By Jonny Bravo
June 25 2023
Another day, another round of feverishly refreshing the transfer ITK's Twitter accounts for morsels of information that will satiate one's hunger for this deal to be completed.
How did we get to this point where our whole transfer window experience is condensed into the Twitter accounts of two individuals, one of whom has a profile picture of them making a phone call, even though the phone is on locked screen.
It's not just eager supporters who are sucked into this demand for "updates", Sky Sports, who used to hold monopoly on this sort transfer news, now also rely on their own in-house Twitter ITK's, to be "first", if not entirely accurate in their reporting. They on the surface at least, used to uphold higher standards, of checking and verifying rumours before getting the yellow ticker out. However, the mocking criticism of now being Slow Sports News and surpassed in a race to the bottom by the ITK's has seen any real sense of journalistic integrity go out the window.
Which brings us back to Declan Rice, a man famously known for his loyalty to the badge and never wavering on his initial commitments. It gets a lost when the figures start flying how much we are willing to pay for this guy from West Ham. Rewind even a year ago and people would have been calling in the fraud squad for Edu and Garlick if they proposed paying close to 100m for a player we aren't entirely sure what Arteta's plans are for him.
Yet we have signposted this one for the best part of 6 months, apparently done everything bar build Declan a new house so he will stay in London, so the pressure after than January window to get this one over the line is immense.
West Ham for their part haven't being docile parties to this process either, going full Shaktar is in their media briefings over what fee it will take to pry Rice away from them. But like any deal, for a player or 3 bed semi-d the price is going to be what somebody is willing to pay, and only if there is competition for the product.
As predictable as Edu BBQ on a sunny June weekend, as soon as we started to slow roll our bids for Rice, Man City's interest suddenly arrived to the party, but without the memo to BYOB. The ITK's went on overdrive, talking of "expected" bids and "advanced" talks, but no bid materialized (as of typing). Maybe the falcon carrying the bid from Abu Dhabi got lost, or it decided to go and deliver cheques between Saudi and Stamford Bridge instead.
Either way the ITK's stuck their neck out on the information West Ham wanted in the public domain, but now kind of look like what we suspected they might be all along, convenient conduits for club propoganda. Feed them a juicy morsel, but the price comes with having to used as part of the negotiation process. Maybe they are happy to be used in such a way, so long as they are "first" and the clicks and interviews keep on a rolling.
But for supporters it reminds us that nothing is sacred on social media when it comes to being the one to break a big story. Whether you're trying to sign a 24 year old Irish footballer or march on Moscow, there will always be an angle to the information we desperately crave.
Three days have passed since City's "imminent" bid and we are already seeing a rolling back of West Ham's position. The third bid might be the one to seal it they say, so long as it matches their expectations. How many more stalking horses and rabbits out of a hat can West Ham pull until theyface the fact that we might be the only ones serious enough to put close to 100m down for this guy.
One suspects there will be a few twists and turns left in this one, how much more spinning and vocabulary gymnastics the ITK's will do before runs it course will now, unfortunately, be as interesting as the deal ltself.
Quote:mapleleafgooner
https://www.claretandhugh.info/arsenal-have-emergency-board-meeting/
Arsenal have emergency board meeting
Posted by Simon Leyland on June 25, 2023 in News, Whispers
The Arsenal board are being reported as having held an emergency meeting on Friday, where directors reported the possibility of an accelerated pursuit of West Ham United’s captain, Declan Rice.
According to Arsenal Informer website the meeting revolved around the Englishman’s potential as the new face of the Gunners, with key figures seeing him as a critical transfer window addition. Tim Lewis, Edu Gasper, and Vinai Venkatesham were among the personnel present during the discussion.
A key strategy explored during the meeting involved the payment structure of the £100 million fee demanded by West Ham for Rice. It was suggested that paying the substantial fee over a shorter time frame, in instalments over three years, could showcase Arsenal’s commitment and serious intent to meet West Ham’s requirements.
The urgency to increase the bid for the 24-year-old has been intensified by Manchester City’s interest in making a formal offer for Rice.
Despite the potential competition from the Premier League and Champions League holders, the London side remain confident of securing the services of the highly sought-after player.
The question has to be asked ….If Arsenal really want Declan, why don`t they just pay the asking price?
Quote:Boston Gooner
We must be one of the worst clubs there is conducting transfers.
Everyone in the world seems to know the players we are after actually want to play for us .
But still we dilly dally until the big clubs enter the race after we've done the groundwork for them.
I appreciate it's a lot of money for players and they are probably not worth it , most of them.
It's simple really, if we are to complete with big clubs you pay what the going rate is.
Or we just plod along.
Over to you Josh.
Quote:Boston Gooner
We must be one of the worst clubs there is conducting transfers.
Everyone in the world seems to know the players we are after actually want to play for us .
But still we dilly dally until the big clubs enter the race after we've done the groundwork for them.
I appreciate it's a lot of money for players and they are probably not worth it , most of them.
It's simple really, if we are to complete with big clubs you pay what the going rate is.
Or we just plod along.
Over to you Josh.
Quote:Flava
Good article by the way mate. Never noticed that about Fab’s phone
Quote:Boston Gooner
Is this people's money on here we are spending ? 😃😆
Quote:FlavaQuote:Boston Gooner
Is this people's money on here we are spending ? 😃😆
We’ll technically it is mate
Quote:mapleleafgooner
https://www.claretandhugh.info/new-twist-in-rice-saga/
Huge twist in Rice for Arsenal saga
Posted by Simon Leyland on June 26, 2023 in News, Whispers
The Rice to Arsenal saga has now developed a huge twist with reports that the Gooners are looking elsewhere as the Hammers reject their various bids.
The Daily Mirror have reported that they are now looking at the French international Youssouf Fofana as an alternative to him.
Rice is Arsenal`s number one target for the summer transfer window after captaining the Hammers to the Europa Conference League victory but the Gooners won`t or can`t agree to the Irons valuation of our talismanic skipper
According to L’Equipe, the Gunners are now battling Newcastle and, in a strange twist of fate, West Ham for Fofan with the Irons have had a long-standing interest in the 24-year-old but Arsenal have now joined the race.
LÈquipe go on to state that if a “reasonable offer” comes in, he would be allowed to leave the club. Transfermarkt give the Frenchman a valuation of £25m
Monaco still have the option of extending his contract by a further year, so there is no pressure on the French side to sell. Also they have yet to receive an offer for him.
In the meantime with Rice unlikely to move north as is being proved by Man City he could yet remain at the Hammers should Arsenal go elsewhere.
Quote:BootyDaddy
Well if Eni Aluko says so …
Quote:They have won the treble and will be dominating percentage of new fans of the game for decades. In do agree with you that it is mostly about stopping us. They have the money to do it. They will be coming for Arteta in a year or two as well and Arteta is determined to win something big before leaving for City.Gunnersingh1Quote:BootyDaddy
Well if Eni Aluko says so …
I do think City want him him more for stopping us signing him, more than anything else.
I'm not saying Pep doesn't rate him BTW.
Quote:BootyDaddy
Well if Eni Aluko says so …
Quote:mapleleafgoonerQuote:BootyDaddy
Well if Eni Aluko says so …
Looks like Eni Aluko might be right after all. ManCIty submits a spoiler bid and then withdraws when the situation became too hot.........
Quote:Boston Gooner
Apparently West Ham want 100 million paid in 18 months.
Talks ongoing
Quote:Boston Gooner
Arsenal given 72-hour warning by West Ham board confidant with David Sullivan prepared to ‘walk away’ from Declan Rice deal
Quote:Boston Gooner
It will be basically what West Ham wanted all the time.
Quote:It's basically what they wantedFlavaQuote:Boston Gooner
It will be basically what West Ham wanted all the time.
It’s not what West Ham wanted. Widely reported they wanted £120m over 2 instalments. £100m over 3 instalments is much more favourable.
Stop being so negative mate
Quote:Flava
Except it’s not what they wanted and it’s not what we wanted either, we have compromised
