Lots of developments for us to chat about over the weekend…. I am chairing a conference in Azerbaijan so I can’t really write much this weekend, so if anyone would like to step up to the plate and provide a guest post or two, be my guest. Submit your article via the contact button at the top of the page…
1. Manuel Lanzini’s injury is even worse than first thought. He’s unlikely to play at all next season and the nature of the injury suggests he may never be the player he once was. What a terrible blow for him and for us. Given he is out for a year, does the Argentinian FA have to cover his wages, or at least part of them?
2. Those Marko Arnautovic rumours won’t go away, and by constantly talking about them, he’s not exactly doing anything to dampen down speculation. The club maintain he’s not for sale, but as we know, everyone is for sale at the right price. His price appears to be north of £60 million. That would be a clear profit of £34 million. Not bad money for a 29 year old.
3. Anderson, Pastore, a Brazilian from Barcelona. Take your pick as to who we are likely to sign as a wide playmaker. Given Lanzini’s injury we certainly need one. Come back Joao Mario. £25 million for him is looking a rather tempting deal at the moment.
4. Rumour is we have failed with a double bid for Swansea’s Alfie Mawson and their goalkeeper, Arsenal reject Fabianski. Seriously? Swansea got relegated for a reason, and those two were surely a big factor.
5. Pellegrini is back at his desk on Monday. He might be a tad busy.
6. He needs to decide if Adrian is going to be his number one.
7. The Declan Rice contract situation is an embarrassment. It needs sorting this week. Who’d want to join us if we can’t even sort that out in a manner where the player feels wanted.