‘Arsenal’ and ‘Transfer Speculation’ are certainly two phrases that are never far apart from each other, the summers have become one of irritation and frustration for Gooners over the years as the ins and outs occupy the long days which lead up to the new season. Transfers affect football fans of all teams however the annual media heavy speculation over which big star would leave Arsenal for pastures new has become so regular that it would often take the focus off of the targets that would come into the club.

This summer hasn’t followed the trend, no big players are rumoured to be leaving and so surely Arsenal fans should relax, kick back and enjoy a stress free season break? Wrong.  You take away the stresses of the ‘will he won’t he leave’ scenario and it will only lead to an increased focus on who is coming in to strengthen the team.

Football players get a holiday when the season ends, they welcome a chance to forget everything football related and let their hair down. They deserve it, well… most of them, a football season is physically and mentally challenging, it requires 100% effort at all times if a player wants to gain all they can in their careers and so it is important to make the most of their time off. Football fans can’t afford that luxury; we don’t switch off from being football fans for 2 months. We need our fix and the next best thing to watching our teams play is evaluating the goings on with the acquisition of new personnel to the ranks. Days without football in between seasons are long and drawn out, we find solace in watching things like the U-21 European Championships or the upcoming Confederations Cup but they are never an adequate substitution for the domestic football we all hold close to our hearts.

we signed anyone yet…?

New signings bring back the excitement fix, they are like a nicotine patch to fans and before the ink has even dried on the new guy’s contract we are already fixating on who is next in. This will continue until that transfer window closes, and Arsenal fans being ever the pessimist would be forgiven for believing no signings will be made until the final day of the transfer window. But things changed last week, not just for the fans but for the press too, a change that will magnify the expectations tenfold.

When Ivan Gazidis spoke last week of Arsenal’s new found funds available to compete in the market with the other big clubs it potentially opened up a whole new can or worms. Because now the club has given the press licence to link it with players that in the past were probably deemed out of financial reach.  Within hours of Gazidis statement the big names were linked with Arsenal: Rooney, Higuain, Fellaini, Fabregas, Jovetic you name it. The reports had evolved from Arsenal eyeing up certain names to Arsenal having reached advanced negotiations to sign the players, all in one weekend immediately after Gazidis’s words.

A long summer is now going to seem even longer. The potential signings are now limitless, some of the names mentioned so far I would love at the club but many of them will have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The rumours surrounding Fellaini, Jovetic and Fabregas have already been knocked down a peg. We will have to wait and see which players will come in. I believe there will be marquee signings, patience is the key as the transfer window doesn’t even officially open until the end of this month. Somehow we need to revert back to expecting Yaya Sanogo to join and take each day as it comes otherwise our heads will explode from anticipation before the new season kicks in.

Enjoy your day people.

Please feel free to like the Facebook page for regular updates of the blog.