Player Contracts

Now apparently Theo rejects new contract...

You know what I am not bothered about Theo rejecting another contract.....

The ox is there give him the chance and sign someone else....


Fed up with season after season of big empty games from him....11 assists 10 goals....pfft

Not a Theo hater, but what does he think he is? When he cuts in and shoots the ball from outside the box, it's never on target, when he dribbles, he often tackles himself or leaves the ball behind him. He can go as far as I'm concerned but only if Arsene is able to get a replacement in these two days.

Who was that winger we were linked with? Cannot remember his name lol!!

Jesus Navas?

I would be quite happy if we were able to unload Walcott and get Navas at the same price. Navas is twice the footballer that Theo is. No hard feelings, Theo, you seem a nice lad, but when you are only effective about 10% of the time, you can't expect to be treated as irreplaceable.

Is Big J over his homesickness yet? Or is that still a problem?

Joey Schwab wrote:Is Big J over his homesickness yet? Or is that still a problem?

Sounds like it might not matter, from the most recent headlines. Would be really surprised to see Theo leave... he's got the trust of Wenger (if not all the fans) and is high up the pecking order at a champions league club. Something tells me they'll sort this out.

Agree. It's not as if any decent clubs have come in for him. And he really is somewhat unproven, and there would be a big risk he would be less successful outside the arsenal system.

Well it looks like Theo is staying....don't know what to make of it.....

Will have to see how he is in the next game..

Once Wilshere is back/we buy another CM, we may see Walcott play centrally a lot more this season. Can't see him progressing his game any further on the flanks.

Wenger and Theo Aparently talked about him playing thru the middle...it was always wengers idea to have him there..shift the ox to the right Theo and giroud upfront and podolski on the left leaves cazorla and whoever in the central mid...with a lot of decent options on the bench.....depends how wengers truly wants to set up the team...

As I have said before its early days and still a guessing game..

Subrat Koirala wrote:Once Wilshere is back/we buy another CM, we may see Walcott play centrally a lot more this season. Can't see him progressing his game any further on the flanks.

Doubt we'll ever play Walcott as a striker in our current system for any sort of extended period, if he is to play some kind of CF role then it will probably come at the cost of us changing formation to accommodate two strikers. Wonder if Wenger will change that then...

Arsenal set to tie down Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sagna and Gibbs

Arsene Wenger is ready to hand new deals to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Bacary Sagna and Kieran Gibbs in a bid to avoid them becoming the latest Arsenal players involved in long-running contract disputes.

The Gunners have seen top talent in the form of Mathieu Flamini, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Alexander Hleb and now Robin van Persie all force moves out of the club in recent years, after their contracts were allowed to run down into the final year.

But a frustrated Wenger, who is facing a similar situation with England winger Theo Walcott, is determined to hang onto the key components of his new-look side, and has moved early to secure their futures.

Full-backs Sagna and Gibbs both have over two years left on their current contracts, but Wenger is willing to reward them with improved terms if they are prepared to sign up in the next few months.

Negotiations are yet to begin with the duo, but it's thought that they are both willing to re-sign with the club, and have not recommended that their agents look at other possibilities.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are also hopeful that Oxlade-Chamberlain will commit to a new deal, despite signing a four-year contract on his arrival from Southampton last summer.

The new deal is aimed at recognising the 19-year-old's transformation from League One wonderkid into Premier League starlet and England international, following a whirl-wind season.

The club are expected to formally begin talks with the trio in the next fortnight.

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/910695-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-bacary-sagna-and-kieran-gibbs-set-for-new-arsenal-deals

Goody gumdrops

Mike York wrote:Arsenal set to tie down Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sagna and Gibbs

The Gunners have seen top talent in the form of Mathieu Flamini, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Alexander Hleb and now Robin van Persie all force moves out of the club in recent years, after their contracts were allowed to run down into the final year.

Some very generous use of top talent there.

Inter Milan and Napoli are on alert after Vito Mannone admitted he has not discussed a new contract at Arsenal despite his current deal due to expire at the end of the season.

According to reports in Italy, both Serie A giants have been impressed by the once third-choice Italian keeper's start to the season, starting five of their seven Premier League games in the absence of injured No 1 Wojciech Szczesny and understudy Lukasz Fabianksi.

Mannone arrived at the Gunners as a teenager from Atalanta in 2005 and has been at the Emirates for seven years, spending spent loans spells at Barnsley and Hull.

But the 24-year-old insists he is more concerned about keeping his place in the side when Szczesny returns.

'Neither myself nor anyone from my family or friends have spoken about any deal,' he told the club's official website.

'At the moment I am really happy and just focusing on training and playing well.

'I am trying to be the No.1 for this club and win trophies. That is my only concern and I would like to make that clear.

'The boss has given me the chance. I have to keep going and prove myself in every single game.

'This is my best time at Arsenal so I would be crazy to not take the chance to put up a fight for my place.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2214987/Vito-Mannone-wanted-inter-Miland-Napoli.html?ITO=1490

Bollocks, Inter have Mandanovic and Napoli have De sanctis. Only if they want him to be 2nd choice then maybe..

Swap deal for De Sanctis, perhaps?

ralph avedikian wrote:Bollocks, Inter have Mandanovic and Napoli have De sanctis. Only if they want him to be 2nd choice then maybe..

He is third choice at Arsenal and this means he could be returning back to Italy.

I think he has become 2nd choice now at least..

I feel like Mannone is doing pretty well between the sticks. I'm not worried whenever the opposition has the ball around our 18 yard box, but that could be because our back 4 have been performing so well recently. I think Mannone keeps his place even after Szczesny is fit, until he has a major blunder.

Bugger. Who would have thought a few months ago that we would be hoping that Manone had his contract extended?

Maybe Wenger can use a new contract as a carrott, saying that if he signs, he will stay Number 1 when SZCZ returns until Manone loses his spot for injury or form.

We should make him sign a contract extension so that we can sell him

I would be ok with him leaving because it might mean we sign a back up who is actually good.

Ok, that sounds harsh on Mannone who hasn't been that bad really but I don't think he's been that good, either. He doesn't dominate his box and crosses are allowed to come in unchallenged time and again. It happened at Anfield where his handling and ability to claim or come for high balls went unpunished. Chelsea scored twice from set pieces and although you wouldn't call them howlers, would a better keeper like Cech for example have conceded those two goals? Against West Ham, how many times did he come out and claim a high ball and alleviating any pressure? When he did come out, Andy Carroll out-jumped him and should have scored.

This isn't meant to denigrate Mannone who has improved from last season but goalkeeper is still a position that we struggle in and we could do a lot better than Fabianski and Mannone as back ups to an already young and in the last 9 months especially, an inconsistent, Szczesny.

Arsenal are becoming used to players walking out on the club in recent years, the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Alex Song and Robin van Persie have all left the club in the last two seasons.

But there is one man who is determined to remain at the Emirates and fight for his place, amid speculation he is set for a move to Italy.

Vito Mannone has impressed for Arsenal this season in the absence of Wojciech Szczseny, but he will be expected to drop to the bench as soon as the Polish goalkeeper is fit again.

At the age of 24, Mannone is at a critical point of his career in which he will expect to be playing week-in week-out, which has led to speculation linking him with a move to Napoli.

However, the Italian goalkeeper has stated he is happy in London and is going to fight for his place in the Arsenal first team.

“I want to make it clear, because there have been unfounded rumours, that my contract is not ending in 12 months,” Mannone told Arsenal Player.

“I’ve got a few more years and I’m happy to be at Arsenal right now. I’m looking at the present and my future is not in doubt.

“I want to stay at Arsenal as long as I can, I don’t want to move to any other club.”

http://www.touchlinetalk.com/arsenal-star-insists-he-will-not-leave/17906/