By Ian Grant
THE DEBENTURE
Arsenal are offering two types of debenture – £3500 and £5000. I heard a TRS member say they’d consider £3500 and a season ticket all in. But £5000 (which has a preference), plus a season ticket on top, costing £1000 – no way. I think they have a point. A survey, a couple of years ago said the average savings, apart from their house and pension, a UK citizen can lay their hands on, is £700.
Which makes the money involved in the Beckham business – obscene.
I don’t particularly like harking on about a couple of distant relatives who played for Preston and Newcastle in the thirties. But sometimes they used to visit the mill workers, the day before the game – and could look them in the eye – men to men, workers to workers. Beckham can’t do that – and whether he likes it or not is pizzing on the ancestral grave of football.
And given the commerciality of football – Real Madrid, for example only get a fifth of their revenue from ticket sales, why aren’t we scouring Marketing Week, speculating on who will be the next marketing guru Arsenal will employ to crack open the Far East market, rather than will ‘Arry Kewell sign. Because in the medium to long term, it is far more important to Arsenal Football Club, the way football is going.
Anyway, here is a news review.
EUROPE
Arsenal are seeded sixth in the forthcoming Champions League group stage. Based on coefficients on previous performances in Europe and how national clubs have fared, they achieved 105.170 points.
They will avoid AC Milan, Juventus, Lazio, Real Madrid Deportivo La Coruna, and Bayern Munich. Inter Milan, Celta Vigo, Borussia Dortmund and Porto are among the second tier.
TRANSFER SPECULATION
Auxerre central defender, Philippe Mexes, 21, could make a £3.5million move to Highbury this summer. He said: “Titi [Thierry Henry] has often told me how good it is in London.” But Mexes says there has as yet been no contact between him and Arsenal and he still has to visit. Wenger has said he’s monitoring the situation. The case between Auxerre and the player is apparently imminent, according to one paper, while one Scottish paper said it will be at least six months before Mexes can clear his legal battle with Auxerre.
Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso confirmed Arsenal’s interest and said: “Arsenal have told me their priority is signing a goalkeeper and after they have done that they will be looking for a defender. It’s an interesting situation. I want to know all of my options but I cannot wait for ever to get my future sorted out. Hopefully over the next 10 days everything will be clearer.” That’s what he said. Arsene Wenger said that Arsenal have no interest in signing Amoruso. So there.
AC Milan have turned down an approach from Arsenal for their goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. “AC Milan and Christian Abbiati in the past days have, by mutual agreement, refused a ‘mega-offer’ from Arsenal.” Abbiati told the Standard that it is for family reasons – he’s a little baby.
Following speculation on a move to Inter, Pires said: “Leaving Arsenal? No, no, not now. No one has contacted me yet. I’ve read in the newspapers that clubs like Inter Milan were interested in signing me and it makes me happy. But no one has contacted me about signing me.”
That was Monday. On Thursday, he said I’m staying at Arsenal next season.
BTW: Valencia’s presidential candidate Francisco Roig pledged in April to bring Pires to the Mestalla.
Valencia’s £10m-rated goalkeeper Santiago Canizares said: “Wherever Canizares plays, he gives his best and it is up to the coach to decide my role. I am not fussed about being on the bench.” Valencia failed to reach a Champions League spot. Press reports suggest Arsenal’s interest is cooling, as their interest in Paul Robinson is rising.
Kanu has reportedly been offered £1m to move away from Highbury. Kanu, 26, has two seasons left on his contract worth £42,000 a week. But he has started just one Premiership game this year. Kanu, who cost £4.5million from Inter in 1999, signed his £2.2million-a-year contract three years ago. Press reports, Friday say he’s willing to accept and is looking at an offer from Fenherbace.
Arsenal’s wage bill has risen by 15%, and besides Kanu, the Mirror says Arsenal are also willing to offload Sylvain Wiltord, Ray Parlour, Francis Jeffers and Jermaine Pennant.
Jeffers told a Scottish paper that he would prefer to fight for a fist team place at Arsenal.
Leeds chairman, John McKenzie opened the door for Harry Kewell’s transfer to Arsenal: “If he wants Champions League football, then he’s aware of this official interest from Arsenal and he’ll no doubt pursue that. I would guess he’ll be talking to Arsenal and (manager) Arsene Wenger this week.”
Press reports suggest Kewell could go to Highbury on a player-plus-cash deal, with Leeds manager Peter Reid expressing an interest in England Under-21 international Jermaine Pennant. Later reports in the week suggest he wants Wiltord plus £3m.]
Meanwhile Barcelona have offered £7m and are,according to the Sun, set to gazump Arsenal.
The News of the World claims Arsenal are ready to trade Ray Parlour, Francis Jeffers, plus £7m to land Kewell and Robinson.
According to the Sunday Express, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have hatched a plan to sell Patrick Vieira to raise £25 for transfer funds. Targets include Kewell, Robinson, Trezeguet and a central defender.
Celtic have already had talks with with Arsenal, over the potential transfer of Gio van Bronckhorst. Arsenal are due at Parkhead for a pre-season friendly on August 2. Suggested fee is £5m.
Barcelona’s Cocu is the latest player to be linked with a move to Arsenal.
Meanwhile Dennis Bergkamp’s contractual negotiations go on and one. What was a formality is now a long drawn out affair.
WENGER
Arsene Wenger said on his OBE: “I am extremely proud and pleasantly surprised to be awarded with an honorary OBE. It is a great honour to be given this individual award, but as football is a team sport, I must give a great deal of credit and recognition to everyone that has helped me since I became manager of Arsenal in 1996.
“The working environment at Arsenal is fantastic and from the first day I came to the club, everyone has been fully supportive and given me a huge amount of encouragement. So I must thank my team around me who have helped us towards achieving our recent successes.
“I’m looking forward to receiving the award in July and also to achieving more great things with Arsenal Football Club.”