Arsenal

[wev]

Don't see any reason why we couldn't sign Mandzukic or Balotelli from the above list, but I'll concede the others are far less probable.

Obviously I'd take Remy over signing no one, but I think we could and should be aiming higher.

As for Poldi, he's not a lone striker. Wenger explained why not just a couple of days ago. In a front two I'm sure he'd be good, but we're not going to play that way as standard.

and based on recent history we're unlikely to play two up front as we stick to the same formation regardless of who is available

[hauk]

I would take Remy for sure. I mean in an ideal world I'd prefer Costa or Benzema, but seeing as we also need a good quality DM and probably another winger, a backup goalie and maybe a right back; the odds on us getting all of them plus a super star striker is maybe stretching it a bit.

[The Fox]

Seen a lot of talk about getting Vela back as we have a £4m buy back clause. I'd take him for that much tbh, he's clearly improved a lot since he left. We need a wide forward and he'd be excellent value at that price, allowing us more money for other positions. Dunno if the rumours have any truth behind them though.

[Liamness]

Vela has publicly said he'd be open to moving back to England, going as far to mention the buy-back clause you have, so I would say they have a fair bit of truth. Doesn't necessarily mean the club is interested though?

[The Fox]

He's not ideal but you have to say he'd probably represent good value for money at that price.

[carlito]

The five year wage packet for Loic Remy on top of his transfer fee, given he's probably on a pretty penny at QPR, would be a significant outlay for a "squad player".

If that Vela buyback clause is true then we should purchase him back immediately even if he isn't going to be a perfect fit. He'd definitely get games if this season was anything to go by and even if it doesn't work out we would certainly be able to sell him on for more.

I am pretty sure that is what Spurs did when they signed Holtby - they knew they'd be pretty unlucky to lose money on the deal even he didn't play for them.

[Shoes]

I'd fucking love Vela back.

I miss his dinky chips.

[Steve007]

Vela was pony against decent opposition.

I could chip League One goalies in the League Cup 3rd round.

Really don't think Remy is good enough to improve us in any significant way tbh. Unless we fail to sign any of Costa/Balo/Cavani/Benzema/Mandzukic and need a fall back then I don't see the point in getting him. You can't win the league with just Giroud, but I don't think you can do it with Giroud and Remy either.

Remy is a great finisher and I wouldn't be upset if we signed him. He's infinitely better than that sack of shit Bendtner.

[Gotters]

Remy is a decent enough bench warmer type for a club with title aspirations but he isn't going to win you the title or get a team to the latter stages of the CL.

I know with our injury record a collection of similarly skilled copy/paste players is useful but we really need to be looking to sign a higher class of player in general if our aim is to improve from where we currently sit.

I know you can point to the league table and show how we are only a few results off being top, justifying that major change isn't needed, but if you look at our performances against top oppostion this season (and the higher calibre games they played against each other), we look a long way off being genuine contenders to me.

[Steve007]

I don't think we want to get too carried away with this Remy stuff. Just because a player shows up who's attached to another club it doesn't necessarily mean we are going to sign them. I see all sorts of players & ex-professionals at the Emirates pretty much each game, Some just turn up just because they like football and fancy watching a game, others turn up because their Arsenal mates gave them freebie tickets, others for media work, others for sponsor/commercial reasons...

[The Fox]

Agree that people are probably jumping to conclusions on Remy anyway.

As for Vela, he's definitely a much better player than when he departed. Seems like he's sorted his attitude out, which was a big problem for him previously.

[hauk]

I would love us to get Benzema, Pogba & Griezmann this summer, but all the sounds coming out of the club are the we don’t need huge changes and there’s a 70 million war chest (in other words 40 million), so I guess I’m just being realistic in terms of who I think we should sign, and Remy seems like the level of striker we might be in for. Plus he's French.

[Steve007]

What about Draxler?

[The Fox]

I would love us to get Benzema, Pogba & Griezmann this summer, but all the sounds coming out of the club are the we don’t need huge changes and there’s a 70 million war chest (in other words 40 million), so I guess I’m just being realistic in terms of who I think we should sign, and Remy seems like the level of striker we might be in for. Plus he's French.

Griezmann would be lovely but I think he'll go to PSG.

I can't imagine Benzema will go anywhere, he's had a good season and unless Suarez throws his toys out of the pram again, which seems unlikely, I don't see how they could improve on him.

Pogba would be a waste of money.

What about Draxler?

He and Lars Bender are both in the same boat, basically: they've both had very poor seasons, and I believe in both cases their agents have said they'll be staying put.

[carlito]

I'd be so keen on Schneiderlin - I wonder if Saints might be more likely to consider letting him go over their other in-demand players despite his contract given they have Wanyama and Jack Cork to soften the blow more than they would be able to if they sold Lallana, Lovren or J Rod (assuming Shaw is already on the way that is).

Or, you know, maybe not - they do have money these days don't they?

[The Fox]

Schneiderlin would be an excellent buy, yeah. Good in the air too, which is going to be important with Sagna leaving.

[Steve007]

If I could pick a Southampton player for Arsenal I'd take Shaw. When Southampton got back into the Premier League they played us very early in the season (I think we won 6-0). Shaw caught my eye and I made a point to read up about him. He was an unknown at the time and I was amazed that he was only 17 or 18.

I wouldn't be upset if we signed him. Reckon they would take cash + Gibbs in part-exchange?

[The Fox]

Nope

Tbh I think if Shaw does go, it'll be to Chelsea or Utd for a lot of money.

[Rev]

Man Utd are going to spend a mental amount of money on Lallana and Shaw in the next couple of weeks. I'm thinking £55m for the pair to show that they're "serious".

[carlito]

Chelsea are in the market for a left-back too don't forget.

Young, English, proven in the league and tied into a lengthy contract. He will cost a pretty penny for sure.

[BlinkyBear]

Chelsea are in the market for a left-back too don't forget.

Young, English, proven in the league and tied into a lengthy contract. He will cost a pretty penny for sure.

He's also a Chelsea fan, so you'd imagine he'd go for his 'boyhood' club, closer to home, a bigger contract and a club who are a perennial League and Champions League challenger, as opposed to Man Utd. Who are seemingly ran by a reclusive 90 year old American, a man who used to be The Equalizer and a drunken Scot who used to be a decent manager but now apparently is decent at making profit out of wine. At least, the stuff he hasn't drunk.

[Rev]

Chelsea are definitely the logical favourites, but I just think Man Utd will throw money at him until even Chelsea shrug and give in after Man Utd's last summer. They'll be saving a fortune on wages if Vidic/Evra/Ferdinand/Giggs all pretty much gone.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

Yeah, I'd be surprised if any of those remain at the club aside from Evra, and Giggs but only in a coaching role which he'd do for free anyway. If we don't buy a single player from Southampton, again, it'd be a shock. Jones and Smalling were bought at similar times and for similar amounts to what I expect Shaw to come in for - as much as I like Buttner, I think he'll remain as a back-up.

Arsenal would be a great fit for Lallana, as long as he doesn't go to Chelsea, Liverpool or City I'll be happy! Arsenal need to start with some impetus next season, beginning with three solid signings, none of this Sanogo shite.

[Rev]

I think you'll buy both to make the total price seem less scary. Lallana will have been on Wenger's radar for ages, it was obvious he was good from League 1 times so if he didn't want him when we bought Ox he won't want him now.

[AlwaysBeClosing]

That's one of Wenger's biggest problems though, buying kids. Lallana is the real thing now, as Ox is also after being with you for a while. Lallana, Sagna replacement and a top-of-the-range striker, minimum. I hope you get Higuain or Benzema this time, or even Falcao if rumours are to be believed that he wants out.

[The Fox]

Meyler isn't being charged by the FA for some reason. Already preparing myself mentally for his 94th minute winner.

[toythatkills]

That's one of Wenger's biggest problems though, buying kids. Lallana is the real thing now, as Ox is also after being with you for a while. Lallana, Sagna replacement and a top-of-the-range striker, minimum. I hope you get Higuain or Benzema this time, or even Falcao if rumours are to be believed that he wants out.

As a veteran of quite a number of Arsenal summers now, I think throwing names like this around is a total waste of time. Throwing any name at all around is a total waste of time. We'll sign one guy no one has ever heard of from Bosnia or something, and then there'll be nothing until deadline day on which we may or may not sign someone at 11pm.

[The Fox]

Also I'm baffled as to why we'd need Lallana in any way. Good player, but certainly not a role we're short in.

[Gotters]

football in sense of humour shocker - this is quite amusing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP7k1QkkhZk

[carlito]

Lallana not required at all. Great player, just not what we need, also he is probably last on Southampton's list of players they feel can lose.

Shaw going for a similar fee to Jones and Smalling!? Even if you added them together you'd probably still be short.