The almighty 2016-2017 summer transfer window thread

Not for that fee

Not for any fee. We have Walcott, and welbeck will be back in the future.

At this point, I do not think striker is even the top priority. I think they really need to add a bruiser of a center half to make life unpleasant around arsenals penalty box. Per does not cut it. Gabriel is better as cover. They should also get a left back who is confident with the ball. Play 5atb, give bellerin and new left back license to roam forward, nacho and kos flank a beastly defender in the middle. Alexis plays as support striker to Giroud as the target man, the central midfield remains a triangle of Ozil, xhaka and Ramsey.

Wilshere, Gabriel, santi provide solid cover across the pitch.

Since the facts are telling us Mertesacker isn't really up to scratch, we have a few options: a) trust Gabriel to keep a cool head for an entire season, b) hope Mertesacker improves, c) put our faith in 21-year old Chambers who has spent most of his career playing at right-back, or d) buy a CB befitting a club of our stature.Only Wenger and his kool-aid drinking acolytes could ague that we don't need to strengthen the core of this team.

Chambers captained England and was in the team of the Toulon Tournament and Gabriel will probably get better. Gabriel (fast, sweeper-type) to me also fits better as a partner to Mertesacker (tall, slow) than to Koscielny (fast, sweeper-type). Some of the players mentioned in the internet press as possible transfer are somewhat similar to Gabriel in that they are young, have shown some brilliance, but haven't proven themselves (more than a year).

I read that manolas had turned down a contract extension at Roma. He would be an excellent acquisition.

If they sign manolas higuain and Robbie brady/ric Rodriguez, I will take back every nasty thing I've said about wenger

Looks like juve is going to swoop in for higuain. I guess this vindicates wenger position in 2013 that 35 million was too much to pay, since he's only being sold for more than twice that three years on. I wonder what that buffoons excuse is for that blunder.

There's still hope for mahrez to arsenal. Never believed this one for a second, so I will just treat it as a pleasant surprise if it does actually happen

There's still hope for mahrez to arsenal. Never believed this one for a second, so I will just treat it as a pleasant surprise if it does actually happen

Mahrez and Higuain and I'll be 95% happy. We would then have adequate depth in almost all positions: three goalkeepers, five full-backs, four centre-backs, six central midfielders, one #10 (but two or three capable of playing there), six or so wingers (although most right-sided) and four strikers. 29 first-team players with plenty of quality in every position.

The last 5% would be a new centre-back partner to Koscielny, just to get the quality even across the lines.

Cech
Bellerin - New CB - Koscielny - Monreal
Xhaka - Ramsey
Sanchez - Ozil - Mahrez
Higuain

...title-winning capable team that.

Monreal is massively overrated by Arsenal fans. His performances were not as solid as most seemed to think last season. I would rather a new more attacking fullback anyway to open up more width and create more space in the middle.

Monreal is massively overrated by Arsenal fans. His performances were not as solid as most seemed to think last season. I would rather a new more attacking fullback anyway to open up more width and create more space in the middle.

I agree, but I'm just trying to be realistic. If we get Mahrez and Higuain there is no way we'll sign anyone else until next summer. Even both of them are unlikely. So going by what we have, Monreal starts for me at the moment, even though I'd love to see Gibbs finally break through properly.

The asking price for higuain is so ridiculous.

Anything under 50mil for mahrez is a bargain.

Getting mahrez and a player actually capable of being a lone striker gives arsenal a truly world class attack. The problem is that they have neglected the defense for 10 years.

According to squawka DEFENSE scores:

2015/16: Arsenal 2nd 2014/15: Arsenal 1st 2013/14: Arsenal 3rd 2012/13: Arsenal 2nd

I don't give 2 shits about since arcane defense "score". Every year they give up 3 goals in the champions league round of 16. They have no depth along the back, relying upon 2 center half's the wrong side of 30, one of whom is entering the final season of his contract.

They have neglected the defense. Imagine if they didn't get lucky with bellerin...

Neither do I give a shit about your opinion on Arsenal's defense to be fair. Nothing is wrong with it.

Little bit niggle

Then why are you citing irrelevant statistics which are more of a reflection of having 68% possession against the likes of West Brom and stoke at the emirates than actually mounting a credible defense against elite competition in Europe and when the race for the league becomes heated?

Our defense is not the problem, rarely has been. The problem has always been lack of prolonged consistency under Wenger. Even in our prime years under him we were still fluctuating too much between excellence and mediocrity. People easily forget that in the invincibles year we had a few close calls due to swinging too much in quality.

Does anyone else feel that poodris gets an erection when replying to my posts?

Apparently we're after a geezer who managed to get Cruyff turned by Hal Robson-Kanu

They need to bring dein back, tar and feather Gazidis, kroenke, and the rest of the soulless board members. Only then will business be done.