Two potentially excellent signings.
The season isn’t even a month old, and Arsenal are already in full-blown crisis mode, the likes of which is usually reserved until the early spring and a hammering in the Champions League.
They’ve lost to both Stoke City and Liverpool this season, falling to an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Anfield to Jurgen Klopp’s side. To really rub it in, Liverpool then signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The player rejected a new contract worth more with Arsenal in order to join Liverpool. Oxlade-Chamberlain is unlikely to be the last player out of the Emirates before the transfer window closes on Thursday night. Manchester City are reportedly preparing another bid for Alexis Sanchez and it would be surprising, and uncomfortable for his teammates, if the Chilean is still at Arsenal when the Premier League resumes next week.
There’s also no sign of any new players joining the club, fans are angry and, no matter what happens on deadline day, Granit Xhaka will still be starting in midfield.
The transfer business of other, less successful or rich clubs has also compounded Arsenal’s troubles. While Wenger perseveres with Xhaka and Francis Coquelin, Swansea City are about to sign a midfielder on loan from Bayern Munich and West Brom have completed a loan deal for a Paris Saint-Germain player.
I am delighted to sign @WBA on one year loan 💪 pic.twitter.com/WuHXWoOroI
— Grzegorz Krychowiak (@GrzegKrychowiak) August 30, 2017
Renato Sanches and Grzegorz Krychowiak were two big transfers last summer.
Both had impressed at Euro 2016, particularly Sanches, and were rewarded with dream moves to Munich and PSG respectively. Sanches turned down Manchester United to sign for the German champions in a deal worth an initial £32m, with the fee to potentially cost £73m if certain objectives were met.
Krychowiak joined PSG for £27m from Sevilla, after helping the Spanish team win the Europa League. However, both players failed to make an impact at their respective clubs, and have been sent out on loan. Needless to say, both could have been interesting options for Wenger.
Sanches is only 20, and still has plenty of time to become an excellent player. Krychowiak would have provided the defensive cover Arsenal lack in midfield.
But they’ll be involved in the race to reach 40 points in the Premier League.
As if Arsenal fans didn’t have enough problems, they are now watching players they could use join clubs in the bottom half of the Premier League.
https://twitter.com/R_Stokes/status/902982475277901825
Renato Sanches to Swansea and Krychowiak to WBA. I officially don’t understand the transfer window anymore.
— ΛЯSΣПΛL ЯΣPӨЯT (@ArsenalReport) August 30, 2017
West Brom loaning Krychowiak & Swansea loaning Sanches – both players walk into our midfield right now. Get off your fucking arses @Arsenal.
— UberArsenal (@UberAFC) August 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/LordMoloch/status/902956909438885888
I've said this a thousand times before. Arsenal should sign Krychowiak.
— Mark Kielesz-Levine (@MKLevineITV) August 27, 2017
Krykowiak to West Brom and Swansea are trying to get Renato, but Arsenal have "no money". Unbelievable. Is this some elaborate pisstake?
— Chris (@LondonGoona) August 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/th14Renato/status/902493214107729920
https://twitter.com/ConnorrJake/status/902964099566501888
https://twitter.com/DannyFlint99/status/902932353689014272
https://twitter.com/FutboiAdam/status/902923815587651584
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for Arsenal.
Yes, they’re experiencing a meltdown, they’ve been hammered by Liverpool, who then signed one of their players, and they could lose Sanchez before the window closes, but at least they have a “transfer warchest” to spend on new recruits.
Actually, never mind.
Arsenal have no plans to replace AOC & no money for major signings, but only way Sanchez leaves is if #AFC get massive money & replacement
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 30, 2017
