Arsenal

[Muddled]

Nah, their wage bill is massive.

I'm way off then.

I thought it was one of the reasons Ashley Cole left, in that they wouldn't go above their wage cap and it's not very often you see an Arsenal player on the rich lists that get passed around.

But I can't really back my statement up with any facts.

[Exiled_red]

FourFourTom FourFourTom
What do you do when you're trying to shed defensive mistakes? Sign a 6'6'' clumsy oaf who'd lose in a foot race with most pensioners. Great.

[Chris]

I'm way off then.

I thought it was one of the reasons Ashley Cole left, in that they wouldn't go above their wage cap and it's not very often you see an Arsenal player on the rich lists that get passed around.

But I can't really back my statement up with any facts.

Yeah the story did go that he wanted an extra 5k and they wouldnt give him it or something, Fabregas was said to be on well over 100k a week though.

They might just pay their kids a lot rather than the top players an amazing amount but they defo have a massive wage bill, we've only just over took them.

This was from 08/09

Chelsea - £167m (£172m)
Man Utd - £123m (£121m)
Liverpool - £107m (£90m)
Arsenal - £104m (£101m)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10249101

[Muddled]

Cheers for the link Chris.

I've had a rummage around and you're right; Fabregas was on €500K a month at Arsenal, Arshavin is on €400K and Van Persie is on €375K ... clearly makes my initial post void.

[SimonNo7]

sampatricklyon sam lyon
bbc sport has learned that arsenal are in advanced talks to sign werder bremen centre-half per mertesacker. (via @bbcsport_david)

Has anyone checked to see if Matttiddler is ok, he'll be devastated that someone else is signing one of the few players he thinks is good

[Mostar]

@SkySportsNews
Werder Bremen defender Per Mertesacker to have medical with Arsenal today

[Craig_H]

I'd really rather they didnt get him. He may be slow and he may flop, but he's pretty powerful and commanding, which they need, and which means he might turn out good for them - a chance i'd rather not take

[Mostar]

Explains the move for Mertesacker

@rorysmith_tel
Arsenal have had a 2nd bid for Gary Cahill rejected. "Way short" of £12m price. Full story on Tel website (and across BBC outlets...) soon.

[Mostar]

I'd really rather they didnt get him. He may be slow and he may flop, but he's pretty powerful and commanding, which they need, and which means he might turn out good for them - a chance i'd rather not take

Well I find it interesting that they didn't go for Coates as they apparently got first crack at him.

[Red_Polo]

I think Cahill suited them better. Mertesacker's a good player but I'm not sure Arsenal's system covers his weak points all too well.

[Craig_H]

Just about the fee...if Arsenal refused to go anywhere near £12m for Cahill and are only paying €9m for Mertesacker - this raises the question about money and makes me wonder if they DO have tonnes of cash (which, technically they do because they just sold Cesc and Nasri) or whether Wenger just refuses to spend.

If the Cesc/Nasri money hasnt gone into their kitty, where's it gone? Unless it's just a case of pretty much all of their incomings going into the pot to pay off the ground ASAP.

[Mostar]

I think Cahill suited them better. Mertesacker's a good player but I'm not sure Arsenal's system covers his weak points all too well.

I think so too but to expect more than 12m for a player in last year of his contract is mental.

Makes sense why they said piss off Bolton.

[Mostar]

Just about the fee...if Arsenal refused to go anywhere near £12m for Cahill and are only paying €9m for Mertesacker - this raises the question about money and makes me wonder if they DO have tonnes of cash (which, technically they do because they just sold Cesc and Nasri) or whether Wenger just refuses to spend.

If the Cesc/Nasri money hasnt gone into their kitty, where's it gone? Unless it's just a case of pretty much all of their incomings going into the pot to pay off the ground ASAP.

Maybe or it may just mean that the refused to overpay for a player who has less than a year left on his contract.

[Tee]

What now for Cahill? Worth a '[Arry]cheeky bid[/Arry] in the last hours of the window?

[Mostar]

City or Spurs I suppose.