Arrivals/Rumours thread

[dedleysting]

Espanyol defender Daniel Jarque has apparently flown into London to discuss a move to WHL. According to the Daily Mail that is

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=508089&in_page_id=1779&ito=newsnow

:COYS:

[Brainsto]

but after that,they deny that...
http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=546683

[Dimitar B.]

Well I've heard he's deffo ours and will sign in the next few days, and Downing bu the end of the week.

[Dimitar B.]

Yeah lets get another striker, but this time with a lousy goal record!

Hope this is bull

[WexfordSpur]

Well I've heard he's deffo ours and will sign in the next few days, and Downing bu the end of the week.

From where?
Who is this guy and what do we know about him?
Downing, has-been me thinks.......

[The Hat]

He may have gone a bit off the boil, but a has been? At 23? I don't think so. How many players have we seen revitalised by the right transfer?

If he comes, lets get behind him and give him a chance eh?

[WexfordSpur]

He may have gone a bit off the boil, but a has been? At 23? I don't think so. How many players have we seen revitalised by the right transfer?

If he comes, lets get behind him and give him a chance eh?

If he comes, Of course we will, he is a good honest lad, and he is a good player. But 12 mil (as reported) I think that would be way to much for him. I hope you are correct and that a club change revitalises him - but to what is what I wonder, I never thought he was a spectacular player, even at his best - to be honest I was hoping for a better signing from Ramos on the left than Stuart Downing. Also what would his position be, do you see him as a third left back, or more a left winger, or like Bale, Both?

[The Hat]

He's a left winger. Bale overlapping from left back will compensate for Downing's lack of pace.

I agree its not the most inspirational signing and I'm sure we'd all have liked Ramos to conjure up a 'wonder signing' instead... but it is the January window and most of the best players aren't available. Lets not be uncharitable towards Downing just because he isn't some 17 yr old Brazilian wunderkind... he is decent, he's young, he's got a cracking left foot, and frankly any kind of left foot is a start for us!

I also agree that £12m is a bit steep, but £8m would be very good value I think, and I imagine it'd be somewhere in between anyway.

[SpursLad]

Seems an expirienced player, played over 122 times for Espanyol and they won the Copa Del Rey. For this amount of money it may signal the end of Dawson as I cannot see him sitting on the bench. How times have changed for Dawse.

He's a left winger. Bale overlapping from left back will compensate for Downing's lack of pace.

I agree its not the most inspirational signing and I'm sure we'd all have liked Ramos to conjure up a 'wonder signing' instead... but it is the January window and most of the best players aren't available. Lets not be uncharitable towards Downing just because he isn't some 17 yr old Brazilian wunderkind... he is decent, he's young, he's got a cracking left foot, and frankly any kind of left foot is a start for us!

I also agree that £12m is a bit steep, but £8m would be very good value I think, and I imagine it'd be somewhere in between anyway.

I agree. For that price, a player of his age and potential is a great signing. Playing for Boro is enough to turn any player mediocre so I think a fresh challenge in an attacking team is just what he needs.
Solves the left sided problem but I still feel we need some grit in centre mid. We have to many flair players who are able to turn a game on its head but lets try and get to the stage where its not necassary to come back from behind, we need a Cahill, Makele, Parker to provide some firm resistance

[The Hat]

Well that'd be Diarra, but looks like he's going after the big wages at either Newcastle or Portsmouth. Apparently he was after £90k a week from Newcastle, and now looks likely to sign for Portsmouth for £60k.

I was about to get annoyed about our wage structure preventing us for competing for this type of player, but then I thought, sod him. He's only played a handful of times for Ars*nal and Chelsea, and he only cost Ars*nal £2.5m in the summer, so £5.5m and £60k is taking the mickey, and if he won't come for less money then we're better off without him.

Incidentally, Cahill is an attacking midfielder isn't he? Surely Phil Neville does the firm resistance bit for Everton? But yes your point remains.

[SpursLad]

Yes I am aware of that, he is just that type of player that gives you grit. He isnt lightweight, defends well. Phil Neville plays better at RB though I feel. But you know what I mean, Diarra can rot in the Gooners ressies.

[WexfordSpur]

Agreed, a Graverson type figure is what I was hoping for, we just have no bite in the team at all. Who are our hard men? King, Dawson? Not really, and in midfield, nobody - Zock gets the nod because of his red card tackle!!:p

[Biggs]

ANOTHER RUSSIAN IN LONDON
Russia striker Andrei Arshavin has been linked with a move to Tottenham or Ars*nal after his agent confirmed he is attracting interest from a trio of western European clubs.

The 26-year-old, part of the Russia squad which secured qualification to Euro 2008, is one of the country's brightest talents and is thought to be keen to leave reigning Premier Liga champions Zenit for a new challenge.

Good player i think, when he played against England, i thought he was by far there best player

[Biggs]

Tottenham have been linked with a move for Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos Kameni and could offload Paul Stalteri and Kevin-Prince Boateng to Portsmouth.

Another goalkeeper being linked

[B-B]

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