 26-30 years old.

Additionally, to compare, the Spurs/Redknapp approach last summer was to concentrate on 2-3 key positions (Defensive Mid, Striker and Goalkeeper in their case) and to sign those players and move on those not capable enough. I think we could take a similar approach, strengthening in areas of weakness, with the above need for experience in mind. 2 birds with 1 stone sort of thing.

Positions

Forwards

We clearly need proper back up to RVP. If it is to be a high profile experienced winner, then they will not be happy on the bench whenever Van Persie is fit. So hopefully, it would be a player who can play central striker or in the wide forward roles.

With Walcott, Gervinho, The Ox, Miyachi plus new player above, I think we are covered in wide forward roles. Especially as players like Benayoun (if we keep him) and Rosicky can also play there at times. In fact, many players can fill in there in times of lots of injuries.

Podolski obviously fits the bill very nicely.

There are strong rumours that we will also get Hazard, but this will be a bit limiting, as he only plays wide forward as far as I know, and would probably require RVP to drop back to the Bergkamp role to fit everyone in.

Midfield

We are short in the key attacking mid role. Rosicky and Ramsey have played there this season, but with our formation, is such an important role that we could do with improvement. We cannot be sure if Wilshere will play here if he returns. I don't expect that we can sign a key leader/winner in this role. The wages demands will be too high. RVP may also play here if a top striker comes in.

We have many who can play the Arteta/box-to-box role, so see no need for strengthening here IMO.

We are lucky that Song has been fit for pretty much every game this year. I suspect if he was unavailable, we would miss him a lot. Frimpong is excellent, but with his injuries and age, we need proper back up in my opinion. I suspect that Coqlein's preferred position is box-to-box/Arteta role rather than defensive mid/shield.

I wouldn't be against Nigel De Jong as a signing here. One from left field, but would add experience, dutch connection and be great cover for Song. He has only played 12 games this season so there is a chance he would be up for a move. So the question is would he be happy on our bench compared to Man City's, and would they sell him, and could we match his Man City wages.

I think Goetze would also be fantastic, obviously. If it turns out that Wilshere will play attacking mid, then Goetze would also be able to play wide forward, so it would be a flexible signing. He is also not the experience we need, but his quality is undeniable.

Defence

I think we have good cover at Right Back and Centre Back, but I think I have more faith in the likes of Per (3rd choice) and Djourou (4th choice) than others.

Left back is a possible place for improvement, but I don't think Wenger will. It is a problem position for many clubs around the world.

Goalkeeper

I think we have one of the top keepers in Europe.

But we need experienced back up. A player that can come in, without a run of games and perform. Liverpool signed Australian Brad Jones from the Championship last season for this role, and as he has been in England long enough, he is a 'homegrown' player. I think this is a good strategy.

I think Arsenal could take a similar approach, and Adam Federici from Reading (also Australian) would be a good signing. He is performing well, is great with his feet, and they have the 2nd least goals conceded in the league this season. I'm not sure if he would qualify as homegrown.

Who do we sell?

I am not so bothered about this. The management manage the budget, and will make there own decisions to do this. But the truth is, the better quality players that we get in, the further the poor players are pushed away from match day action.

Summary

To add the experience, leadership, winning mentality and cover:
Podolski
Nigel De Jong or similar
Adam Federici or similar

To add quality:
1 of:
Hazard
Goetze
or similar

I can't see us signing so many players. We'll probably just end up buying Podolski, a young midfielder and recall a few of our loaned players.

I can't see as recalling any of loan players that have been with us for a while.

I reckon Wenger wants no more of Bendtner, Vela, Denilson etc. The decision has been made.

But if you are referring to Miyachi and Campbell, I agree (although both those positions conflict with Podolski)

Great points. Did you guy copy paste that from "summer transfers 2010" and " summer transfers 2011" ?

Justin, I don't think we needed the creative midfielder while Cesc was here.

We signed a 16 year old from Luton town Aparently....

Here is the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17239261

For a significant fee Aparently...

Justin Chew wrote:Great points. Did you guy copy paste that from "summer transfers 2010" and " summer transfers 2011" ?

Haha. Noted.

Michael Foster wrote:We signed a 16 year old from Luton town Aparently....

Here is the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17239261

For a significant fee Aparently...

Anyone know if he has played for the Luton first team at all?

Jenks1981 wrote:

Michael Foster wrote:We signed a 16 year old from Luton town Aparently....

Here is the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17239261

For a significant fee Aparently...

Anyone know if he has played for the Luton first team at all?

I cannot find anything on it jenks...so I would go with the assumption that's a no....

Michael Foster wrote:We signed a 16 year old from Luton town Aparently....

Here is the link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17239261

For a significant fee Aparently...

Apparently, a lot of Premier League teams were interested in him.

We made that signing months ago.

Anyway, very nicely laid out topic and I agree with much of what you say. Here's the adjustments I'd like to see made:

Goalkeeper

Fabianski and Almunia are out of contract this summer, I believe. I would make no effort to resign either. I would also sell Mannone. I would only make one signing to replace them, and I would go for a seasoned Prem pro like Sorensen (surely our bench is better than Stoke's?) or Jaaskelinen.

I would promote Martinez to 3rd choice.

Defence

Happy with it. Bring Bartley back, him and Djourou can duke it out for 4th spot. Bartley can also play DM, which is a bonus. Full backs are not an issue for me; Gibbs, Santos, Bac, Jenks, Yennaris, Iggy...we have good options there.

Midfield

I think we can upgrade on Song but it isn't an area of priority for me. We have CoqPong coming through obviously, which is good, but I'd be tempted to stick Frimmy on loan for the season and bring in an extra body. We've been linked with N'Zonzi, who would be a decent option, but I'd prefer M'Vila.

What we have lacked for a while is the sort of player who can turn defence into attack quickly, like Viera could. I think Wenger thinks Diaby is that man but I don't think that is ever likely to happen, for various reasons. We don't have that sort of drive from midfield anymore and we could do with it.

Forwards

This is the key area for me. We need backup for RvP and we need some magic. The magic could be AM or it could be out wide. I'm 100% behind us buying Poldi and the usual names, Hazard, Götze, Munaian would all be great. Someone on the cusp.

So here's who I'd buy (with some arbitrary potential costs):

Sorensen - £4m

M'Vila - £17m

Podolski - £15m

Hazard - £30m

And here's how I'd line up:

Chesney
Sagna Mertesacker Vermaelen Gibbs
M'Vila Arteta
Wilshere
Hazard RvP Podolski

This still leaves a reserve side of:

Sorensen
Jenkinson Bartley Koscielny Santos
Song Diaby
Ramsey
Walcott Gervinho Chamberlain

And a third team (/Carling Cup) of:

Martinez
Yennaris Djourou Miquel Henderson
Frimpong Coquelin
Rosicky (Lansbury)
Miyaichi Afobe Campbell(?)

That's a squad capable of competing on all fronts.

I would let go of all the obvious omissions - Arshavin, Bendtner, Vela, Squillaci etc - and sadly I don't think there is any point in re-signing Benayoun either.

Prendergast makes good points, Chris too. I would love M'Vila to come in, but at that price (17m - which is on the lower end), I just don't think it's a priority signing for that kind of money.

I think 3 bodies: the two in the attacking department, as most have said. Assuming Podolski is one, I don't know if Hazard is the other. It depends if either is capable of playing the Ramsicky role, remains to be seen. The last is keeper. This really shouldn't be a difficult signing.

There are a lot of players we need to move on, that doesnt' bear repeating.

Also, side note: Diaby looked good for the few minutes he was on today. Will he EVER be injury free?

i like that flanagan, question is who do you relase/sell in the squad? i think we need to get some of our salary drains as well as signing quality. also who would you put up top if the nthinkable/unmentionable happens?

will like to add an utility player who can play as a fullback or in midfield like Jan Vertonghen to that list

There's a lot of interest in Jan Vetonghen right now, there's no way he'll want to come to us for the bench.

Am I the only one thinking that Theo will be sold if he doesn't agree to a contract below the 100k he's been demanding? I can't see us giving in to his whims.

Sami Rockfeller wrote:There's a lot of interest in Jan Vetonghen right now, there's no way he'll want to come to us for the bench.

Am I the only one thinking that Theo will be sold if he doesn't agree to a contract below the 100k he's been demanding? I can't see us giving in to his whims.

rumors are he is going to change spuds in summer and he is available for free apparently as his contract is getting over in summer.
surely we are a better option then spuds

vyom.chaudhary wrote:

Sami Rockfeller wrote:There's a lot of interest in Jan Vetonghen right now, there's no way he'll want to come to us for the bench.

Am I the only one thinking that Theo will be sold if he doesn't agree to a contract below the 100k he's been demanding? I can't see us giving in to his whims.

rumors are he is going to change spuds in summer and he is available for free apparently as his contract is getting over in summer.
surely we are a better option then spuds

He will be guaranteed a starting spot at Spurs, something he won't get at Arsenal. Besides we already have Coq and Yennaris who are about as versatile as him.

Sami Rockfeller wrote:

vyom.chaudhary wrote:

Sami Rockfeller wrote:There's a lot of interest in Jan Vetonghen right now, there's no way he'll want to come to us for the bench.

Am I the only one thinking that Theo will be sold if he doesn't agree to a contract below the 100k he's been demanding? I can't see us giving in to his whims.

rumors are he is going to change spuds in summer and he is available for free apparently as his contract is getting over in summer.
surely we are a better option then spuds

He will be guaranteed a starting spot at Spurs, something he won't get at Arsenal. Besides we already have Coq and Yennaris who are about as versatile as him.

I like the look of Vertonghen, but for the first time in a while, we don't actually need him. He won't come to us to sit on the bench, and I think we'd be wanting him just to stop Spurs from getting him.

whats the problem in snapping him up if he is available for free.he is obviously better then coq and yennaris and he can also play as a defensive midfielder.and if he doesn't fit in our plans sell him in jan for like 10-15 million .
good piece of business.

Chris Chan wrote:i like that flanagan, question is who do you relase/sell in the squad? i think we need to get some of our salary drains as well as signing quality. also who would you put up top if the nthinkable/unmentionable happens?

The players I'd release is a long list. Here is it:

Mannone
Fabianski
Almunia
Squillaci
Denilson
Eastmond
Benayoun
Arshavin
Vela
Bendtner
Chamakh
Park


As for what I'd do if RvP left... well, I'd still sign Podolski and I think we'd also need another striker of a similar calibre. A £20-odd million 23-28 year old. It doesn't really bear thinking about.

Maybe Giroud ??

I feel Giroud is unproven personally. I haven't watched him much, but the highlight reels I've seen don't show him to be skillful, particularly.

You're all silly. Obviously this summer we're going to be signing Alessandro Del Piero!

http://www.tuttosport.com/calcio/serie_a/juventus/2012/03/06-174418/Wenger+chiama+Del+Piero%3A+per+Alex+ipotesi+Arsenal

Now is as good a time as any to throw this kid's name out there as a target. Iker Muniain. The game against ManU today was probably his introduction to alot of English fans, but ive been following him at Bilbao for a while now. He looks like a Wenger type signing, to deputize as a attacking mid or winger. One of Spain's brightest youngsters though (only 19 but Christ, Spain seems to manufacturing these playmakers in droves theses days), and i doubt Bilbao will let him come easily.

I'm sure Muniain is on many big clubs' radars now.

But yes, would be a great signing.