Afternoon all, I hope you’ve all had a wonderful bank holiday. Down in London, we’ve had a lot of sun, but it literally ended yesterday as the bank holiday ended too – I won’t complain, the sun was out in full force for Sunday’s game and it was a brilliant afternoon down at the Emirates.
There’s so much going on in the World of Arsenal at the moment, it’s hard to keep up… so before I get into it all, here’s a few reminders:
- Competition #1: Win a copy of the Italian Job on DVD
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- Become friends with us on facebook for some brilliant banter!
Okay, on to all things Arsenal, and the summer of speculation is about to kick off. If you’ve picked up a newspaper today, you may have read the stories about Hangeland – and according to most newspapers, we’ve made a £8m bid. Where on earth the papers get their stories from is beyond me, but I’d like it to happen, definitely – I’ve been very impressed with the Norwegian international!
But just to throw us all off guard, the defender has been in the press today saying:
“I want to stay. We have been going in the right direction from the time I came here in January last year. Hopefully we can agree a new contract, and then I’ll stay here for a long time.”
Of course, the whole thing does have a hint of agent speak about it. Target a club who’s had a bad defensive season and then link your player with the club in order to get a new contract… maybe? Anywho, it’s one to keep tabs on, I’d definitely be happy with Haageland’s signing. It seems that the media have already done our transfer window shopping for us, if it were up to them, Santa Cruz is replacing Ade, who is off to Milan – whilst Hangeland and Lorik Cana are joining and that’s a wrap. They have a point, that wouldn’t be the worst set of signings, but it’s a little weird reading these rumours like they’re a done deal – in fact none of these rumours have any substance behind them!
Adebayor has been in the press today talking about Cesc Fabregas’ future – and it’s a bit weird that he’s actually discussing something not to do with him, but speculation of another player’s future, but that’s Ade for you – he actually said some very interesting things too!
“It would be complicated. He is already the most loved player of the club, a model on and off the pitch and we are happy to have him with us. To me, playing alongside makes me proud – he is talented, has personality, he has helped make Arsenal what they are and they have made him who he is today. To my mind he is fine here, he feels at home and I think that he wants to stay a few more years. He is loved, has everything he wants here, as a consequence I think he will stay, but it is his own decision.”
That’s good news coming from someone inside the camp. Cesc is one of our best players, and of course, you want your best players to stay at the club for as long as possible. I’m sure we’ll win the league under Cesc as captain, and I really hope it’s next season…
Ade also spoke on Arsene on whether he’d leave the club and said:
“Impossible, it would be like a father abandoning his children. The club love him, the fans as well; he has settled into life in England and has won titles that he will keep for life. The players like him as well.”
It seems the tables are turned a little, this time last season, Ade did all the talking and managed to get himself a ludicrious pay hike and contract extension. He’s probably still looking to leave, but now realises that he can’t – he’s contracted to the club for a while and of course, if he even murmours anything about wanting to leave, the fans will definitely not forgive him a second time – this is what he had to say:
“I have no idea of what Wenger has in mind,” Adebayor conceded. “He has always been by my side, he is aware of my qualities. He is the one who takes decisions and for sure if he tells me that he does not count on me anymore, then I will search for a new team, but if he wants me to stay I will stay. Besides I will have to stay because I am under contract.”
A little strange considering Arsene already spoke on his desire to keep Ade at the club. I think it’s going to one of those transfers or stories that we’ll never know the truth about until September 1st.
The good thing is that Adebayor has come out and said that he’d like to stay at Arsenal, win trophies and also lambasted the papers for all the stories… here’s the stuff we’ve all been waiting for:
“All I can say is I am a footballer and if a club like Milan are interested in me then I cannot lie to you, I am happy, because it is Milan,” said Adebayor. “But the thing is that it stops there – I am very happy playing for Arsenal, and this is what I always say.
“At the end of the day you just get bored of this – people read these things and then the fans will boo you for what you never said, but again I repeat that I am very happy here.
“I have got nothing to say to anybody. People are always there to judge – but they are not on the pitch, they are writing what they want to.
“I cannot explain myself to those people. They think what they are saying is right. I cannot do a better job than a journalist. I cannot do a better job than politicians – what I can do is play my football.
“This season I have given 100% of what I have, and I’m looking forward to coming back next season and trying to achieve things.
“I don’t care what we have to do to win something – we have got to do whatever it takes to bring trophies home.”
I’m sure all of this Adebayorism will be discussed fruitfully in the comments section post blog… what do you think? Are you happy to have Adebayor as your #1 striker next season?
And a final word for the youth team today who take on their Liverpudlian counterparts… good luck, don’t be complacent and come back with a trophy!
