Re: The Official Summer Transfer Rumours Thread

[Sina]

Juventus-Higuain, the player has given his blessing: contacts with Napoli soon, the details

Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus, this might just be the hottest negotiation of the summer. There will soon be contact between the two clubs, with the bianconeri intentioned to officially ask De Laurentiis’ club the Argentinian striker in occasion of the meeting scheduled for the Pereyra deal.

An offer has yet to arrive, negotiations have yet to start. An operation that will not be very simple, but Juventus is very intent to try and bring Gonzalo to Turin. The first idea is to offer a series of players to Napoli in order to lower the cash request (Zaza, Pereyra, Sturaro, Rugani), then, if De Laurentiis is not willing to negotiate, Agnelli’s club is thinking about paying the full release clause, still valid and could be paid in two years.

And Higuain? The record-breaking striker does not want to renew and is taking under consideration diverse offers, amongst these, that of Arsenal despite Wenger being currenty in stand-by. Juve's offer is very important,club is ready to offer 7.5 million for the next 4 years. The Argentinian striker, with his brother and a lawyer who follows them, have been negotiating with Juventus in these past few days, giving the move his blessing if the two clubs were to find a deal.

If a deal were to not be struck, Higuain is ready to sign for Juventus if they pay the release clause. There are no signatures yet, if there were to be a better offer from some foreign clubs, 'El Pipita' will find an agreement with whoever he says fit. One thing is for sure and that is Higuain's experience at Napoli is set to come to an end. If there were no changes in the situation Higuain might not show up to the team's retreat. Gonzalo Higuain, the name that has lit the transfer window on fire...

@EddieBenedetti

http://gianlucadimarzio.com/en/eng/juventus-higuain-the-player-has-given-his-blessing-contacts-with-napoli-soon-the-details/

[S]

Don't worry it won't happen.

[RealGunner]

It doesn't matter either way. Reports said we are not even interested in Higuain. Which is even worse.



Pretty sure there is no one left out there for us to buy anymore.

[VendettaRed07]

I don't believe for a second Juve would ever offer the money needed to sign Higuain even if they sold Pogba for 120m

[MJ]

If we were serious about Higuain, this would help. I'd imagine Napoli would be willing to accept a lower offer to offload him to Arsenal rather than Juventus.

[Sri]

This is just getting very depressing all over again.

To everyone of us who guessed this would yet again be a summer with an early positive splash followed by months of FAKWAD ZILCH SHITASS BUFFONERY, kudos lads we've been right all along.

[Jay29]

Well, nobody should have expected anything different, really. Arsenal are behind not just the elite when it comes to transfers but a lot of other clubs, too. Following Sevilla and Arsenal at the same time, for example, really puts Arsenal's failing into perspective.

At Sevilla the DoF scouts hundreds a players per season and has a huge database of names before the season ends. The manager says what he wants and then they narrow down the list to five players who fit and then simply go down that list until they've got their player. A new manager came in this summer and yet they've still signed five players, all to the manager's tastes. It's scarily efficient.

At Arsenal, you see reports of us "assessing" and "scouting" targets in the summer, suggesting Arsenal don't do much of the legwork before hand; we don't go into summers knowing exactly who to target for all positions. We might have A targets identified (Xhaka and Vardy, for example), but no contingencies in case we can't secure them - we had no back-up plan after we couldn't get Higuain in 13/14 and after we couldn't get Suarez in 14/15. Meanwhile, other clubs at our level or above just go and sign players, knowing exactly who they want and what to do to get them.

I don't want to be too doom and gloom because the summer can still be salvaged if we sign a centre back, right back and winger (I've given up on a striker) but no doubt soon we'll hear Wenger say "we're in the market for two or three, we're working very hard, it's tough because *insert excuse here*".

I really hope that once Wenger leaves we restructure the transfer and scouting department completely. A Director of Football is a must.

[Sri]

That's a tad pessimistic.

I do believe we have a good team behind the scenes and a lot of legwork being done. For example, reports suggested we were on Xhaka all season, regularly watching him.

Problem is, we drag our feet through the window. We are not efficient. That is not the fault of the backroom staff. That is the fault of the decision makers.

In Arsenal terms, that puts all the fault at the door of Wenger, and to some extent Gazidis.

[Sina]

Mystery over Higuain clause
By Football Italia staff

Sources disagree on whether Gonzalo Higuain's buy-out clause, which would allow Juventus to force Napoli into a sale, is still valid.

The Bianconeri look set to unleash an absolute storm in Naples by taking the most prolific scorer in Serie A away from their direct rivals.

Aurelio De Laurentiis has repeatedly stated that he does not intend to sell the player, even though some believe the Pipita intends to leave.

Higuain had a buy-out clause that allowed other teams to force a sale, even against Napoli's will, by paying €94m. Surprisingly, though, no-one seems to know whether that crucial clause is active or not.

The Gazzetta dello Sport reported in the last few days that the clause had expired on June 30. Today, they are running the claims by 'the player's entourage', who apparently believe the clause is still valid.

Gianluca Di Marzio and Calciomercato.com both claim that the clause can still be activated, and paid in two yearly instalments of €47m. The latter source believes the expiry date for this item in Higuain's contract is in fact July 31.

However, CalcioNapoli24 claim to have contacted Napoli themselves, whose official sources allegedly confirmed that the clause expired on June 30.

http://www.football-italia.net/87372/mystery-over-higuain-clause

[Jay29]

Nothing like a mystery release clause to kickstart our summer.

[Raptorgunner]

"The situation with Draxler is 100% certain that he will be staying at Wolfsburg. There is no discussing that," Klaus Allofs told Sport1.

Not that we were ever interested in him in the first place.

[RealGunner]

Should have bought Hulk

[Sina]

http://www.gazzetta.it/Calciomercato/15-07-2016/bacca-si-fa-avanti-arsenal-va-il-no-west-ham-160360222025.shtml#

-Arsenal have been in touch with Bacca & reps through intermediaries in the last few hours.
West Ham is ready to shell out 30 million and 4.2 million net per season. The Colombian, however, prefers to play in Champions League

[MJ]

Finally some links with Bacca.


Atletico are after Aubameyang. He's asking for €12m/year wages to leave Dortmund. We're not linked but while strikers go to and fro, it's nice to watch everything burn around us.

[Hapless_Hans]

Auba, yeah right. Dortmund sold Gündogan, Hummels, and Mkhitaryan.

I couldn't believe they let Mkhi go, but it was possible because they were unwise/unprepared enough to have all those contracts end next year.

Or in the case of Mkhitaryan, the timeing of his GOAT season was tricky.

A year ago BVB would have rolled with joy and laughter at the thought of being able to sell Mkhi at a profit (after all he was their record signing at 25+m €), and extending his contract didn't exactly seem like a pressing matter.

Auba's contract runs till 2020. While it was always saf to assume that BVB wouldn't mind selling him for crazy money like 90m or something, even that is now off the table for this summer. Abolutely no way.

[Chumlum]

Balotelli, come home to Arsenal

Would be a great idea with no downside



obviously

[Chumlum]

And Götze is going back to Dortmund. I'm slightly surprised it actually worked out that way.

[Hapless_Hans]

The whole Götze story is really, really stupid.

Shame on Hoeness for pulling this shit off in the first place.

It was a transfer tinged in bad karma from the get go. A Bayern power trip in its worst form.

[RealGunner]

Give us Robben ffs

[Hapless_Hans]

You can't have Robben.

Bellerin-Lewandowski swap offer still stands though.

Possibly the last chance too - if the coming weeks and months corrobarate the assumption, or let#s call it 'hope', that Kimmich is the new Lahm, we'll have no need for Bellerin anymore and then you can't have Lewa either.

[Sina]

From Naples: Higuain likes Arsenal, move acceptable, Napoli prefer it

Despite Juventus’ crazy money for Higuain, Arsenal could still have hope to sign the Argentine striker.

Ciro Venerato, from Radio Crc (via Tutto Napoli), says that Napoli would prefer to sell the player to a club from abroad. Any negotiations with Juventus are ruled out, so the player will only leave for the Old Lady if they pay the release clause. There’s been disagreement about whether the clause is still valid, but whether it is or not, the asking price is €94m.

Regardless of the destination, it’s understood that Higuain’s time at Napoli is over, so now the club are looking at the best possible departure.

Encouraging for Arsenal is that it’s claimed not only do they want Higuain, but he likes them and would accept the move, also liking the Premier League generally.

The journalist didn’t mention how Arsenal could convince Napoli to sell the player to them. But when he talks about the impossible negotiations with Juve, he says that Napoli like some of their players, but still won’t talk. So maybe cash plus player(s) is the best way for Arsenal to get a deal done without going to €94m.

It’s also claimed that Higuain had a positive answer to Juve’s personal terms offer, which was of €8m per season on a four year deal, with an option of adding one more.

http://sportwitness.co.uk/naples-higuain-likes-arsenal-move-acceptable-napoli-prefer/

Gabriel+Joel+cash

[Kaladin]

Early reports saying Bacca turned down West Ham as he wants CL football

He is waiting on Atleti, however Atleti want to see if they can get Diego Costa back first

Arsenal, this is your chance, not the best striker but a good one, who can thrive with the amount of support he will get at Arsenal imo

[MJ]

If we were serious about Higuain, this would help. I'd imagine Napoli would be willing to accept a lower offer to offload him to Arsenal rather than Juventus.

Ciro Venerato, from Radio Crc (via Tutto Napoli), says that Napoli would prefer to sell the player to a club from abroad. Any negotiations with Juventus are ruled out, so the player will only leave for the Old Lady if they pay the release clause.

I'm wondering why Arsenal dont go for Bacca? He's roughly the same price as Vardy (25m-30m), same age, has a good goal record in the Europa league. Honestly seems a much better gamble than Vardy, he's been feeding off scraps last season at Milan and ended with 18 goals, i imagine with Ozil and co he'd fit right in

One of the most clinical finishers in Europe too. Was thinking this as well.

Early reports saying Bacca turned down West Ham as he wants CL football

He is waiting on Atleti, however Atleti want to see if they can get Diego Costa back first

Arsenal, this is your chance, not the best striker but a good one, who can thrive with the amount of support he will get at Arsenal imo

[RealGunner]

Mahrez wants out lads

[El Gunner]

Spend spend spend imo

[Jay29]

We really should be all over that if true, but we'll be put off by the price and watch him join City, Chelsea or United instead.

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