We're not gonna sign him, are we? Why get everyone's hopes up and then refuse to pay

[Peter]

Chill out. You don't know how the negotiations are going. Dortmund is probably leveraging their position through the newspapers, esp since Alexis has already left. I'd do the same.

Newcastle fans are doing something similar- currentlyblaming Ashley for not paying what a club wants for their player.

It isnt really how it works

[Pat Vegas]

The Suarez thing is a myth. A release clause gets triggered by a fixed sum, and is not a bid. If the player wants to go to the club waving the monies, he goes, without a transfer fee negotiation but Suarez didn't.

Quite why the myth about Arsenal 'incompetence' and 'insults' persists is strange.

There have been a few 'failed' bids in recent years for different players. a lot of it may be rubbish.

Though allowing Sanchez and Ozil going into this season in their last year of a contract is a bit bad.

[Peter]

There have been a few 'failed' bids in recent years for different players. a lot of it may be rubbish.

Though allowing Sanchez and Ozil going into this season in their last year of a contract is a bit bad.

They are two very different situations though.... with those two players you have individuals who can do a lot better than. Being in the Europa League and can earn a lot more elsewhere. It is always going to be difficult to get players in that situation to sign on again.

Curious decision to let them both remain last summer but there you go...

[SWv2]

They are two very different situations though.... with those two players you have individuals who can do a lot better than. Being in the Europa League and can earn a lot more elsewhere. It is always going to be difficult to get players in that situation to sign on again.

Curious decision to let them both remain last summer but there you go...

We did try to sell one but messed it up.

Which in turn goes back to Ash's question about how or why we are often referenced with "incompetence" in the transfer area.

I do still think there is reputational damage in this respect from the Suarez issue though ultimately (as Ash has said) the fundamental issue there was that L Suarez had no desire to join us.

[Peter]

We did try to sell one but messed it up.

Which in turn goes back to Ash's question about how or why we are often referenced with "incompetence" in the transfer area.

I do still think there is reputational damage in this respect from the Suarez issue though ultimately (as Ash has said) the fundamental issue there was that L Suarez had no desire to join us.

I think that is as much to do with what we dont do. THe summer we only signed Cech, the next summer where it dragged on for months before we signed Mustafi and Perez (a curious move all on its own). THe summer we forgot to sign a centre back, the millions of summers where we didnt strengthen our midfield.

It isnt necessarily incompetence but I do think some of our behaviour in the market over the last five years has been pretty difficult to understand from outside.

[Luis Anaconda]

I think that is as much to do with what we dont do. THe summer we only signed Cech, the next summer where it dragged on for months before we signed Mustafi and Perez (a curious move all on its own). THe summer we forgot to sign a centre back, the millions of summers where we didnt strengthen our midfield.

It isnt necessarily incompetence but I do think some of our behaviour in the market over the last five years has been pretty difficult to understand from outside.

We didn't forget to sign a centre back - we have 5, plus the excellent Monreal, ffs. If you mean we should have signed someone better, name some names - not a lot of quality out there tbh. Maybe Michael Keane for 30 million

[Ash]

We did try to sell one but messed it up.

Which in turn goes back to Ash's question about how or why we are often referenced with "incompetence" in the transfer area.

I do still think there is reputational damage in this respect from the Suarez issue though ultimately (as Ash has said) the fundamental issue there was that L Suarez had no desire to join us.

I wouldn't say with any certainty that our club has never fallen short of the competency requirements, just that the Suarez affair is not a good example.

Some fans are hammering the club for not selling those two last summer. The same people, I expect in many cases, who lambasted the club for selling our best payers in the past.

Lose lose imo.

[SWv2]

I think that is as much to do with what we dont do. THe summer we only signed Cech, the next summer where it dragged on for months before we signed Mustafi and Perez (a curious move all on its own). THe summer we forgot to sign a centre back, the millions of summers where we didnt strengthen our midfield.

It isnt necessarily incompetence but I do think some of our behaviour in the market over the last five years has been pretty difficult to understand from outside.

Perez was curious.

I am willing to allow you that and that alone.

[Ash]

I dont have a problem with Giroud going if its a swap for this chap. I just dont think signing this guy is going to solve anything so I dont really care whether we sign him or not.

Yes, if we have two super-expensive strikers is there room for Olly in the squard? Is it not one-in one-out in terms of slots and salaries?

I am wondering slightly whether Ivan and his boys breezed over to Dortmund with Giroud in their briefcase, as it were, ready to put on the table, only for Veng to veto it as a chance to reassert his authority against the coup. #Shenanigans

[SWv2]

I wouldn't say with any certainty that our club has never fallen short of the competency requirements, just that the Suarez affair is not a good example.

Some fans are hammering the club for not selling those two last summer. The same people, I expect in many cases, who lambasted the club for selling our best payers in the past.

Lose lose imo.

A lot of whom I suspect were arguing the case to keep them last summer. There was a definite majority who were of this view.

I wanted to sell both which is both and at the same time.