I have done it! Though it might not look very intelligent, it does sound nationalist! I’ve sold some of the stars of the club! Very important players. Two of them, asked a new challenge, so it was easier on me! These where Gregory van der Wiel and Fabio Coentrão. Both attacking fullbacks where important since my arrival, and very responsible for our great achievements. Both had great times with Arsenal and participated on all of our recent success!
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Gregory van der Wiel: 104 games / 6 goals / 18 assists / avg. rating 7.28
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Fabio Coentrão: 86 games / 4 goals / 23 assists / avg. rating 7.27
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Andrea Ranocchia: 70 games / 5 goals / 0 assists / avg. rating 7.41
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Dede: 63 games / 8 goals / 4 assists / avg. rating 7.51
Perhaps the shocking transfer news was of my two central defenders, Dede and Andrea Ranocchia. The Brazilian played only 63 games for Arsenal, but hugely effective! The Italian played 70 games, also having very high average ratings. Their departure to Italian Football was purely because the offers where good, and I want British players at the Emirates. These four players gave me a huge transfer budget increase, of which I will spend wisely!
Lots of other players where transferred out. Some like Canales, Hegarty and Fabregas did not correspond to what I was expecting from them. Luckily, I made good deals in offloading them. Canales was worth £3.5M and I managed to negotiate to £8.5!!! Some of the rough diamonds I had signed a couple seasons ago, where also negotiated. Hegarty, Helgeland and Okoro all disappointed me with bad seasons on loan. And if they can’t perform or evolve their atributes at good training grounds, playing first team football, then I should not continue my interest on them. Ola Anderson, Kristoffer Blomgren, Jiri Lorenc and Joaquin Belingheri all got offers considered irrefutable to my eyes. They are great young players, but not British! They will have to show their talents elsewhere!
A few players loaned out like Zak Schwertz, Takfarinas Beneyettou, Ourdy Kalenga, Esteban Becerra, Mohamed Darwish and Hassan Sackey had great seasons loaned out, and I will keep them in my plans. Esteben Becerra was so good last season that he helped Espanyol to reach a fourth place in the La Liga, and was the European Golden Show Award runner up, behind Leandro Damião. The Chilean, now Spaniard, scored 25 goals. I’ve loaned him out again to play in Spain. Les Wingfield who made himself a favoured personnel, was loaned out to Celtic, one of my satellite clubs. I see Wingfield as a future and he has this current season to show all his potential as a First Team player in Scotland. Ourdy Kalenga goes the same way, to defend Porto as a starting player. Possibly returning as a great defender.
I’ve spent £41,5M bringing in only four players, all of them English players, for the exception of one, born in South Africa, but currently defending the English U21 squad. Beginning with the most experienced, Jack Rodwell. Signed with the intention of being an important player to rotate in my central midfield with a Central Midfielder or Deep Lying Playmaker role. Alex Demetriou was offered by West Ham as soon as the season was over an the Hammers relegated. He is a very determined defender, with good tackling and marking skills. Timothy O’Toole was signed with a huge fee for a 21 year old player. He has defended the English Team, but I believe it was to force him to nationalize as an English, as he was born in Cork, Ireland. His U21 record, as I recall, was all under the Irish U21 Team. It was quite a surprise when after I signed him, I took a look at him to organize his training, and noticed he was now English! He looks like a very versatile player to play upfront! Just like the kinds I need! Two things I worry when I look at him, pace and aggression. Just hope he isn’t dirty on the pitch! To end up, Justice Masuku. A player signed by me during the Brighton era. He for the past two seasons was loaned out to Bristol City, being in 2015-16 Top Goal scorer of the League one with 19 goals, and last season again Top Goal scorer with 26 goals scored in the Championship League. He has grown a good poaching reputation, and his attributes are very interesting.
Nik (9)
