13 Jun 2026 01:26:54
Carra/The Fields/ Robbo
Diomande now at the WC are we right to assume this is now going to be post WC before there is any further development?
Also, what’s the score on Palestra or Kayode? It’s the next most important position for us to fill.
13 Jun 2026 08:16:32
I read that post as he was on the bog!
Half asleeep. First thing I do in the morning. Need coffee, Morning Reds.
13 Jun 2026 08:20:05
I'd think if he's agreed terms, etc., then it's with his agent to finalise. If the clubs agree a fee, then I'd guess it can all be done while he's there. If it's that far down the line, I'd think once a deal is agreed, one phone call from his agent to tell him and a Docusign in your inbox would not be any major distraction for a player.
If he wants the move, to know it's all done and wrapped up would give a boost and comfort rather than unbalance. imo.
13 Jun 2026 09:23:27
And what about his medical? His national team bosses may not agree to this.
13 Jun 2026 09:31:29
Most deals are done pending a medical, and if the medical is failed, the deal is void.
13 Jun 2026 10:38:06
I do not agree that RB is next in priority, if this is what you mean with those names.
We need attacking players for sure! We are short on the front, especially if we are going to press a lot. We need depth. Aside from Diomande (if it happens at all) we need one more winger. We also need a midfielder like Anderson, who has legs. Wharton does not have those. If we play Szobo/Wirz/Grav - we need someone with legs. Macca has collapsed totally this season (tactics might have helped with that as well).
I would not touch RB at all if we have Joe Gomez/Frimpong/Bradley (at some point of time after injury).
More of a problem is with the CB - Van Dijk/Leoni/Jaquet/Gomez - we might need another one here if Gomez starts covering RB.
Nobody knows if Curtis Jones will stay. If he stays, we do not need RB, and that means we will not need CB as well. He is good enough to cover. I like him - he has work rate, can pass, holds the ball very good.
I would say we might need a striker as well if the glass boy shows weakness again in preseason.
13 Jun 2026 10:57:02
Unfortunately, Gomez can't stay fit. He's never going to be able to play 2 games a week. RB is definitely a position that needs strengthening. Maybe add another centre back who can cover right back.
13 Jun 2026 11:23:38
Arsenal won the league with 6 CB's, 2 RB's, 2 LB's. They have 2 8's, 3 6's, 2 10's, 3 LW's and 2 RW's and 2 ST's.
And to top it off, 99% are all seniors for their countries barring Miles. None of this "lets try youth out and see what they can do s****".
So no, Jones and Szobo at RB will not cut it next season. We need effective competitive rotation.
All injury prone players cannot be counted on. Sell them and invest in the squad rebuild.
Endo, Joe, Bradley will not cut it anymore. They will constantly break down and come Feb when they're 3 games a week, we can't rely on them. They have to be sold no matter how big their heart is. We don't even know if Ekitike will come back the same.
The players at the WC will come back and only be effective in October. We do not want to find ourselves 10 points behind.
The only way is to invest smartly and buy the right type of players.
13 Jun 2026 12:07:32
If Arsenal are the archetype of what we want to be, then I would rather stop watching football, @RobRed. Playing exciting, attacking football, and giving ample opportunities to talented youngsters is how I like my football. Doing those things and still winning is the ultimate goal.
13 Jun 2026 12:40:31
Will we ever learn from our past mistakes of relying on players who are injured/injury prone.
We should be challenging every season with the resources at our disposal, the first XI, the squad, and the training facilities.
We should not be having a fallow season. Ever. Or a transition season. Or however you want to dress up "making excuses" again.
13 Jun 2026 13:09:30
Everyone has bad seasons, previously unstoppable players pick up injury after injury, players lose form, these things happen. You can't help it, you can't be unstoppable every season, it just doesn't happen.
But I do also agree that there are players more prone to injury than others, unfortunately, one is a player I really like in Bradley.
I'm hoping he grows out of it as I like him at RB. I also agree we need more depth in the squad as we can't be playing our best midfielder in Szob at RB, it's mad.
13 Jun 2026 13:22:56
Gomez has to be sold or given away even, save on his wages or pay per play contract, bet he'd be on his bike then.
Don't blame him staying and asking the cash, it's all down to the club, how can this be sensible business when your assets are not there most of the time.
Not rocket science !!!
Get shut and get people in who can do a job regularly and are robust and have good history free of injuries.
13 Jun 2026 13:30:43
RB Leipzig have been very quiet, so I assume negotiations are underway. Safe to say Red Bull and LFC have a very good relationship, so it won't be played out in public. Nor will it be an easy deal given the fee involved.
13 Jun 2026 14:09:23
Right Back is definitely needed. Cannot count on Bradley, repeated prolonged injuries. When back, he is: tackle.. yellow card .. substitute.
13 Jun 2026 14:14:13
Don't want a chequebook manager like Arteta. Want someone who looks at anyone good enough from the Academy first before he goes into the market. Nothing is better than watching an academy player succeed.
13 Jun 2026 14:26:24
RedPansa, utter nonsense, mate. Were you even following us last season? We had Bradley, Frimpong and Gomez. They all started the season perfectly fit, and look how that turned out. Dom spent more time at RB than any of them. Now we're starting this season. Bradley won't be fit, in case you didn't know, he's not due back until Sept/Oct depending on recovery.
Frimpong was injured for half the season; he missed 127 days over 5 separate occasions with a repeat hamstring issue, which is obviously far worse than initially presumed. And Gomez is as sturdy as wet cardboard. We desperately need an RB.
13 Jun 2026 14:58:52
Give Bradley a break, will ya’s. Lad has had rotten luck since he got near first team with injuries and losing his father. He will be brilliant when he gets stronger. Gomez has been told it’s up to him if he stays, according to ST.
I don’t mind. Suppose you all prepared to give Isak a chance? Two faced Gomez will be available for more games than Isak this season, probably Bradley too.
13 Jun 2026 15:25:50
Udh, no wonder he got yellow cards, as he was trying to cover the space that the midfield vacated and Konate not supporting him either. Last season's tactics were exposed as early on as the Bournemouth and Newcastle games. I know Carra (the pundit) is a gob*****, but he said the way we were playing wasn't sustainable, and he was actually correct.
If Grav was told to hold his position and not go gallivanting up the pitch, there wouldn't have been so much space between the midfield and back line. Teams just bypassed our midfield with direct balls, leaving our full backs especially exposed.
13 Jun 2026 16:01:42
Chewysuarez7,
I have been watching almost every game. I still think those players can't have such bad luck with injuries another season. If that happens - ok, I agree they need to sell Frimpong and Bradley. If I am being honest, I am more pissed at the bad crossing Frimpong is doing than that he has missed 100+ days...
But I do not understand why most people are asking to sell another half a dozen players - how the hell will the club get the same or better quality players for the same cash? It never happens like that.
And if we sell 6, we will purchase maybe 4 maximum. Where is the depth you need for 3 games a week? Especially with the tactics Iraiola is going to implement, we need 2 players per position, and maybe for some positions 3 players will be needed due to the injuries that are expected to happen.
Now, if we land Diomande, how much money do you think we will be able to spend if only Macca is sold, for example? How will we buy another RB, CB, midfielder and probably another winger/striker? I doubt we will spend like last year....
13 Jun 2026 16:43:26
Scouse John, what do you mean when you say 'two faced Gomez'?
13 Jun 2026 17:20:12
It will be a case of pending medical, he could possibly have one whilst away, but it will be completed this week.
Cheers.
13 Jun 2026 17:54:17
Cheers Robbo.
13 Jun 2026 17:55:45
Robbo, thank you.
Is Diomande on the verge of completion?
And I'm so curious about the next target.
13 Jun 2026 18:16:13
@ starseeker: Typo, missed out a comma, it was meant as it's two faced, Gomez will be available more than Isak.
13 Jun 2026 19:39:13
I understand.
13 Jun 2026 21:18:43
Dont see the point in buying diamonde. His game won't work in epl. Just like adama traore doesn't work in epl
14 Jun 2026 03:00:50
@Rokki, he's still got to sort his hair out and he needs a bit of dental work, then he should be done.
14 Jun 2026 04:53:48
Right back is essential in my opinion. Bradley has had a lot of injury issues and has a very serious injury currently. How well he comes back is far from guaranteed. It's a shame because he would be great in Iraola's system in my opinion.
I'm not convinced Frimpong defends well enough.
He is also extremely injury prone, and I can foresee him providing cover further up the pitch rather than being a right back option.
Really think we need a right back who can start consistently and play with the system we will play, I'd say it's an essential position to strengthen.
14 Jun 2026 11:41:27
Really hope Diamonde doesn't turn into another Naby Keita, good season in the league gets a big move and turns to sh**e.
Naby looked a world beater and had everyone believing he would be a great number 8.
Be careful what you wish for?
14 Jun 2026 11:52:58
RedPansa, it's nothing to do with luck, mate; it's biology, and biomechanics. Some people are just prone to injury and once that can of worms is opened staying fit is a constant struggle for them. All 3 players have shown more than enough evience to reasonably assume they are unreliable. Gomez, spends more time on the physio bench than the pitch. Bradley, at such a young age, has missed more than half the games each season for the last 3 years due to injuries. Frimpong has been out for half the season over 5 seperate occasions with a recurring hamstring injury. There is no luck involved here.
You question how they'll get the same quality players, I say where's the quality when they're injured half the season? Your quality is ull and void if you can't play. Besides, Gomez, Bradley and especially Frimpong have not show to posess any level of talent that's irreplaceable. These 3 are worth f*** all because they're not that great, Joe's career is coming to an end, Bradley is incredibly injury prone for a kid his age and has yet to establish himself fully and Frimpong is just rubbish to be honest. There's a few decent RB's out there that would be far more reliable and wouldn't cost an arm and a leg.
We've seen this season that we don't have enough depth as it is, the clubs well aware, we won't be weakening the squad. The club has plenty of money mate, don't be worrying about that. Diomande's not going to be 100+, more like 85, we'll get Barcola or similar for about 70. That's 135. We'll only be buying a midfielder if MacAllister is moved on, so he'll generate most of the funds needed for that, say we spend 80m or so there. We'll only be buying a striker if Gakpo leaves; again, that's a sizable portion of funds. You're talking about maybe 100-120m for the 2 of them. Gakpo will be replaced by a good squad player who can back up Isak, not an out-and-out starter so I'd imagine no more than 60m to spend there. IF we buy a CB, and its a fairly big if, as the club might see Jaquet as an adequate replacement for Konate, we'll spend what, 50m or thereabouts? Maybe we sell Jones for 30. We'll flog off some fodder who can be replaced for pittence or with youth players
So based on this scenario, and without worrying about fringe players, we spend something like 350 and make about 180 or so. You're worrying about money here but I don't think you've actually done the maths. We're in a very healthy position as it stands. We've been extremely shrewd under FSG, prior to last summer we averaged a net spend of only £33m per season, that's incredible business to be doing over nearly 15 years. We have the money.