Marc Guehi

[drippin]

Yes I did. But I'd expect Arsenal to know about Salibas back injury. If it is a worry or a problem then I'd much rather sign a CB of higher calibre than a centre back of potential. Which is what Guehi is.

Doesn't matter what Arteta worked with. Arsenal are not Man City and are unlikely ever going to be in a position to sign 50m defenders every summer just to be on the bench.

We have to be smarter than that. That doesn't mean buying ****. It just means looking abit more carefully than others. Tomi (injuries aside), Gabriel and Tierney were all bought for 25m or less. There's 100s of those players about. We just have to look.

Well exactly. If they target Guehi, they are covering the possibility that Saliba might have longer problems, so the season won't be ruined from the get go.

Again, players won't be bought for bench, but competition and rotation.

 

[OnlyOne]

Duh. It's not about UCL experience, but EPL experience in a season with very much strain and a need for very good players for rotation and injuries. That's why I said "UCL season".

Can get more experience elsewhere and for cheaper he's had two seasons in the PL.

 

[drippin]

Can get more experience elsewhere and for cheaper he's had two seasons in the PL.

Arsenal nowadays knows the value of being EPL proven. And now the stakes are even higher to compete straightaway for EPL and UCL titles. Not so much need to develop 20-25 million players anymore.

If Arteta wants Guehi from EPL, he clearly sees that he has the qualities he wants compared to other EPL proven players. Arsenal also values mental qualities which are not so easy for us to distinguish.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

I think mikel would get good CB i don't think he'll go with very young cb our CB core is already young an experienced one would help specially if he good with his feets.

Wish there late 20's David Luiz in market

 

[SA Gunner]

I know that our back 5 need to be as close to elite as possible, to manage the risks we take when we play. So it would make sense to go for players of a high caliber, even in rotation.

But this is too much if the price is 50 IMO. Surely we can get players from the continent in the mould of Kiwior, that would give us that class rotation for a lesser price?

 

[drippin]

I know that our back 5 need to be as close to elite as possible, to manage the risks we take when we play. So it would make sense to go for players of a high caliber, even in rotation.

But this is too much if the price is 50 IMO. Surely we can get players from the continent in the mould of Kiwior, that would give us that class rotation for a lesser price?

But what if Saliba can't be depended on for next season because of his back injury? Those are not easy. Rashford was bad for a long time for example.

Do you want to risk next season, or get an instant starting quality CB?

White could play CB, and I think Arsenal will get a new RB. And a new RB can't be depended on either to be an instant hit in EPL.

I think White should stay at RB, and be ultimate CB cover. Tomiyasu is also too injury-prone to be depended on.

 

[DuBB]

These days there's no point even worrying about valuations. Every half decent player is overpriced.

If the club are interested the general fee obviously fits with their overall budget for signings this window.

I rate Guehi, would add real depth.

The part in bold is something I always keep in mind but people rarely do when discussing transfers.

We tend to pay fees that allow us to continue on and do what we need to do in the market, and have done so for 2-3 summers on the bounce.

So if we spend £XXX on a player, that says to me we can afford to and it doesn’t have a knock on effect on other transfers.

Lisandro is a good example. The bidding got too high, and clearly we knew what our limit was for him and we didn’t cross it.

I’m not saying the Guehi rumours are true or not, but if we did spend £50m on him, that doesn’t say to me that we’re taking money from one place to put in another, it says to me we’ve got a budget of £50m for that position.

Pretty simple.

 

[drippin]

The part in bold is something I always keep in mind but people rarely do when discussing transfers.

We tend to pay fees that allow us to continue on and do what we need to do in the market, and have done so for 2-3 summers on the bounce.

So if we spend £XXX on a player, that says to me we can afford to and it doesn’t have a knock on effect on other transfers.

Lisandro is a good example. The bidding got too high, and clearly we knew what our limit was for him and we didn’t cross it.

I’m not saying the Guehi rumours are true or not, but if we did spend £50m on him, that doesn’t say to me that we’re taking money from one place to put in another, it says to me we’ve got a budget of £50m for that position.

Pretty simple.

It's also possible that Saliba's injury forced Arsenal to invest more in an EPL proven better RCB than planned. We have already seen this season how much effect it can have if the backup is not up to the task. It can ruin the season, and Arteta or anyone should not want that (although Tomiyasu injury is what made it worse).

So if they target Guehi because of the Saliba injury, it's also possible they adjust other transfers if there is not enough money (there should be quite much money next summer). There's for example Zaha for free who can play all attacking positions (not saying they should get him, but there are possibilities like this in the market). They adjusted business for older targets last January too.

What's great about Guehi, like White, is that he has been an extremely durable player. That's very valuable. Especially with Saliba and Tomiyasu in the squad who look like not.

 

[14Henry]

But what if Saliba can't be depended on for next season because of his back injury? Those are not easy. Rashford was bad for a long time for example.

Do you want to risk next season, or get an instant starting quality CB?

White could play CB, and I think Arsenal will get a new RB. And a new RB can't be depended on either to be an instant hit in EPL.

I think White should stay at RB, and be ultimate CB cover. Tomiyasu is also too injury-prone to be depended on.

If there is a doubt that Saliba won't return the same player or may face having to sit out games and be micro managed then I want to sign am elite CB. Not a young defender who may be good enough.

 

[DuBB]

It's also possible that Saliba's injury forced Arsenal to invest more in an EPL proven better RCB than planned. We have already seen this season how much effect it can have if the backup is not up to the task. It can ruin the season, and Arteta or anyone should not want that (although Tomiyasu injury is what made it worse).

So if they target Guehi because of the Saliba injury, it's also possible they adjust other transfers if there is not enough money (there should be quite much money next summer). There's for example Zaha for free who can play all attacking positions (not saying they should get him, but there are possibilities like this in the market). They adjusted business for older targets last January too.

What's great about Guehi, like White, is that he has been an extremely durable player. That's very valuable. Especially with Saliba and Tomiyasu in the squad who look like not.

I wouldn’t even consider Guehi or the next CB to come is as a backup. He’d be a startling level player who, outside of our biggest games, we’d feel comfortable seeing in the starting lineup. Obviously not Saliba/Gabriel level, but several steps up from Holding.

Even with his injury and time out, Saliba has played 2 more league games than Ruben Dias this season so far.

That’s what you get when you don’t have quality in rotation.

Now add minimum 8 CL games if we make it out of the group stage.

Plus 3-5 if not more, FA Cup games hopefully.

Plus taking the Carabao a little seriously, so Guehi starts those kinds of games.

All of a sudden, a £35-50m CB doesn’t sound like a luxury, it sounds like something you probably need if you want to be a team who competes on several fronts, and doesn’t just “show up”

This year we’ve only really competed properly in the League. We pretty much only showed up, waved and left in the 2 domestic cups, and caused ourselves injury in Saliba in the Europa.

 

[field442]

I'd rather buy a RB for £35m and just move White to CB if Saliba gets injured.

 

[Xln]

50m is ridiculous. 30-35m the max I'd go. Could find loads of back up CBs if you look hard enough.

City for Akanji for like 15m.

You truly believe all of City's transfer sums?
They are cheating here, paying money with other methods to avoid ffp.

 

[DuBB]

I'd rather buy a RB for £35m and just move White to CB if Saliba gets injured.

So then when do you rest or rotate White?

White is the starting RB, but if you want to rest or rotate Saliba you move White there and play the £35m RB - White gets no rest.

Or you play the £35m RB to rest and rotate White, but keep playing Saliba.

I get where your mind is, but these past 2 seasons have shown us what happens when you do the "one guy covers 2 spots".

The "one guy covers 2 spots" thing only works well when that guy is a rotational player, not the starter, because you'll end up overplaying him if he's a starter.

 

[OnlyOne]

If we sign a RB and Tomi gets injured we only have White who’s a reliable RB.

 

[drippin]

If there is a doubt that Saliba won't return the same player or may face having to sit out games and be micro managed then I want to sign am elite CB. Not a young defender who may be good enough.

I don't have doubts about Saliba's quality even with the back injury, in the long run. But Rashford is a great example how much these back injuries can affect for a long time. The player can't train properly, and has to be careful on the field, likely making him play worse.

Arsenal won't sign a top RCB, when there is Saliba. So Guehi level player who has already 2 full EPL seasons and 1 full Championship season is the optimal target. Very similar target as White was, when they wanted instant very dependable quality plus future potential, when Saliba needed a full season on loan so he could be trusted as a starter.

I assume they will sell Tomiyasu soon, getting the fee back, because he is too injury-prone. Saliba's injury made the need for a very durable defender much bigger. You can't have both Saliba and Tomiyasu to depend on next season in my opinion. Both have question marks on how much they can play. Tomiyasu has to be an ultimate backup for all defender positions at most, if he stays.

 

[field442]

So then when do you rest or rotate White?

White is the starting RB, but if you want to rest or rotate Saliba you move White there and play the £35m RB - White gets no rest.

Or you play the £35m RB to rest and rotate White, but keep playing Saliba.

I get where your mind is, but these past 2 seasons have shown us what happens when you do the "one guy covers 2 spots".

The "one guy covers 2 spots" thing only works well when that guy is a rotational player, not the starter, because you'll end up overplaying him if he's a starter.

If you sign a good RB White can be rested more often. You can then rest Saliba and play White at CB. Not that they need to be rested all that often because most players will play 50 games per season if injuries allow.

For me it's more about most of these guys not being as good as White at CB so why pay £50m for them? Get a better, less injury prone alternative to Tomiyasu. I'd also play Kiwior at RCB as well because I'm not a believer in this right foot/left foot bollocks.

 

[14Henry]

You truly believe all of City's transfer sums?
They are cheating here, paying money with other methods to avoid ffp.

Not necessarily all. But I doubt they paid 50m for Akanji.

There are decent signings available at decent prices still.

As I've said. Botman was highly rated in France and cost 30-35m. Gabriel cost 25m.

I just don't think 50m on Guehi is good business.

 

[Tom349]

50m on back up is loser talk. The only question we should be asking is he a 50m+ CB and depending on that answer we either try and sign him or find someone who is that calibre of player. We don't necessarily have to pay that much for another CB and personally think Bella Kotchap will be someone who will be considered a 50m+ CB not too long from now and could be had for less than 25m but regardless of the price we end up paying we need another good to elite CB.

Im more inclined to go with someone who is prem proven or has been playing at a high level in one of the top five leagues for a few seasons such as Tapsoba. Not interested in any projects from unknown leagues, leave that to the Brightons of the world.

 

[lomekian]

You could be right, we also have a very streamlined wage bill and now receiving CL funds, but only 8 times have teams spent more than £200M and I am just not sure whether we'll do that.

My prediction would be in and around the 150M mark again.

That's probably accurate, but as a net rather than gross figure.

 

[drippin]

50m on back up is loser talk. The only question we should be asking is he a 50m+ CB and depending on that answer we either try and sign him or find someone who is that calibre of player. We don't necessarily have to pay that much for another CB and personally think Bella Kotchap will be someone who will be considered a 50m+ CB not too long from now and could be had for less than 25m but regardless of the price we end up paying we need another good to elite CB.

Im more inclined to go with someone who is prem proven or has been playing at a high level in one of the top five leagues for a few seasons such as Tapsoba. Not interested in any projects from unknown leagues, leave that to the Brightons of the world.

Bella Kotchap would be a cheaper option, but is he as good with the ball as Guehi?

Because it's clear that Arteta wants ball playing CB's who are comfortable with the ball in other ways too. Guehi is also HG and that might be part of why they target him.

Bella Kotchap also had a longer injury this season, so he is not likely considered because of that. Need a proven durable player. No players who are injury-prone from the start.