Arsenal
Transfer planning underway at Arsenal – club must get it right
With the Premier League season concluding in just over two months, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta recently confirmed that planning for the summer transfer window is already underway. Speaking to the media last week, Arteta admitted that potential business will be more challenging due to the pandemic, but also added that any deals they do might be affected by their finishing position in the league. Ahead of the Europa League tie against Olympiacos on Thursday, Arteta was asked again about the club’s plans this summer. “We don’t know yet because we have so many things to do,” he said (via football.london). “We have people on loan, people finishing contracts. There was a lot going on in the last two transfer windows that had to be done the amount of things we had to do which was probably u...
Sven Mislintat questions Mikel Arteta’s handling of two Arsenal stars
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat said that he would like to hold talks with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta over the handling of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi. Mislintat was the Gunners’ head of recruitment for a 14-month spell between 2018 and 2019. During this period he brought the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sokratis, Guendouzi and Torreira to the club. Among the above-mentioned players, only Aubameyang has established himself with the north London giants. Mkhitaryan and Sokratis have already left the club, while Torreira and Guendouzi are on loan at Atletico Madrid and Hertha Berlin respectively. Both Torreira and Guendouzi had impressive debut seasons with the Gunners in 2018/19, but they dropped down the p...
‘Sokratis has told us Arsenal’s secrets,’ claims current teammate at Olympiacos
Arsenal take on Greek side Olympiacos in the Round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, with a defeat against them last year still in the back of their minds. The duo clashed in the round of 32 of the same competition last season, where the Greek side surprised the footballing world by cruising through at the Gunners’ expense. Since then, not much has changed at the Karaiskakis Stadium. Pedro Martins is still at the helm in Athens, while most of the players who defeated Arsenal 2-1 to advance on away goals are expected to start on Thursday night. Olympiacos 🆚 Arsenal on Thursday is the biggest game Arsenal are gonna play this season, it’s the one that determines how our season will look like, we have to go hard that day! — Saliba🔴. (@SalibaEra_) March 7, 2021 ...
‘Keeps coming back and breaking down’ – Ferdinand slams £200,000-a-week Arsenal ace
Arsenal signed former Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey at the start of the season for a fee of around £45 million. Partey arrived with a lot of expectations and he did manage to impress initially. However, his time at the north London club has been plagued with injuries. The 27-year-old has missed 16 matches with hip, muscle and hamstring issues. Former Premier League star and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has now slammed the £200,000-a-week midfielder because of his fitness problems. “Partey, that’s another one, he’s never fit!” Ferdinand said to Daily Mail. “He keeps coming back and breaking down! “They’ve got good players there but for some reason, I don’t know what’s happening, it just isn’t coming together consistently at the moment.” Partey will be aware of the disappointm...
As Bundesliga clubs suffer losses, Man Utd, Tottenham and co eye summer transfer deals
Clubs in the top two tiers of German football suffered a drop of 5.7% revenue in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may lead to increased pressure on Bundesliga clubs in the summer transfer window to sell some of their prized assets. Football in Germany was brought to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, with over a quarter of the season still left to play. The leagues eventually restarted again in May, with all games being played behind closed doors. Bundesliga matches have been played without spectators for the last year The new season kicked off in the middle of September, with spectators still not allowed back into stadiums. This has hampered the revenues of many clubs across the German leagues. The 18 Bundesliga clubs generated revenue of €3.8 billion for the 2019/...
Arsenal attacker becomes second PL star after Sadio Mane to sign New Balance deal
Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has become the second high-profile player after Liverpool’s Sadio Mane to sign with global sportswear brand New Balance. The 19-year-old has been a revelation for the Gunners since making his debut more than two years ago and has managed 74 appearances to date. His performances on the field have led to plenty of appreciation from the club’s faithful, and he has now signed a multi-year deal with New Balance. Now with @NBFootball , officially 😜🌶#NBFootball pic.twitter.com/OH1ymaY14l — Bukayo Saka (@BukayoSaka87) March 9, 2021 Earlier last year, Saka was wearing Adidas footwear, but the change was visible from September when he was exclusively spotted with New Balance boots (Furon v6). After several months, there has been official confirmation. New...
Three Things: Shaw deserves call-up, brainless Arsenal, Tottenham star shines
Another week has flown by and it is Monday again, which means it’s time to roll out our latest ‘Three Things’ column. The latest round of matches in the Premier League provided a vast array of talking points, so let’s dive straight in. Shaw for England? Luke Shaw was undoubtedly one of the standout performers as Manchester United ended Manchester City’s long unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Shaw rarely looked troubled defensively throughout the game and crowned an excellent display with United’s second goal in a 2-0 victory. The 25-year-old has won just eight caps for England, but his performances this season deserve rewarding with another international call-up. Let’s hope Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate agrees. Brainless Arsenal mess up Arsenal missed a golden opportunit...
Barcelona offered chance to sign £31.5m Arsenal star through his agent
Barcelona have been offered the chance to sign Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette through his agent, a report from Calciomercato claims. The Frenchman has been with the Gunners since 2017 and has accumulated 59 goals and 28 goals from 158 appearances. Despite the impressive tally, he has struggled for consistency over an entire season, and there is speculation that he could be on the move this summer. Lacazette’s current deal expires in less than 16 months, and the Gunners have yet to open negotiations over a contract renewal. It is now claimed that the 29-year-old is open to leaving the north London club, and his representative has offered his services to Barcelona and Juventus. Sportslens view: Lacazette has reached double figures in terms of goals in his four seasons with the club, but...
Arsenal now the front-runners to sign Brighton star
Arsenal are believed to have jumped ahead of Everton in the race to sign Brighton and Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey. The Englishman attracted interest from Bayern Munich in the summer, but no deal was concluded. Arsenal are monitoring Brighton right-back Tariq Lamptey. Something could happen this summer [@FabrizioRomano] pic.twitter.com/SAKQRmsTe3 — AFTV (@AFTVMedia) March 3, 2021 Several English clubs are interested in the 20-year-old, but The Sun has claimed that Arsenal may have a slight advantage over their rivals. Current right-back Hector Bellerin now looks set to leave the club after being persuaded by manager Mikel Arteta to stay for a further year last summer. The Gunners will not block Bellerin’s departure if they receive a decent offer, and Lamptey appears to be in line to ...
‘My heart belongs to Arsenal’: Former star reportedly eyes return to the club
Thierry Henry’s declaration that he would love to manage Arsenal one day sparked plenty of amusement across the Sportslens team. In an interview with FourFourTwo, the former Gunners star admitted that he dreams of returning to the club as manager. “If you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to coach Arsenal one day, they’ll say yes,” he said. “If you ask an Arsenal fan if they’d like to score a goal for Arsenal, they’ll say yes. “When I speak about it, it’s a utopia. People get carried away whenever I say that it’s my club, but I have it in my blood – I’m an Arsenal fan. “So, if you’re asking me if one day I’d like to coach Arsenal, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to be Arsenal’s kit man, then yes. If you ask if one day I’d like to cut the grass at the Emirates Stadium, then yes.” S...
Tottenham legend blasts Arsenal star: ‘I don’t know whether he’s prepared to put himself out’
Former Tottenham Hotspur star Gary Stevens has claimed that Martin Odegaard lacks the desire to become a truly top-class player. Odegaard signed for Arsenal on loan from Real Madrid in January but has yet to make much of an impact with the club. He has failed to register a goal or an assist in eight appearances in all competitions since joining the Gunners. In an interview with Stadium Astro, Stevens questioned whether the Norwegian playmaker has the appetite needed to perform in the biggest leagues. “When he was 16, just about every club in the world of football wanted him,” said Stevens. “He’s gone to Real Madrid and been there for six years but hasn’t played too many games. “He’s been on a whacking great big contract, and I don’t know whether he’s prepared to put himself out. “You know ...
Former Arsenal defender questions club’s interest in rising star
Nigel Winterburn has questioned whether Arsenal should sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Tariq Lamptey this summer. The 20-year-old has been strongly linked with the Gunners as they strive to improve their defensive options. Current right-back Hector Bellerin looks set to leave the club, but Winterburn is unsure whether Lamptey is the right man for the job. “He’s very pacey, but is he a better wing-back than he is an out-and-out full-back?” Winterburn told Stadium Astro. “I haven’t seen him play enough in the right-back position to give that judgement. I do believe that Mikel Arteta wants to play with a back four. “In the modern game, you have to be good or better defensively than a lot of full-backs are in the Premier League at the moment.” SL View Lamptey has emerged as one of the...
