So the big news of the day is the confirmation from the club of the rumours from the past few days that Calum Chambers of Southampton will be its fourth signing of the summer. He’s a defensive player who can play both right back and centre back, but it’s thought that the manager also sees him playing as a central midfielder. He’s the current captain of the England under 19 team. The fee is £11m, rising to £16m with add ons related to appearances.
Speaking about the move, the young man said:
I am so happy to be signing for Arsenal. They are a team I have much admired for their playing style, and a team who have been one of the top sides in Europe for many years. (Wenger) is a fantastic manager and everyone can see that. To get the opportunity to work with him will be amazing.
He won’t have long to wait, and is expected to make his first appearance for the club in the Emirates Club at the weekend. He went on to explain where the manager sees him playing:
The manager has a fantastic history of bringing young players through and nurturing them – and especially from Southampton, as you have seen with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott. I would just like to have the opportunity to follow in their path and be as successful as them. He said that he sees me at right-back, centre-back, holding centre midfield. He sees me in a variety of different positions, which I like, because then I can find out where I am best at and push myself as far as I can go in that position.
I’m just excited to get started really.
I’m looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates today and beginning preparation for the season ahead
If there’s one thing you can’t accuse him of, it’s not sounding enthusiastic enough!
The manager himself had this to say:
We are very pleased that Calum has agreed to join us. The way he adapted to the Premier League last season with Southampton at a young age shows that he has tremendous quality. He has a lot of the attributes that we look for in a young player and I am sure that he will do well with us.
It’s initially thought he’ll play back up at right back to the other new boy, Mathieu Debuchy, and has been assured of playing time this season. As the young man himself says, he follows in the footsteps of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott in joining the Arsenal from Southampton, a club whose supporters you simply have to feel a bit sorry for at this point. They played some great stuff last season, but now, with their manager taking a sabbatical to that lot up the road for the first six weeks of the season (or however long he lasts), and the exodus of players probably not yet done, with them apparently willing to let go any player that doesn’t want to stay (it looks like Rodriguez and Schneiderlin are on their way to the Tiny Tots too), you feel they’re going to have a hard time of it. I hope not though. I don’t find them particularly hateful the way I do almost every other club in the league.
Still, their loss is our gain, and all’s fair in love and football transfers. Or something. Welcome to the Arsenal, Calum.
People will say the fee is too much (probably exactly the same people that complain that the manager refuses to open his chequebook), and that £16m would be better spent on Bender, or Khedira, or Schneiderlin himself, but while the money the manager has already put down this summer is a lot, Chambers’ signing doesn’t necessarily mean we’re done. Let’s see how the rest of the window pans out. Chambers provides cover in a few positions as well as right back, not least centre half where we knew we needed some backup, so perhaps there’s still room to bring in the defensive midfielder some people seem to think we need so badly.
Chambers’ signing would seem to spell the end of Carl Jenkinson’s time at the club for the time being at least, with Hull and West Ham interested in taking him. It’s not entirely clear whether his exit will be on loan or as a permanent transfer. If it does turn out to be permanent, it really does show the manager’s ruthless intent this summer, but it’s thought he’s got 12 months to prove himself and then we’ll reassess. It’s a shame for Corporal Jenks, an Arsenal fan coming from an Arsenal supporting family, who always gives everything on the pitch, but it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t quite kicked on and never gave Bacary Sagna the kind of serious competition required.
In other news, Abou Diaby has revealed – not for the first time, I think – that he considered quitting football over the multiple injuries he’s suffered since he was assaulted by no mark cunt Dan Smith (who according to Wikipedia, interestingly, and perhaps not surprisingly, is currently without a club). People will make jokes about Diaby being like a new signing (indeed exactly that point is made in that Mirror article), but what’s happened to him since that day has been such a shame. Hopefully this season will be the season he finally recovers and cements his place in the side. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, you have to think this is his last chance to prove his recovery is complete or he too will find himself a free agent.
That’s it for today. I have multiple candidates for eye spooning, a very large spoon to do it with, and not enough hours in the day. Have yourselves a good Tuesday.
