Arsenal are closing in on the signatures of Swansea City and Borussia Monchengladbach’s club captains this summer.
The Gunners have been linked with the Swiss midfielder’s arrival over the past few months, and he recently said his goodbyes to the club after their final league fixture. Xhaka was seen hugging his coaching staff, and was given a standing ovation by the club’s fans, and is firmly expected to leave this summer.
The central midfield star is claimed to have agreed personal terms ahead of a switch to the Emirates Stadium, with the deal to be completed once his current side find their replacement for him.
Arsenal are now said to be working on a deal to sign Swansea City’s captain also, with Ashley Williams eyed to shore up their defence this summer. The Welsh international has been coveted in previous windows, but his club had rebuffed all bids, although they are now believed likely to sell the centre-back with him turning 32 in the coming months.
Gabriel and Per Mertesacker have not proved themselves well enough this year prompting the need to strengthen, and Williams could do well to fill the void until either Calum Chambers or Krystian Bielik earn their place in the first-team.
The young Polish star has come on leaps and bounds since being moved from DM to defender, and looks highly likely to make the step up in the coming years, while Chambers appears to be struggling to make the necessary improvements needed.
Is Williams the perfect addition to solidify our defence? Is Chambers failing to meet his potential?
Williams?… Maybe 5 years ago, when we were first linked with him but not now ? Surely we can do better than him?
Our main priority should be a top top striker,that’s where 80% of our transfer budget should be going and for me that striker should be Lewandowski.
Did anyone see Cazorla 5 year old son, Enzo? ?
Unbelievable! If he isn’t a future star, then I don’t know what is.
In all fairness if we fail to get a CF I believe Alexis would be a good choice for no9, he proved to be a +20 goal striker when he played for Barca. We could make him our forward and bring in a top class goal scoring winger instead. For me the priority is a goal scorer, a Cazorla back-up and a CB
Give Alexis no.9 and go all out for Griezmann no.7 I’d love that ??
Now that is better for him as striker as he has only 1 leg out on the left, will be calling him peg leg or stumpy if he keeps him on left side. I have never seen a professional player that is as one side as Sanches. CB
Xhaka I can understand but Ashley Williams I don’t totally agree with signing! We should make a bid for neven subotic!
No we definitely shouldnt why would we want a 4th choice cb
Sounds like Wenger is getting cheap again
Maybe instead of buying a £30-50 million striker Wenger can get Defoe, Crouch or maybe Emile Heskey
I think Ashley is more likely than Hummels, Howedes, Verane, Subotic, Godin etc
I have a disappointing feeling that Chelsea are gonna sign Lukaku. Just no way we would be willing to outbid them
I do feel somewhat hopeful about Xhaka though. Im pretty good at not getting my hopes up these days but he seems a good possibility.
CB is one position we’ve seen that really, really takes a while to adjust to the PL.
City, for all their attacking prowess has injected soooo much money at CB and Otamendi this season has really shown the PL is a different ball game. Even Gabriel (who i think will be a good CB in a few years) has been spectacularly dreadful this season. (similar to Koscielny’s first few seasons with us… going from one of the most error prone defenders in the league to a rock in defence)
If we’re gunning for the title next season it’s one position we should look for premier league experience in. I honestly think Williams would be a great signing.
Chambers?This guy was a transfer mistake from the very first time.I can’t believe Wenger spent 16 millions on this average player.At that time Wenger was dreaming of his “British core”….total failure…Can you believe Wenger spent 32 millions on 2 average players(Chambers and Welbeck) and is penny pinching when is sbout real class players?What is in his mind?Pay a fortune in salary for mediocre players live Walcott,Ramsey and Wilshere and have hesitations about increasing Sanchez wages…keeping on books failures like Sanogo …The truth is-I say it for years and years-until the “British core” disapears,we are not going to be succesful.The low quality of British players is dragging the team back.Last time Arsenal was a powerhouse NONE of the first 11 was British.Wanna see how the British quality looks like in a football team-look no further than national sides of England,Scotland,N Ireland,Wales,even Ireland(not British but same style)-all mediocre teams “able” to be defeated by any team coming to mind.And you are asking about Chambers?He is in the same mold like Wilshere,Walcott,Ox,Ramsey,Gibs,Jenkinson-mediocre overpriced and overpaid players.The world is full with hungry,ambitious and skilled players living in poverty and dreaming of moving to the top at any cost or sacrifice(did you see the poor house-if you can call that house,looking more like an old tent-in which Alexis Sanchez grew up?Or Suarez?)Arsenal hope is Wilshere,this arrogant,uneducated man bullying elder people and always being forgiven by “fans”-“in one day he will be the God of football,this season is his rise to the moon,one more year and he will be great”-etc.Listen very closely to what I’m about to tell you right now-NONE of the British player we have will ever become a superstar or a WC player.None,including the mediocre Wilshere.If you don’t believe me,just do a test-in one side of a line put Sanchez and Ozil,in the other side put Walcott and Wilshere-looks like a mirror?I don’t think so….this is the difference between class and mediocrity.
Are you kidding chambers average? Wow not sure how to respond except that boy could be special he just needs a loan
My thoughts exactly
@ Antonioro..
There’s an English quota. Before this season and maybe last, it was said that Arsenal have some of Englands best players with the exception of maybe two or three, Rooney, Gerrard, Terry. If we want to get the next Rooney, Gerrard, Terry, they need to see that English players are giving a chance. We do that, but for the most part we still use them sparingly. The prices you mention are a bit much, but we’ve seen prices and there are other examples, this is the way it is. If Danny had of been coming from Liv or Sou, he would have been plus twenty five easily, especially his age/speed/strength/tenacity/workrate. They would have imagined Arsene molding him into a magnificent player. Chambers, pricey seeing as he’s a defender, but look how much Shaw went for. You need to be fair and partial when criticising over these things. Not every player is going to work out, if that were the case there would be no bad players at clubs.
Load of Bull S;;; CB
I do not know Williams or his strength or weakness but i know we need a strong tall good defender if we are strengthening at all we leaked goals we drew 11 and lost 7 so in essence we are weak in defense and weak in attack we need to improve big time we need to be 17 notches stronger
I think Xhaka links sounds more like another Higuain tale to arsenal hope am wrong though.
One huge difference though – A world renowned striker coming to Arsenal at a time when utd have to gamble big on some relatively unknown kid. – Midfielder from munchback.
I think Williams would be a good signing, bags of PL experience. He is a leader type figure and we are in short supply. He’s obviously not the long term answer but for those who want to improve title chances right now, Williams would be a solid player to have around. Ideally you’d want him coming in and also try to seek out the next Sol Campbell M Keown and big Tone. But for the meantime, I think Williams would add good honest graft to our options.
wenger will buy no good players this year because he has lost the plot in the transfer window, be lucky if we get another player with a broken back or something, I have lost all faith so prove me wrong AW