[WATCH] Arsenal targets are no upgrades
Hello my good football people and here we are… into hibernation.
While Europe at least finds itself in the middle of summer, the rain and cold is relentless down here right now, making weekends a bit dreary (for me anyway).
On the up side, only seven and a half weeks before the new season kicks off, and in-between now and then, (what looks like is gonna be) a mad transfer window!
Before you know it, we’ll be taking a peep at pre-season friendlies, then it’ll be off to Stamford Bridge, Jurgen Klopp v Mauricio Pochettino, what an opening weekend cracker!
Nkunku is a Blue! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/NASfDOG0Xg
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 20, 2023
So the back pages are buzzing, huge names being bandied about, massive numbers being quoted, can you even find a top player these days for under £80m?
Arsenal seem to be making up most of the gossip at the moment, with Declan Rice and Kai Havertz their two major targets, but can they meet those price tags? Can they add those kinds of wages and are they even the right players to take them forward?
In my opinion, Rice is overrated, but still a very decent player. Would I like him at Chelsea? Yeah, but that’s also got to do with him being a local boy. I believe a strong group of English players in a Premier League team is important. Boys who get the culture and more often than not play with the sort of commitment fans appreciate… Rice is one of them. He’d be a great signing for the Gunners.
But what about Havertz? There’s no doubt he’s a classy footballer, but Chelsea fans’ patience with him largely rests on his winning Champions League goal against Man City in 2021.
It’s been a dodgy few seasons, he’s being played out of position and his stats are bad, but for me it’s his lack of dedication on the pitch, his almost lazy demeanour, him and Hakim Ziyech the same, not the sort of player wanted at Chelsea.
So what do Arsenal see in him? And where on the pitch would they put him? Commentators are talking about him being a replacement for Granit Xhaka? I don’t see that.
He may look like a great addition (style-wise) to link with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, but if the Blues 50m quid, I’d be thanking the sweet lord for every penny.
On to the Mancs and what a farce that’s turning out to be! The Glazers just won’t let go without making sure they can squeeze every frikkin pound note they can before relinquishing ownership. It seems like they’re now intent on keeping some shares which has bunged up the sale.
The negative effect of the club being in financial limbo means activity in the transfer market is hampered. Given that there’ll be significant strengthening around them it’s shaping up as a hugely frustrating period.
Mind you, up the road, them Scousers are living in a weird dream-world. Like my mate Mario (Strandfontein) who sends me Twitter posts on latest players apparently Anfield bound… Sadio Mane, Jude Bellingham, Neymahahahaha, guys there ain’t a lot happening at the Fenway head office, can’t hear the check book’s fluttering. Don’t believe the hype until you see a signed contract.
It’s a sign of the times when fans take the piss out of an ‘elite’ club signing a cheap player. Looks like Villareal forward Nicolas Jackson is on his way to West London for £35m, as a “second striker”.
A whole 35 Million Pounds (around R800-million). That’s enough to buy every single player in the PSL and pay their wages for the next few seasons! Can we get a bit of f*****g perspective out here please!
Try not to be too bored, take the kids out, read up on the criminals running Ukraine, go and fix a pothole… Chat next week, bye byeeee.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za