There was immense amounts of frustration from Arsenal fans that Arsene Wenger did not bring a new striker into the Emirates during the three-month summer transfer window, despite the overwhelming rumours that the Gunners were trying to persuade Karim Benzema to move from Real Madrid.
The French international denied that there was ever a chance of him leaving the Spanish capital, but now it has been openly revealed that Wenger did try to bring in a striker, but it was the Dinamo Moscow striker Aleksandr Kokorin. There were some whispers that Arsenal were interested at the time, but now their coach Andrey Kobelev has revealed that the Gunners offer was seriously discussed, but was rejected outright. “I was among those who vetoed this deal,” Kobelov was quoted as saying. “We think that a loan move to Arsenal is a wrong option for Kokorin. He deserves better. Everyone is laughing, but he has a great potential, and the best coaches in the world see it.
“The point is that if a club pays good money for you, you are given time for adaptation. If a club invests a small sum, he can be benched after a couple of games and returned to his mother club.
“For example, if [Gareth] Bale was loaned to Real Madrid he wouldn’t have become the Bale he is now, because it took him time to fit into the system. Kokorin deserves to play at a decent club, and he has to move there as a fully developed player who can deliver results.”
Kokorin’s agent, Kirill Loginov, was even less impressed with Arsenal’s bid, and made no bones about his thought’s regarding the deal. “Aleksandr has chances to play [at a big club] if everything will be OK, and it doesn’t have to be Arsenal,” Loginov said. “Dinamo refused to let him go to Arsenal, but that doesn’t mean that he was desperate to go there. I don’t remember them winning any titles, apart from the FA Cup, so… I don’t know [how attractive they are].
“There was an offer, it was reviewed and refused. The decision was absolutely right. There were some quite disrespectful parts in that offer. He has very good relations with the Dinamo coaching staff and management, and naturally was updated about everything.”
He certainly didn’t sound very happy about whatever it was that Arsenal offered, and to be honest I don’t think the Arsenal fans would have been overly impressed either. Consindering he is 24, his record of 10 goals in 39 appearances last season is hardly earth shattering and would he be likely to improve on that in the Premier League?
In my opinion I am glad that the bid was refused and we took the chance on Walcott instead….
DM and ST short, hopefully this will be corrected in Jan window. Should Theobe performingand Welbeck returns maybe we will be fine to Summer, but Coq needs a back up.
Theo is performing all fine and surely a better option than giroud but still if you eant to challenge for top honours, you need quality. Walcott is not going to be tearing the league apart.
And then theo scores…..lol
@wayne…..u are not even good at seeing beyond ur nose Let alone the future!
We don’t want him to tear the league apart… We have Super Sanchez for that.
Funny how Walcott had double assist and amount of goals compared to Hazard’s best season..and Hazard won POTY just saying..
So, what are you trying to say? he tried to bring Benzema!!! even if it true, maybe he bid a crazy low that was not even considered!! All speculations, the only undeniable fact is that Wenger did not buy any outfileder the whole summer. That he lied to every one, fans media, and all that he is going to be active in transfer market to the last day!!! You all saw what happened.
Now, with Klopp went to Liverpool, the pressure is on Wenger to do something or forced out. 4th place is life line for Wenger, without that owners will kick him out, and for him to stay 4th, he has to spend big on quality players because the competition is now fierce.
I love what I see is happening.
Kokorin. That’s even more depressing that he tried to get him and not someone like Lewandowski, Cavani, Reus, Draxler, Greizmann, Ibrahimovic, Benzema, Pedro, Jackson Martinez, Martial, Mandzukic, Morata, Aubmeyang, Lacazette, Sterling, Gotze
Jackson Martinez would have 100% come to us. He said it many times.
Shows that Wenger lacks ambition
That said, Kokorin would have been better than getting ZERO outfielders, especially with Welbeck injury
Cazorla scores for Spain then Walcott nets for England too..Good stuff from the gunners..
Spain sucks these days.
They are struggling at home against mighty Luxembourg
Oh wait a second goal as I’m typing
But still not nearly the team they used to be.
KoKo what?…….. And on a Loan deal…….. Glad it never did happen…….. Consider other options
of all the strikers in this world,…..kokorin was the one deemed fit?………… *shaking my head vin disgust*
Santi carzola was signed as a gambLe………….. It’s officiaL… WENGER IS A GAMBLER!
The Boss must have seen potential in Aleksandr Kokorin and wanted to develop him. But to first have him on loan to see if he can make the grade at Arsenal before signing him on a permanent deal. But his manager and agent played hardball with the Boss. Thus, the Boss backed off. Who will blame the Boss for wanting to first try Kokorin, as the last Russian international( Andrey Arshavin) that played for Arsenal was depressing. And who asked the Dinamo Moscow’s coach – Andrey Kobelev, all the talks he has talked. Can’t he just talk a little on the matter and be quiet?
*Dead face*
It’s wrong to judge a player based on the nationality
With your theory wenger shouldn’t have bought Gabriel cus he’s Brazilian like santos and denilson
Koror in on loan is disrespectful to his team. Image someone coming in to bid for Sanchez on loan we would tell the, to p/$$ 0£
So Alexis, Walcott and Cazorla amongst the scorers and, Aguero, Silva, Ivanovic, Matic, Schweinsteiger getting injured…
Best international break ever (Until now)