Re: The Official Summer Transfer Rumours Thread

[urbaNRoots]

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-city-s-riyad-mahrez-definitely-off-to-arsenal-say-bookies/story-30425684-detail/story.html

According to Leicester Mercury, Leicester City are yet to receive an offer for Mahrez from Arsenal or anyone else.

[Chumlum]

Signing Lemar would almost certainly mean that Alexis is gone (same positions if not similar playing style) so I'm starting to lean more on the Mahrez side, just to see this:

Lacazette
Alexis Özil Mahrez

Everyone in that front line is capable of double figures in a good season. So much creativity and goals in that side.

That would be the best on-paper attacking quartet we'd have in years, maybe not since the rarely-seen-due-to-injury quartet of RvP, Fabregas, Nasri, and Theo.

With a solid midfield behind it--whether down to new signings or a change in tactics/training--I would approach this season with a lot of hope.

[Jay29]

John Cross reporting that Alexis wants £400k p/w

We've hit our quota for non-home grown players btw. Players will need to be sold before we can register anyone else.

Shouldn't be an issue since a lot of squadies (Debuchy, Lucas, Campbell, etc) are expected to leave anyway, but worth baring in mind since it might slow our business a bit.

[Sri]

400k is insane, even for Alexis!

That'd also make him the highest paid in PL I guess?

Why can't Bayern just make him/us an offer ffs..

[footyfan01]

Talk in Euros, the currency for all European teams. 400K is in pounds which is like 460K Euros odd. That is like 23M+ a year ! Too much money for Bayern, we won't pay 20M odd annual salaries. Lewa is on 15/16K which is around 300M Euros a week & that is the maximum we will go to.

We will probably pull out of any talks regarding Sanchez soon !

[silver]

Don't want Mahrez. Don't want 4 attacking players who are rarely going to defend. Or because they have to defend are too tired to attack.

For balance, we need 7 players behind Sanchez / Ozil / Lacazette and 3 players behind Ramsey / Xhaka whether thats 3-4-3, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

Would rather get a decent CM for when Ramsey gets injured (if only Cazorla / Wilshere weren't also injured...)

[urbaNRoots]

We still need to sign someone in that position even if Mahrez is not THE one. We were very lucky last season not to have either of Ozil/Sanchez injured, but if it happens we need another very good option for rotation. All the top teams have an expensive very good player on the bench who can come on and effectively replace an injured/out of form player.

I think Mahrez would accept such a role sooner than someone like Lemar.

Besides signing a winger doesn't mean we won't have to sign a CM. We need both.

[Sri]

We need both.

Especially given Ox will leave - he was one of those playing in multiple positions.

[Sina]

Arsenal have submitted a new bid for AS Monaco attacking midfielder Thomas Lemar worth €45m, according to tomorrow's L'Équipe.

— Get French Football (@GFFN) July 6, 2017

[urbaNRoots]

Looks like we are really serious about Lemar

I just hope this doesn't mean they are planning for Alexis' departure.

[urbaNRoots]

Monaco rejected the bid for Lemar and have set a price of around £80 million for the France forward, 21, who cost around £3.5 million from Caen. He has three years left on his contract. (The Times)

Time to move on to Mahrez...

[Jay29]

I have a feeling the Lemar/Mahrez stuff is going to drag. Apparently our latest offer for Lemar was £35m (L'Equipe), which is much more than our first offer. So either we're playing the long game and hoping Monaco drop their price or we're just being silly.

Leicester want £50m for Mahrez but we only want to pay £35m. The Daily Mail is the source of that one, though.

[Sina]

Reliable @StuartJamesGNM on Mahrez. pic.twitter.com/BYdJjGumyG

— Arsènic (@MrArsenicTM) July 7, 2017

rather overpay for Lemar then

[urbaNRoots]

Telegraph | #AFC have held preliminary discussions over a possible deal for Mahrez [@JPercyTelegraph]
https://t.co/M0lnxk4Un3

[RealGunner]

Thomas Lemar is Arsenal's first choice next signing. Mahrez is flattering himself if he thinks he's anything other than back up option.

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 8, 2017

Thomas Lemar agrees terms with Arsenal - The S*n

[RealGunner]

-----------------Cech---------------------
Bellerin-----Mustafi---Koscielny-----Kolasinac
-----------Xhaka-----TANK----------------
Sanchez---------Ozil--------------Lemar
-----------------Lacazette-----------------

What a team ffs. 4th and EL R16 here we come

[urbaNRoots]

If we get Lemar we don't even need to sign a CM as he can play both roles

After that the only thing we have to worry about is replacing outgoing players if necessary.

It will be all pointless if we gift Alexis to Man City though so hopefully we have more sense than that.

[RealGunner]

Man City will make an opening bid of £50m for Alexis Sanchez. Arsenal will stand firm and demand £80m if they are to sell. [Mirror]

[RealGunner]

Pick one lads

1) Sell Sanchez for £80m
2) Keep him and let him go for free next season

[urbaNRoots]

Keep him, no matter the price.

[GenBlizkin]

Sell him to Bayern for 25 mill + Joshua Kim, Sanches, Costa one of those three.

[Sina]

keep him and Özil even if they dont sign
sign Lemar and CB or CM too(for first XI)
then we can challenge

[Sina]

Standard Sport understands that Champions League holders Madrid are considering selling Kovacic, with the 23-year-old midfielder currently being offered to clubs around Europe
https://t.co/ysTSsiUEYC

Edit:Dat post count

[urbaNRoots]

Kovacic would be a dream signing for our midfield.

[RealGunner]

Would love him. Sell Wilshere and sign an upgrade in Kovacic

[Raptorgunner]

£80m for Sanchez? I would sell him tbh.

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