The first day of no football since the start of the Euro 2008 has left the journalists with little substance to write about today. But write about things they must continue to do if they are to earn their keep and – surprise, surprise – they’ve chosen to rely on their old friend transfer speculation.
First up is of course the news that Samri Nasri admitted that he would be joining Arsenal on his personal website before subsequently removing the statements from the site. Understandably, the retraction has left a lot of constrasting stories floating the web today as well as the following word’s from Nasri’s agent Jean-Pierre Bernes:
“Nothing has been finalised. It is premature to announce this. Discussions are continuing between the two clubs and the player.”
My take on things would be that Nasri has verbally agreed (or something similar) to join Arsenal and his representatives were eager to announce this on his website as soon as possible. However, I would suggest that the Frenchman is yet to formally sign and taking that into account both Arsenal and Marseille would not be ready to announce the deal just yet.
Remember that it’s just my take on how things have panned out. It could be right or it could be wrong. What is pretty clear to me is that if the player is confident enough to announce that he has joined Arsenal on his own website then supporters can be confident that this is just what he will do, even if it has not officially happened yet. Technical, I know, but also quite positive news I feel.
Other transfer speculation comes in the form of – somewhat coincidentally – that man I spoke about yesterday, Valencia’s Spanish midfielder David Silva as well as Bayern Munich’s German striker Lukasz Podolski. They are very tentative links at this stage but I must admit I would be happy if either player joined Arsenal before next season.
Just staying on the topic of David Silva for a moment and I have to say I was quite surprised to hear opinions divided about him as a player in yesterday’s comments. All I can suggest is that those who weren’t rating him were only going on the performance against Italy as opposed to those he has put in over the course of the rest of tournament as well as for Valencia in the last two seasons. Believe me, he is quality, and if the manager does look to bring him to the club then I feel he will do particularly well as a rotation partner for Tomas Rosicky.
Some news which is not speculation but absolute cold, hard fact is the official announcement of the Arsenal squad numbers for next season. The big change see Manuel Almunia literally promoted to #1 after his moral promotion last season. New squad members Carlos Vela and Aaron Ramsey have been given #12 and #16 respectively while #8 and #14 remain vacant. Will we see Nasri snatch up that #8 shirt before the start of the season? I think so. The full list of numbers can be viewed here.
That’s about it for today. Just a reminder before I go that if you are a member of Pikum! and a regular reader of this blog that you are eligible for £5 worth of free credit to play with. You could do worse than to throw that free credit onto the pot I’ve set up on the right-hand sidebar of the blog for the two Euro 2008 semi-finals coming up on Wednesday and Thursday night.
If you’re not a member of Pikum! and would like to me then send me an email at spanishfry(at)arsenalfcblog(dot)com and I’ll send you the personal invite code that is required to be part of their Private Beta. If you don’t even know what Pikum! is then go to their website to read all about it.
Cheers. Enjoy the mayhem.
Have your say on Nasri, Silva or Podolski by leaving a comment.
spanish fly,
you should not be surprised by comments of fans who only notice players that are talked about.
@ gaya – What do you mean?
PS. It’s Spanish Fry 🙂
Nice to read that Nasri has made it clear that he’s on the way to Emirates and number 8 slot is left vaccant for him. Between Silva and Podolski it’s extremely had to make a choice but since proffesor said that he’s out for super transfer I would rather go for Silva becoz from a quick look players from Germany and Italy don’t love playing in England.
Silva podolski are good link to arsenal and i hope wenger get them before the season start
Silva podolski are good link to arsenal and i hope wenger get them before the season start to help win the league and champion league
why can arsenal jus make clean signing? why must it take forever? … i mean, this is definately not the first time…remember the “99.9% done” baptista deal?
Hey, just writing to say that when I try to view this page in Firefox 3 (in ubuntu, i haven’t installed it for Windows) it gets blocked by the built-in phising and something-or-other filter. It says that this site has been reported as trying to install information or programs through the browser… do you know about this? maybe you’ve got some bad-scripts running on it that you don’t know about?
What are your thoughts on sergio aguero?
I just hope this Nasri saga comes to a sweet end without a nasty shock for us all.There is something, something pulling the strings. Could it be the agent not yet happy with his potty?
By the way, who knows if the young Ghanaian player really came on the 2-week trial with Arsenal?
Finally, I do feel there is one unknown,super-player in the Sagna mould whom the professor will grab …. soon!
Silva is undoubtedly a talented player and would certainly offer more pace out wide than Nasri or Hleb. However, we would have to rely upon a settling in period (hopefully made easier by the presence of spanish speaking players in our squad). Also, there is surely a question mark as to how he would cope with the physical demands of the premiership. Looking at his performances in this tournament he seems to have no problem with this at all though, and may well relish this and the speed of our game. Lastly, I’m not sure that Hleb is actually going to leave now – Not because he doesn’t want to but because there are no takers. Hleb prematurely announced his intentions on the back of a meeting with Inter and this all came to pot the second Mourinho walked through the San Siro doors. Barca are rightly thinking, ‘why have Hleb when we can easily have Arshavin?’ and they would be absolutely right. If Hleb doesn’t leave we are possibly left with a bigger problem, and Hleb’s performances will surely suffer. It would also leave no room for Silva. A hugely talented player who could really fit the Arsenal mould, but at this moment in time I would see his signing as a long shot.
On a side issue, has anyone been particularly impressed with a centre back at EURO 2008, and more to the point, someone available to do a job for the gunners?
I like Podolski, I really do, but I just can’t see him fitting in the way Silva probably would.
Let go for david silva and if possible podolski is also a good player, but I prefer david silva because he is an attacking player who is flexible on the ball, and a player with good skills on the ball.
Let me know about samir nasri, maybe we have sign him or not, samir nasri with fabregas in arsenal those are 2 playmakers and we can beat any team.
i’ve just wacthed the 2 played in d ongoing euro2008 championships.i think silva has more to offer us than podolski.
bunmi.
both players are good and reliable, it will be great to have both players because they are very good on the peach of play.
……………….olamide( veloso ).
pls if it is only podolski and nasri arsenal will buy let buy them thank you
I’d actually be happier with Podolski. I wasn’t one of the aforementioned readers that thought Silva was rubbish in his last game I just think Podolski can do so many things on the pitch and with Wenger he could develop into an RVP type player only minus the injury woes. All in all though another striker who is ready to play is really going to choke up the play time in that position when Eduardo comes back so I doubt well see a new striker.
It will be very interesting to see nasri and either david silver or podolski in the gunners line up for next season.Infact, that is my joy.nasri and silver see you soonnnnnnnnnnnn.
Pdolski is an excillent player arsene’ wenger should need to buy him
for arsenal this three players agood performing
pleas buy it
Not Podolski, not for me anyway.Good finisher but too rigid in his style of play. at Arsenal the ball will be zipping around him so quickly he’ll get lost. Silva not the finished product but has all the imgeredient to become a fantastic player if he comes to Arsenal.
i dont know much about Podolski to be honest
seems like a decent player…bit on and off i think. But would be a good addition to any side.
I think Nasri will be great for arsenal and if they capture Silva then the arsenal midfield would be completed. Enough starting talent and rotation.
Nasri Gilberto Cesc Silva
Ade VanP
bench: Vela, Walcot, Song, Rosiky
all those players can start and be rotated
Will look good if arsenal can sign both Nasri and Silva
i have to agree with the above comment it would really look good if arsenal get the aforementioned players….
please help tell the boss to make sure he brings Luis Santo Diogo to the emirates at all cost coz the lad has success and history to make at Arsenal. and also, Saint-Ettiene’s Skipper, Loic Perrin.
please help tell the boss to make sure he brings Luis Santo Diogo to the emirates. and also, Saint-Ettiene’s Skipper, Loic Perrin.
huyyy
syaa penggmar silvaa naich