This summer, as I’m sure you’re aware at this very moment, has revolved mostly around Arsenal players going to other clubs. Hleb and Adebayor in particular.
So it was with great interest that I saw a story emerge yesterday with direct quotes from Adebayor saying how he was going to stay at Arsenal, and that money wasn’t everything and blah blah fucking blah. Now, don’t get me wrong. On its own this is good news. I’d rather Adebayor stayed than left but everything we’ve heard over the last couple of weeks suggests that the player is happy for his people to find him somewhere else to play football nect season.
Despite what he says about playing for the love of the game and money not being the be all and end all further quotes emerged. When asked whether he;’d be at Arsenal for the season ahead he said:
I am footballer, I have a three-year contract at Arsenal but as you know, a lot of clubs are interested in me. At the moment we are just going to sit down and talk and decide what to do. All I know is I have a promise from Arsene that they will call me next week. Nothing has been decided yet. We will decide next week.
There’s more here in this article which, despite being in the Mail, quotes the player directly. It’s hardly the unequivocal statement which would have killed off any transfer speculation. Not even close to Gael Clichy’s ‘I told my agents I want to stay at Arsenal’ which saw him sign a new deal last week. The comment about Arsenal calling him next week suggests he’s waiting to hear an answer to a request and I don’t think you need to be a genius to work out what that might be.
As I’ve been saying for the last little while I’m refraining from commenting too much on this for the time being. When it’s appropriate I’ll say more but surely I can’t be only one slightly put off by the fact Adebayor used an Adidas press conference to talk about his Arsenal future. It’s pure profile raising and puts you in mind of somebody who’s gotten a little bit above their station.
To then come out with two very contrasting statements about his plans for next season is just silly. Even the Spanish press this morning are ‘confused’. Now, I like Adebayor but this kind of stuff smacks of someone who’s believing everything the agents are telling him and who’s lost touch with reality a bit. I’m told there’s definitely been a demand/request for more money from Arsenal and all this speculation regarding his future has nothing to do with what’s best for him on a football level but entirely to do with his earning potential. Sad. Frustrating. Tedious.
That he’s already trying to justify a move based on the fact Arsenal might make a profit on him speaks volumes. I think there’s going to be a lot more to say about this one before the summer is over. Maybe even before next week is over.
Speaking of sad and tedious David Dein says Arsenal need Alisher Usmanov’s money if they want to stay in the top 4. Doesn’t he ever get tired of the same bullshit scaremongering? Let’s be very clear about this – Usmanov is Dein’s only way back in at Arsenal. Having cashed in his shares and sold his stake in the club he loves so very much he relentlessly champions the inclusion of a man that most sane Arsenal fans want nothing to do with. Usmanov is a bully and Man United fan. Go fuck yourself, Dein and go fuck yourself Usmanov, you horrible fat bastard cunt from hell.
David Villa looks set to miss the Euro 2008 final on Sunday which means Cesc Fabregas is now likely to start the game. His performances in the last two games in particular merited inclusion whether Villa was injured or not but I suppose the injury to the Valencia man has saved Aragones from having to make a difficult decision.
There’s been a small change to next season’s squad numbers which were announced last week. Theo Walcott will wear 14 next season instead of 32. Fair enough. I mean, it’s not like people are going to make comparisons just because he’s wearing the same number as one of our greatest players, is it? I do hope that Theo can live up to the expectation though as the new Martin Keown.
Right, that’s it. More tomorrow.
