ALL Transfer talk - merged thread

[Retro Gunner]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

[General]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

[Limerick Gooner]

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... paddypower

[DB10GOONER]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

1. Wow. Talk about tone deaf. On January 27th you bandy that shit around.

2. It was inevitable I suppose that you also implemented Godwin's Law.

3. Oops shit there's that parapet again!

[xgtdec]

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... paddypower

The links gone dead......what was it, im intrigued.

[Kingralph]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

As riveting as all the back and forth and quote towers are, can I please request that you shut the fück up now? Thanks.

[xgtdec]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

Im interested...genuinely that if Arteta cleared out the majority of "mediocre, half decent and trouble makers"

Leaving us now with "good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. "

No doubt about it Saka and Saliba are if the stars align destined for world class status...no question.

While possibly not in the exact same league Gabriel is part of possibly the best defensive partnership going so all good there.

but after that well it starts to unravel quite quickly doesn't it, lets do Martinelli first as he has been "developed" by Arteta.......has he, has he really because all anyone can see is the player of potential he was, and the player he now is and theres a marked difference...and not for the better.

We can see this reflected in his transfer value

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/gabriel ... ler/655488

now obviously i dont have 30 years in football but if a player was worth 85 million in December 2023 and is now worth 55 million in January 25, it doesn't exactly scream "look at me ive been developed" however it does reflect a player whose seen his potential wiped out and his form plummet
all in the name of development i guess. So in the case of martinelli (and we can go through the whole squad,) he has a contract to 2027, 2 years away when he'll be 25 years old. Thats not exactly securing a long term future is it, and even if we redefined the long term part.....we wont want to renew the contract of a player thats cliff dived in all aspects of his game. He'll be ripe for an actual manager to come in a pull his career back from the brink.Now i know you love the facts and the evidence but a declining transfer value and a contract ticking down to just when the player is approaching his prime...well its not exactly the development and long term securing your painting above is it??

[Retro Gunner]

What I am saying is that we are no longer a selling club because (1) We’ve built a competitive team (2) We pay top wages.
In recent years, we’ve only sold players because they are surplus to requirements.
If a club wants to poach one of our prized assets which can happen to any club in world football, they will need to pay a premium price. See Julian Alvarez’s transfer from City to Atletico as an example.

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

General mate, this is fucking painful. I'll try once more. If, as you say, we're no longer a club that sells, or has poached away, its best players, then you need to back that argument up by listing the players over the last 10 years that were good enough to attract big club poachers. I'd suggest there were none that attracted the attention of those clubs. Neither I nor xgt are including the young stars in the current side, because that acid test is to come...and probably quite soon. You go on to admit that for the best part of the last 10 yrs we had a mediocre squad, so that's clearly no yardstick with which to judge whether we can can hang on to top quality or not, because there wasn't any top quality to hang on to. That's the whole point we are making.

Of course, the best way to keep hold of your stars is to win trophies, especially the major ones. There's no guarantees you'll keep those players, but it's guaranteed that you won't if you're a second tier side. I don't see us winning those trophies, so I fear we'll see at least Saliba gone this summer. Once the first quality brick is removed, it will send a strong message to the likes of Saka and others and that can cause an exodus. Take a look at the short order with which Clichy, Nasri, Adebayor, Cesc and Van Persie left. We couldn't even keep Flamini out of Milan's clutches, although in true Wenger style, we gave him an end of career payday when he was finally washed up. Once that lot had gone, we entered the period of having no one left to poach.

As much as you don't want this to be about Arteta, I'm afraid it largely is. He's had plenty of time and money, but is no nearer to success in my opinion. In fact, we're a lesser side than in the previous two seasons. If you think our top quality players and their agents won't see that, then I can't help you.

[Retro Gunner]

Yes, I know what you’re saying, but I’m saying we haven’t had players poached by top clubs for the last few years because we’ve had no one worth poaching. That’s very likely to change soon I’m afraid. Of course, the best way to try to keep players is to properly compete for and win the big prizes. Another fruitless season is likely to see at least Saliba head to pastures new.

As for Alvarez, do you honestly think that Atletico poached him away against the wishes of City? From memory, he was keen to move because he was never going to be guaranteed a starting place with Haaland scoring for fun and City didn’t stand in his way. They did, as you say, get a lot of money for him, but it was hardly as though they lost a guy they were desperate to keep.

You know full well to poach a player you need the player, his agent, contracts, the poaching club etc to align. The Premier League's sustainability Rules have also made things harder. Even targetting mid table clubs is difficult as we are finding out with Cunha, unless once again the buying club is willing to pay a premium price.

So to say we haven't had players poached because we've had no one worth poaching is inaccurate. We have plenty but they've been ringfenced financially. Saka, Saliba, Odegaard, Nwaneri all committed to long term deals when they could've gone elsewhere and Lewis Skelly is about to do the same. We are far away from the conditions needed for predatory clubs to target us and that's unlikely to change anytime soon unless someone is willing to pay silly money. We are no longer the stepping stone club that Wenger perpetuated for many years because he was tight with money.

As for City, they certaintly did not want to lose Alvarez, but the money was too good to turn down and the player had his his head turned. They didn't even want to lose over the hill Kyle Walker, but if the money is right and a player expresses a desire to leave, the parent club is mostly powerless as we found out in the past with Anelka, Petit, Overmars etc.
Recently Chido Obi Martin, a talented striker from our academy was poached by United because they offered him more money and better development potential and the same thing is happening with Ayden Heaven with Chelsea. Trent Alexander Arnold and Salah look like they are on their way out of Liverpool and it's not because ambition. Money is always the primary motivation for players and everything else comes after.

You're moving goalposts again. I've made it clear that there are currently players around whom the vultures will be circling. You disputed xgt's point that we were a selling club, because we hadn't lost players in recent years. His point and mine, was that we had no players that the big boys would have been interested in poaching. I asked you to list those who you think might disprove that in the last 10 years, but you've ignored that question.

I made it clear that with Saliba, Saka and potentially Martinelli and Gabriel, we now have targets, along of course, with the youngsters coming through. Time will tell, sooner or later, whether we can keep hold of those players, or whether their heads will be turned by Europe's big clubs. I fear we'll begin to find out this summer.

Btw, why do you make comments that are superfluous, but designed to make it sound as though we all need to be educated? What are the first two sentences of your response supposed to be telling us that we don't already know? So the player, his agents, the clubs and the proposed contract have to come together for a transfer to take place.....who'd have thought it? Thanks for clueing us all up. None of that stops players being poached though, does it. Again, I'll be interested to hear what you say if Saliba leaves this summer.

I said our reputation as a selling club hasn’t been true since Wenger left so why would I list players worth poaching in the last 10years when Wenger left in 2018, and we’ve had a few managerial changes since. If you’re going as far back as the latter years under Wenger and the Emera era, I would agree because the squad was a mixture of mediocre, half decent and trouble makers, and Arteta duly shipped the majority out. However, for the last 3years, good players have emerged in the form of Saliba, Saka, Martinelli, Gabriel, add Odegaard and the list continues to grow. Arteta has played a critical role in their development and secured their long term future which makes it harder for other clubs to target them. How is this moving goal posts?
Those comments you deemed superfluous were intended to rebut the notion that poaching is some simple endeavour for predatory clubs like you’re making it out to be. I’ll be interested to hear what you have to say if Saliba doesn’t leave this summer, but I suspect you will continue to cling on to your pessimistic future outlook. It is possible that he could leave? Of course, but it’s going to take an astronomical fee for the club to even entertain the idea, which therefore makes any transfer unlikely. I’ve already accepted that poaching can happen to any club and highlighted various examples in my previous post, so we are not alone in this regard.
As expected, you’ve resorted to the usual incendiary tactics whenever we have a disagreement. Next, you will issue a cri de coeur for the anti-Arteta enthusiasts to join in. The gestapo will then follow up with scurrilous claims of wumming and AKB cultism . This is all too familiar so respectfully I’m out.

As riveting as all the back and forth and quote towers are, can I please request that you shut the fück up now? Thanks.

Aplogies Your Highness, but I've had to make one more response.

[Limerick Gooner]

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... paddypower

The links gone dead......what was it, im intrigued.

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... 5lthg&s=08

[xgtdec]

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... paddypower

The links gone dead......what was it, im intrigued.

https://x.com/paddypower/status/1883877 ... 5lthg&s=08

Worth it, paddys got quite the talent for accurately taking the piss

[Midz]

Aplogies Your Highness, but I've had to make one more response.

[Limerick Gooner]

Twitter is alive with the rumour we have put in a massive bid for Sesko.

[Perryashburtongroves]

Twitter is alive with the rumour we have put in a massive bid for Sesko.

The reality is that we're trying to buy a bin from Tesco.

[mcdowell42]

Twitter is alive with the rumour we have put in a massive bid for Sesko.

I'm obviously not following the right people on twitter , can't see anything about the above, I'll keep looking