Category Archives: Arsenal

Arsenal and Liverpool knocked back in chase for 24-year-old – reports

Arsenal and Liverpool have both been dealt a blow in their chase for Martin Montoya after the player’s agent denied speculation linking him with a January move to the Premier League.

His agent Juan Carrasco says there is no opportunity for a move in January, despite the fact that Montoya has not played a single league game while on a season-long loan at Inter Milan.

Both Liverpool and Arsenal have been linked with moves for the 24-year-old on a permanent basis.

Carrasco told Mundo Deportivo: “He will stay at Inter until next June.”

Would it work?

Inter Milan are not exactly on top form in Serie A, although they are currently fourth in the table.

Given the relative standards of the Italian league and the Premier League, it would be weird for Montoya to struggle to get into Inter’s side and yet be a valuable option for either Liverpool or Arsenal.

Liverpool have Nathaniel Clyne to call upon, comfortably one of the better right-backs in the Premier League.

Arsenal have a huge selection of options at right-back, including first choice Hector Bellerin, former Newcastle United star Mathieu Debuchy and youngster Calum Chambers.

Neither side are clearly in need of a defender to play on the right side, and neither would benefit from an Inter cast-off.

It is difficult to see why a move for Montoya would work.

Rumour rater

Even beyond the simple fact that Montoya would not slot into either side, The Mirror recently reported that Jurgen Klopp is not interested.

That should be enough to kill this particular rumour dead, given only Liverpool should maybe consider signing him, possibly, as backup.

It seems like a complete non-starter, which it is in reality.

Montoya to Arsenal or Liverpool? This rumour’s dead.

Rumour rated: 0/5

 

Arsenal And Liverpool On Alert Over £35m Spanish Star – reports

Isco has decided that he wants to leave Real Madrid, with the Premier League thought to be his ideal destination.

This has put the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea on alert, with all three clubs believed to be interested in signing the Spanish star, according to Fichajes.net.

The 23-year-old has declared that he wants a “change in scenery”.

The signing of Mateo Kovacic in the summer from Inter Milan has left Isco finding it difficult to earn a place in the first team, and his form has suffered as a result.

Would it work?

This is probably the sort of question that keeps Arsene Wenger up at night – can he slot another attacking player into his side.

The reality is that the Gunners really do not need another option in that role.

However, the injury suffered by Aaron Ramsey may tempt Wenger into considering a bid for an attacking player in January.

While he can still call on Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, Ramsey has played a key role while operating from the right.

Given that Wenger now sees Theo Walcott as a striker, that leaves him with only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the berth on the right wing while Ramsey is out.

With Arsenal now pushing for the title, Wenger may feel he needs another option.

In Liverpool’s case, Isco would be an excellent signing and immediately freshen up Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Given the German manager has had to pick a narrow and oddly creativity free midfield in his first few games, having a player like Isco available would only benefit the Anfield club.

Rumour rater

If Isco has genuinely requested a move, there is no reason why Arsenal or Liverpool could not bring him in.

However, as Premier League sides have learned (see: Arsenal/Karim Benzema, Man Utd/Sergio Ramos), players at Real often use English sides to earn bigger contracts.

This one could be that again, or could actually be a case of Isco seeking a route out of the Santiago Bernabeu.

Not out of the realms of possibility.

Rumour rated: 3/5

Revealed: 3 Most Expensive Arsenal Games to Police In 2013/14 Incl. £985k Bill

The Metropolitan Police (MPS) spent nearly £1m on policing Arsenal’s home football matches last season, new data has revealed.

A Freedom of Information request to the police found that managing games for the 2013-14 season hit the public purse to the tune of £985,660.

Further data has shown that fixtures against local rival Tottenham Hotspur have been the most expensive matches to control for the last two seasons running.

The game between the two sides on 27 September 2014 cost the police an astonishing £77,000. More than 300 police were deployed for the game.

However, the police had managed to make some savings compared to last season’s derby. The data showed that the match between the two clubs on 4 January 2014 was the most expensive game to police over the last two seasons, costing £79,386.

Cost of policing matches against Spurs at the Emirates Stadium

Last season, it was followed in cost by the Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund and the Premier League tie against Everton.

Most expensive Arsenal games to police (2013/14)

Surprisingly, Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Turkish club Galatasaray, which was marred by crowd trouble and violence, was cheaper to police, costing only £58,000.

Prior to the match fans set off flares in the Finsbury Park area and close to the Tollington Arms pub.

During the match Galatasaray players Wesley Sneijder and Fernando Muslera were forced to ask their own fans to stop throwing flares onto the pitch as it was disrupting play.

Stephen Greenhalgh, deputy mayor for policing and crime in London said: “We’re seeing this in football matches, and the police are not doing routine stewarding, and nor should they. The clubs are organising the stewarding when you go to the Tube stations.

“The police will maintain public safety, they are not there to steward protests or football matches.

“Police are there to keep the public safe. If you want to make a march or a protest, or you are making a statement, of course the police will do their bit to ensure that people can make their voice heard. What they are not there to do is basic stewarding or traffic management.”

Commander Peter Terry from the specialist crime & operations unit said: “For over a year now the MPS has been trying to get London football clubs to sign the Special Police Services Agreement which was drawn up to ensure football clubs bear the cost and any liability incurred for officers provided to police their football matches.

“This follows a lengthy process of engagement with the clubs to discuss our position and give them ample opportunity to raise any concerns they might have.

“Some clubs have already signed up to the agreement, however a large number have not yet signed and the new football season is fast approaching.

“It is important, particularly in this time of austerity, that we get the best deal for Londoners, and that means looking at costs and where people can be most effective.

“Historically, officers from across London have been taken out of their boroughs to support policing at football matches, often many miles away from their local communities. Those officers would be better placed within their own wards and neighbourhoods to support local policing needs.

“Then of course, there is the cost to the public purse. For years the cost of policing football matches has far outweighed the sum police have been able to recover. In fact over the last three seasons policing for football matches has cost around £17.5 million and the MPS has only been able to recover around £7.5 million from the clubs.”
Arsenal declined to comment on the situation.

Photograph copyright Julian Osley and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence