So here it is, transfer deadline day, everyone is having fun.
Well, maybe it’s not fun. There is definitely a desire for Arsenal to do something, but not just anything as last night’s news of interest in Jorginho showed. The Chelsea midfielder came up as an option for us and even though we needed another player, the reaction has been quite revealing.
From a fan perspective, I completely get it. First of all, this feels like a step backwards. Having done similar deals in the past, we felt we had learned this particular lesson. And just to be clear, the lesson is: don’t buy old Chelsea bastards. Willian’s deal in particular felt like a defining moment. After that, our transfer strategy changed.
We stopped buying old Chelsea bastards and instead bought younger and better players. The consequence of that (although obviously we jump forward a bit) is that we are at the top of the league with a team that everyone likes, and we have a great opportunity to go for the title. How many times do you need to get stung in the face because you’re trying to kiss a scorpion before you stop trying to kiss a scorpion? This feels very close to scorpions.
The other thing is that what Chelsea are doing in the transfer market is so obscene, even by football’s ridiculous standards, that it feels wrong to give them any kind of money that might help balance their books. Not to mention the fact that the £15-20m they want for a 31-year-old with a few months left on his contract is money we could definitely use better. Finally, those with long memories will remember that Chelsea led us down the deadline day garden path a few years ago, when we were looking to bring in Demba Ba on loan. That deal was canceled at the last minute, leaving us with no chance of finding anyone else. It may be a ‘different’ Chelsea now, but I still wouldn’t let it slide because, in essence, they are still a vile institution that should burn in hell for all eternity.
We can probably also assume that exploring this option, even as a reported contingency, suggests that there is little hope that Brighton can be persuaded to part ways with Moises Caicedo, and that Mohamed Elneny’s reported injury is serious enough that let’s do something that has all the hallmarks of despair to it.
However, that is the perspective of the fans. Well this fan. I can’t speak for anyone else, and I won’t try to convince anyone that this is a transfer to stay behind. I completely understand why there would be such reluctance. I know this is very much a first world problem, but transfers are supposed to be exciting, they don’t make you feel like you ate a handful of shrimp the night before.
However, I suspect that what we think as fans and what Mikel Arteta and Edu think could well be different. We see a Chelsea retiree who looks at Mr Tumnus, jumps out at him and takes penalties which is in the September of his career. We might also question his motivation for crossing the London Divide, and it triggers some past trauma in us that we’d very much like to put behind us. If we’re concerned about an injury to Thomas Partey, there’s little chance Jorginho can fill that position properly given his declining physique, but I think that scenario would require a midfield adjustment anyway, rather than expect him or someone like Lokonga could just be an effective analogue.
I think they see, in a time of great need, a very experienced international player who, although he doesn’t have the legs that one would want for a team that plays like us, is very good on the ball and in that sense provides a measure of coverage and depth that we absolutely need. We don’t yet have a young beginner in the Academy who is ready for this level; and beyond Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey, we have Albert Sambi Lokonga whose form and confidence are worryingly low. So while it’s hard not to realize that deals like this haven’t worked in the past, his perspective would be different than ours. The biggest risk, from his point of view, would be to do nothing, and while I share the concern for Jorginho, I think that’s probably right.
It’s also the very essence of a temporary deal which, depending on duration (as short as possible) and cost (here’s 50p you idiots), doesn’t affect your summer plans to bring in one of the most high-profile Englishmen. . Premier League midfielders. I know for some that shouldn’t be a consideration right now given what we’re aiming for this season, but you can’t ignore the fact that decent forward planning has helped us improve the team.
Again though, this isn’t trying to convince anyone of this, just trying to rationalize it from the perspective of the manager and the Technical Director. In the meantime, the questions about how we got to this point in the window and this is what we’re turning to are completely valid. Was the pursuit of Caicedo too optimistic? Did we have too many eggs in that basket? Isn’t there another midfielder that we can bring in today that doesn’t have Jorginho’s background?
If we’ve given a lot of credit for the way we’ve traded lately and how we’ve improved in the market, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have some valid concerns on this particular issue. Better does not mean flawless. A little criticism is not the end of the world. And look, the last thing I’ll say is that part of the fear or concern for Jorginho is directly related to the success of this season so far. It’s not easy to find the balance there, but it’s part of it.
As for what’s going to happen between now and 11pm tonight, your guess is as good as mine. There is talk of a third offer for Caicedo that would have to be huge for Brighton to concede, but let’s see. Jorginho’s thing seems to depend a bit on him signing Enzo Fernández from Benfica, and hopefully the Portuguese club won’t make it easy for him either. There are other midfielders as well, but it remains to be seen how much we can do in the final hours of the window.
We will keep you posted on the traditional transfer deadline day live blog on Arseblog News. We can’t promise minute updates or anything like that, but when a story breaks, we’ll have it there, and there might even be the odd doodle.
Well, let the day unfold as it will. It will catch you on the other side.
