So we have our first bit of significant cash coming in as Krystian Bielik becomes a Derby player for around £10million, as well as Takuma Asano heading off to Partizan Belgrade for £1million, meaning that we made a £2.5million loss on a player who essentially went out on loan for the whole of his Arsenal career.

It’s an example of some of the shoddy and ‘on the cheap’ deals of the previous regime but I guess every club has those kind of punts, so I’m not going to chuck too much mud on Arsène and Ivan’s direction. The Bielik move is a shame though. At a time where we’re quite desperate for a centre half to step in, having seen him excel at the Under-21 championships last month, I’d have thought we’d give him a shot in pre season at least. But I guess the powers that be needed to bring in some money so it makes sense.

It’s also perhaps telling that the kid is off to Championship Derby and not a Premier League team. No doubt there’s talent there and perhaps in a year or twos time he’ll be snapped up by a decent Premier League team, but I guess Arsenal can’t hang around on the odd chance he might come good, so I kind of get the deal.

What I don’t get, however, is the rumoured loan deal of Coutinho to Barcelona for two years. I just tell you I think Coutinho is one of the most overrated footballers I’ve seen at the top level and the money Liverpool got for him was quite frankly mental. Also, why the heck would we do that deal when clearly we need defensive reinforcements? It’s just weird. He’d be expensive in terms of wages, he’s a player who would play in a position where we’re over stocked and quite frankly, I think we have plenty of players who are better than him.

Now, I guess if you’re going to tell me that Arsenal have found buyers for Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Özil is on his way out the door too, then it would make some kind of sense. But that clearly isn’t happening so my only hope is that this rumour has come about because:

  1. Arsenal are in Catalonia this weekend to play Barcelona
  2. Raul has close connections with his old club.
  • That’s got to be the hope though. The only type of player we need Raul to come back to the UK tucked under his armpit with is a centre half like Umtiti. That sort of loan deal for a year would make sense. The player has had a difficult time through injuries and been rumoured for an exit but unless Barca sign somebody to replace beforehand I just can’t see that deal happening.
  • If I had to guess I have a feeling that Arsenal are trying to sell before they buy though. The club can’t afford to be left with expensive assets just sitting on the sidelines and having just made a few very expensive outlays I think the plan to exit some players from the club first would make sense.
  • From a fan perspective it won’t make for good feelings that we may have to stick with what we’ve got at the back though. Mustafi’s form has totally dropped off a cliff, Medley isn’t ready, Holding isn’t fit, Bellerin also isn’t fit and people are asking legitimate questions about Sokratis. Going in to the season with the same lot that shipped so many goals last season will be a bit of a downer, but unless they can prize someone like Mustfi’s fingers from the doors at London Colney then I have a gut feel he’ll be here for the Newcastle game next Sunday.
  • We’ll just have to wait and see though. We have about five days to do some business and I reckon it’s going to go to the wire.
  • Catch you all tomorrow.