Arsenal transfer news LIVE: Gunners 'still' want Caicedo AND Rice, McCoist SLAMS Jorginho deal, Elneny contract UPDATE | The Sun
ARSENAL will reportedly go back in for Moises Caicedo AND Declan Rice in the summer.
The Gunners secured a deadline day deal for ex-Chelsea midfielder Jorginho.
But his arrival came after Arsenal saw two huge offers rejected from Brighton for Caicedo.
Meanwhile, Ally McCoist has labelled the signing of Jorginho as "not good."
And the North London giants are set to trigger Mohamed Elneny's one-year extension clause according to reports.
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- Ian Tuckey
'Smart, experienced' Jorginho is 'good business'
Former Gunner Kevin Campbell believes that new signing Jorginho will be able to help the team with his “experience”.
He told Sky Sports: “I like it, I know a lot of the fan base is thinking another Chelsea player etc.
“But he’s experienced, he’s smart, he’s a good user of the ball and he’s somebody who can sit at the base of the midfield if Thomas Partey isn’t there or isn’t playing and dictate the play.
“That’s what Arsenal have lacked. Elneny usually comes in and does a good job, Lokonga hasn’t been the signing that everybody thought he could be and develop into so getting some more experience in that midfield is important.
“Right now, when you look at 18 months, Arsenal have big ambitions and he’s a proven Champions League player. Good business.”
- Henry Tomlinson
Ferdinand backs Arsenal for title
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand believes that Arsenal will win their first Premier League title in 20 years this season.
He told his FIVE YouTube channel: "I think it's a wrap.
"I've got to be honest, I do.
"No matter what results Arsenal get against Man City, I still think Arsenal have enough confidence, quality and calmness to take the title."
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
Mother's advice to Jorginho
Arsenal's deadline day signing Jorginho's mother gave him the confidence to succeed.
When he was earning less than £20 per week early on in his career, the Italian thought about quitting.
But his mother told him: “Don’t even think about it! You’re so close, you’ve been there for a few years, I won’t let you back in the house!
"You need to stay there and hang tough.”
Credit: Getty
- Henry Tomlinson
Arsenal 'ready £80m bid for Rice'
Arsenal are reportedly ready to make Declan Rice their transfer record player.
According to the Evening Standard, the club are going to try and sign the West Ham captain in the summer.
The report suggests that they will offer the Hammers £80m to tempt them into selling their prized asset.
Credit: Alamy - Henry Tomlinson
Jorginho is 'clever business'
Danny Murphy has hailed Arsenal's recruitment of Jorginho.
He told talkSPORT: "It’s a really clever piece of business that
"Partey is struggling a bit, he doesn’t tend to play a full season. He came off at half-time in the City game. You need some cover.
"I think he is somebody who you know will cope with any high pressure group he’s put into, whether it’s off the bench or starting. If they’re still in the race with 10 games to go – which they should be – and Partey’s injured then Jorginho comes in the team and you know what you’re going to get.
"He doesn’t quite have Partey’s physicality but knitting the game together, talking to people around him, knowing the position.
"Anyone doubting him that move, I don’t see where the sceptiscim comes from to be honest with you. For the price – what is it? £12m? – It’s a great piece of business that."
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
Signings 'won't start'
Former Arsenal defender Mikle Silvestre believes that neither Leandro Trossard or Jorginho are good enough to start for the club.
He told Betting Expert: “Trossard was clearly not number one on the list. It was Mudryk.
“Both signings are fringe players but they will add quality.
“I don’t expect them to start but they are quality players that fit Arsenal’s style of play. They are not expensive so they are good purchases.”
- Henry Tomlinson
McCoist slams Arsenal's Jorginho move
Ally McCoist has labelled Arsenal's acquisition of Chelsea midfielder Jorginho as "not good".
He told talkSPORT: "Not a good move for Arsenal, he’s not mobile or high energy enough for Arsenal.
"Are you actually telling me you’re signing players from [Chelsea] as bench players?
"You’ve got to be signing players that will strengthen your team, first and foremost.
"I know you want a squad of 18, but you want as much like for like as you can.
"I don’t see it as a great move. Nothing to do with the financials, I actually think Chelsea are getting the better deal."
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
When is Everton vs Arsenal?
Arsenal will be hoping to avoid a new manager bounce when they face Sean Dyche's Everton this weekend.
Here is when and where the match will be:
- Everton's mouthwatering match against league leaders Arsenal will take place on Saturday, February 4.
- It is scheduled to get underway at 12:30pm GMT
- Goodison Park is the allocated arena for this lunchtime encounter and it can host approximately 39,572.
- Arsenal thrashed Everton 5-1 when the sides last met in a competitive fixture.
Campbell backs Jorginho to impress
Former Gunner Kevin Campbell believes that new signing Jorginho will be able to help the team with his "experience".
He told Sky Sports: “I like it, I know a lot of the fan base is thinking another Chelsea player etc.
“But he’s experienced, he’s smart, he’s a good user of the ball and he’s somebody who can sit at the base of the midfield if Thomas Partey isn’t there or isn’t playing and dictate the play.
“That’s what Arsenal have lacked. Elneny usually comes in and does a good job, Lokonga hasn’t been the signing that everybody thought he could be and develop into so getting some more experience in that midfield is important.
“Right now, when you look at 18 months, Arsenal have big ambitions and he’s a proven Champions League player. Good business.”
- Henry Tomlinson
Arsenal support Conte
Arsenal's official Twitter account has wished Tottenham manager Antonio Conte a "speedy recovery" following his recent health scare.
The Italian boss was rushed to hospital to undergo gallbladder surgery after suffering from severe abdominal pain.
Tottenham have confirmed their manager has been diagnosed with cholecystitis, which is inflammation of the gallbladder.
And he will now go under the knife to have his gallbladder removed.
- Henry Tomlinson
Arsenal 'expected to trigger Elneny deal'
Arsenal are reported set to extend Mohamed Elneny's contract at the Emirates Stadium.
According to PA reporter Mark Mann-Bryans, the decision has not been impacted by the midfielder's injury.
He wrote: “Expecting Arsenal to trigger Mohamed Elneny’s option to extend his contract by a further 12 months.
“Conversations underway and injury has not had an impact on the decision, which could be announced in the next week or so.”
Credit: PA - Henry Tomlinson
Mavropanos has a shocker
Ex-Arsenal flop Konstantinos Mavropanos has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons after he scored a fifty-yard own goal.
The Greek defender spent four years with the Gunners after his switch from PAS Giannina in 2018.
He got the ball from a throw-in near the halfway line and then tried to backpass to keeper Florian Muller.
But the Stuggart man got it all wrong as it was out of the German's reach and it rolled into the goal.
Luckily he was spared blushes as his side scored two late goals to win the clash against Paderborn.
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
More from Bardaji
However, the agent has kept the door open to a move in the future, but admitted that it would be a "historic sale" for the Spanish club.
He added: “Over the weekend, we already informed Real Valladolid that there was not going to be any offer, that he was not going to leave in the winter market.
“For us, it is not a bad situation, no drama, quite the opposite. Ivan is happy to play for Real Valladolid, to be under the orders of Pacheta, who is the one who has allowed him to enjoy the way he is doing now.
“If one day he has to leave, we would like it to be a historic sale for the club.”
- Henry Tomlinson
Agent reveals why Fresneda rejected Gunners
The promising right back wants to keep his "feet on the ground" before rushing into a decision about his future.
Ivan Fresneda's agent, Luis Bardaji, told AS: “There have been around 30 teams interested. But the truth is that he has hardly aroused interest in Spanish football, but in Germany, France or England there has been interest.
“Some because they had a specific need in this market and others with a vision of the future, but times are what they are.
“Fresneda will be at Real Valladolid until the end of the season. We want him to have his feet on the ground and in other teams he was not going to have the continuity he needs now.”
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
Arsenal had 'two options' before Jorginho
Arsenal reportedly considered two players before opting to sign Jorginho from Chelsea.
The Gunners looked at Ajax's Edson Alvarez and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, according to The Athletic.
Zubimendi's release clause of £53million was deemed too much money, while Mikel Arteta preferred Jorginho to Alvarez.
Credit: Getty
- Henry Tomlinson
Sutton 'surprised' at Jorginho move
Chris Sutton revealed that it shocked him that Chelsea were helping Arsenal in their fight to win the Premier League.
He wrote in the Daily Mail: "I’m surprised he’s gone to Arsenal and Chelsea are helping Arsenal.
"I think, from Arsenal’s point of view, he may be the signing which helps him win the Premier League. I think that he’s a really talented player.
"This looks like a compromise because they’re saying 'we’re not going to get Moises Caicedo and we’re not going to get Declan Rice in this window'. At 31 it’s a good piece of business, for £10m or £12m it’s cheap as chips.
"From Arsenal’s point of view, that’s a 10/10 signing. I really think that’s a no brainer and a smart piece of business."
Credit: PA - Henry Tomlinson
Everton unchanged ahead of Arsenal clash
Arsenal will face an unstrengthened Everton side when they play on Saturday.
The Toffees have replaced manager Frank Lampard with Sean Dyche, but were unable to bring in any players during the January transfer window.
- Henry Tomlinson
Cedric happy to be at Fulham
Cedric Soares has revealed that he and his family are "really happy" to have moved to Fulham from Arsenal
Cedric told FFCtv: “I feel great. I wanted this deal to happen, so we all pushed in the same direction, and I’m really happy and pleased to be here.
“Me and my family are really, really happy for this move. It’s a great move and I can’t wait to start.”
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
Stokes charged
Ex-Arsenal star Antony Stokes has been charged with dangerous driving just weeks after a first arrest for the same offence.
Stokes was held following an alleged police chase in Dublin through red lights in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The 34-year-old has been charged with dangerous driving and failure to provide a sample when required.
Former Irish international Stokes is due to appear before Dun Laoghaire District Court at a later date.
It comes just weeks after the forward was arrested when almost £4,000 worth of suspected cocaine was found in a car.
He was also allegedly involved in a police pursuit in that incident too after the vehicle sped off from cops.
He is due to appear in court on Friday over that alleged incident.
Read more here
- Henry Tomlinson
Lokonga 'excited' for Palace loan
Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga is looking forward to getting down to work at his temporary home Crystal Palace.
He told the club media: “I’m really excited – I can’t wait to get started.
“I’m really happy to join Crystal Palace. I want to go as far as possible with the team.
“I will try to push for me and the team to do the maximum to reach the top.”
The Belgian joined the club on a loan deal for the remainder of the season.
Credit: PA - Henry Tomlinson
Arsenal backed for summer splurge
Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that the Gunners will make moves for Brighton's Moises Caicedo and West Ham's Declan Rice this summer.
He said on Sky Sports: “I’m told Jorginho is not as an alternative to Moises Caicedo. I understand Arsenal were, at any time, ready to do a deal for Caicedo on deadline day if in the unlikely circumstance that Brighton changed their stance.
“Brighton’s stance though has been firm: Moises Caicedo is NOT for sale in January. That has now been confirmed to me: Caicedo will not join Arsenal in January. I’m told that whatever they were to bid, Brighton were simply not going to accept.
“This though will then fast forward into the summer if he does not sign a new contract.
"We’re going to have another saga again: Caicedo to Arsenal; Rice to Arsenal. Arsenal are in for both of those, we believe, in the summer.”
- Henry Tomlinson
Jorginho's speed a concern
Some Arsenal fans do have one reservation over the signing of new man Jorginho.
The Italian is not the quickest player in the Premier League, and a video that has emerged has shown referee Michael Oliver overtaking him in a sprint has caused concern.
One said on Twitter: "This is what scares me the most."
Another tweeted: "Jorginho couldn't outrun the referee! We're doomed…"
Credit: Twitter - Henry Tomlinson
Morgan takes pop at Chelsea's spend
Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has hit out at Chelsea's massive spend over the past year.
He tweeted: "Reminder to Chelsea fans: we’re top of the League, you’re 10th, and we’re 21pts ahead of you with a game in hand.
"So spend all the gazillions you want but what you REALLY need to buy is a telescope🔭 to look up at Arsenal."
- Henry Tomlinson
Carragher on Jorginho signing
He told SkySports: “Arsenal have gone for [Moises] Caicedo, but maybe they cannot get that done from Brighton, so they have gone for Jorginho, who is an interesting one,
“I can totally understand it, but I was listening to people talk about it today, and he is not the sort of style for Arsenal’s play, which is so quick, fast and energetic now and he is the opposite of that and I get that argument.
“But I also think that with maybe 10 games to go in the season, when they might actually need cool heads, when there is a pressure moment and the nerves are coming on in that title run, he may actually be a really good signing in terms of slowing things down with a cool head.
“He is a player that has won the Champions League, he has won a European Championship in the last few years, so he is a top player, there is no doubt about that, but he is a different style of player.
“But I am not saying that is for Arsenal week in, week out forever, but I think that could be a big help for them towards the end of the season when they get nervous.”
Credit: Getty - Henry Tomlinson
Jorginho 'the man' for Arsenal
Gianfranco Zola believes that Arsenal's new signing Jorginho is a perfect fit for the team.
The Italian told SunSport: "If you are a team that wants to be organised, a passing team, then Jorgo is the man.
"He is always in the right place supporting defenders and the other midfielders when they have the ball.
"He is always available when the ball is becoming hot. This is a player who never hides and you can rely on him all the time.
"A lot of players under pressure don’t want the ball but Jorgo is not one of them.
"When you have a player who does not hide when you need to control a game under pressure, you value him a lot. Maybe at times people don’t see this."
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