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HoxtonBridge's rumours posts with other poster's replies to HoxtonBridge's rumours posts
23 Jan 2024 21:34:17
Rumours surrounding Zubimendi seem to be getting a little warmer. I can't see us managing to ship enough out to bring him in, but what do I know? Phillips to West Ham is good business for them, did we have any passing interest? I always rated him myself. Best HB.
{Ed002's Note - Martin Zubimendi (CM/DM) Barcelona may still look to an offer although they are looking at preferred options first and would likely want to include a player in any deal. Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have sent scouts with Arsenal declaring an interest with his club. Real Sociedad may look to refusing a transfer unless his buy out clause is met in full. A Wildcard would be Bayern Munich. One for the summer not January.
Arsenal had no interest in Kalvin Phillips.}
1.) 24 Jan 2024 13:49:51
Good afternoon Ed, is his release clause in the region of 50m? Thank you.
{Ed002's Note - €60M in a single payment.}
2.) 24 Jan 2024 15:00:00
Cheers, Ed. Thanks for the update . Best, HB.
HoxtonBridge's banter posts with other poster's replies to HoxtonBridge's banter posts
20 Aug 2026 11:32:27
I'm surprised that our transfer strategy has been mostly geared toward defensive and solid midfield additions. The narrative at the end of last season was the necessity to sign attacking and creative options to take us to a CL winning level. Whilst Guimaraes, Tzolis and Konsa are great additions, signing an upgrade on Martimelli and Trossard seems to me to be the most pressing problem to be solved.
Maybe I'm unnecessarily worried, but the focus on likely targets seems to have been a little underwhelming.
1.) 20 Aug 2026 12:46:24
Totally agree with that.
2.) 20 Aug 2026 13:03:46
Who's available?! What actual wingers are available, and not over priced? Barcola 130m pound, no thanks. 70/80, yes. Yildiz EUR100, yes, I'd have him for that, but nothing more. Alvarez, I'm not too sure of; didn't he only score 5 league goals last year? I would go for Yildiz and Osimein.
Could get both for the price of Barcola. So, in my eyes, it's not a case we ain't doing anything; it's a case of finding the right one for the right price. And I think Yildiz is the only one fairly priced, but Juve has said he's not for sale.
3.) 20 Aug 2026 13:26:39
Absolutely, Dublin, mate.
4.) 20 Aug 2026 15:45:24
Point taken, but when Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson go for in excess of 120m, the market is what it is. It's worth noting that Barcola is 23; Yildiz is only 21, while Osimhen is 28. Neither Barcola nor Yildiz are going to sell for 80m. Applying notions of value to the absurdities of football transfers is, for me at least, pointless.
Looking at it purely transactionally, if such a purchase brings us the CL, such rationalisation goes out the window. That is the price of levelling up. You pay your money and take your choice.
5.) 20 Aug 2026 16:22:28
But then the same people.
Would slate the club if they paid 130m for Barcola and he was a flop. Me, personally, I wouldn't pay more than 50m for Alvarez. He only scored 5 league goals last year; Gabs scored more in a tougher league.
Maybe go for a Premiership striker. He was also crap in the World Cup apart from one class goal. I'd buy a back up for Jesus and go all in for Yildiz.
6.) 20 Aug 2026 20:20:22
Spend the money - you win big do you have to invest big.
Stop worrying about pressure - if you don't want pressure, simple - don't compete.
If you want to compete - invest & be brave.
Are we the team to beat - yes. That's now on Arteta to win it & deliver.
It's not complacency or entitlement - it's an attitude & we need to know that others will be up for beating us, so we must have the right mindset.
Get the Juve lad & a proper bloody striker with pace and a striker instinct.
7.) 23 Aug 2026 11:08:52
As I said above, who's available?
13 Oct 2025 09:34:38
I really dislike the international breaks. WC qualifiers are one thing, but the meaningless friendlies in between are just annoying and unnecessary.
My unimportant post of the day over.
HB.
1.) 14 Oct 2025 04:51:45
I'm with you, Hoxton. And I don't think it is unimportant. I fail to see the reason why there are so many international breaks in the middle of the domestic season. I can somewhat understand the qualifiers but the friendlies are absolutely pointless.
2.) 14 Oct 2025 11:46:27
I too don't like the international breaks. Just get warmed up and then it goes again, I guess it adds to the build up later in the year. Teams should be made to play and ifyour player has to go on international duty then you have to be prepared is my opinion.
3.) 14 Oct 2025 16:37:54
Playing devil’s advocate it does mean Odegaard Noni Hincapie and Kai have an extra two weeks rest and recuperation without matches with something on it domestically. Plus two more weeks before Spuds. Flip side is can pick up injuries and travelling I guess. Touch wood working for us this time round COYG.
21 Sep 2025 15:40:50
Exactly the line up I didn't want to see. Happy to be proved wrong, but it almost seems like hubris on Artetas part.
1.) 21 Sep 2025 16:08:39
Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Merino, Madueke, Trossard, Gyokeres.
Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, White, Saka, Eze, Martinelli, Norgaard, Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly.
Eze on bench and Merino starts….
We are at home - right.
2.) 21 Sep 2025 16:09:53
Not certain if it's hubris or Arteta simply lacking a pair. Regardless of today's ultimate outcome, it demonstrates Arteta's frustrating risk-aversion tactics against bigger sides. which may in the end make it exceedingly difficult to overtake Liverpool.
3.) 21 Sep 2025 16:38:29
Someone needs to give him a shake and see - Trossard and Merino shows limited intent.
21 Sep 2025 10:00:15
I would like to see some ambition today against an eminently beatable city side. Assuming Odegaard is out, the time has come to put some faith in Nwaneri or Eze to start in their best position. My heart is likely to sink if we play with Rice hamstrung in the middle between Zubi and Merino.
Just to say, a trapped nerve in my neck is causing the negative sentiment. ?.
1.) 21 Sep 2025 10:48:04
I think another thumping win by us today Hoxton will go some way to relieving your neck pain mate.
2.) 21 Sep 2025 11:18:11
Indeed it will. ?.
3.) 21 Sep 2025 13:20:58
Yep - Exe in for Ode and Martinelli on LW as no other option. Nice to see Eze controlling the pace of the game in the middle and getting us moving forward quicker down both wings. Please don’t put Noni on Left and Ethan on RW.
Let’s tear them apart.
31 Aug 2025 18:31:37
Really poor from start to finish. No ambition from Arteta in the selection, and a predictably negative display punished. We looked as if we were just there for a point and came unstuck. Really disappointed, not by losing, but the manner in which we appear content with mediocrity. If this is a taste of what is to come, it could be dull season.
1.) 31 Aug 2025 18:46:50
I am not going to lie i am pissed off big time with the mindset of going there for a draw. I genuinely thought we would get the 3pts. Took a great goal to win it mind, but we are not going to win the Prem with negative tactics like that.
If people think that's negativity well they are entitled to their opinions but it was piss poor.
2.) 31 Aug 2025 18:56:50
I understood the starting eleven but by half time it was really apparent that it wasn’t working with Merino and Martinelli, and that we could go out and win the game with changes. To not do that until the 70th minute and to play for a 0-0 draw (which is a huge gamble as all it takes is one moment to concede as proved) is hugely disappointing.
Creativity is a big issue and it worries me that Ode still isn’t back to what he was a couple of seasons ago. Really hope he steps up or I’d prefer Nwaneri to be in there.
3.) 31 Aug 2025 19:16:26
Agree and I have started having doubts on Arteta and Martinelli, having been a staunch supporter until now. Many will point that we are being negative and the season has just started and all that, however, when we have the players why not use them, Arteta has to be brave, why did he not start Eze from the start, it’s not as if he wasn’t match fit or came from another league. Martinelli was so ineffective against a makeshift right back. I was hoping the manager would make changes at half time but we were content with the proceedings and playing for a draw or a smash and grab winner. Why not give the kids more time to show what they can do, Dowman came on late but try giving him more time, poor Nwaneri when will he get a proper go? Not sure what the extent of Saliba’s injury is but Mosquera did well when he came in. David Raya! We may not find better options in the market but he has this tendency to put everybody including himself under pressure by passing in front of goal, every game there is one such moment when we are asking, ‘what are you doing?! ’ Our approach needs to change to take the next step.
01 Sep 2026 16:15:22
The Barcola scenario is an odd one. He is evidently a class player, left-sided, exactly what we need, yet no interest. After Vini J was a non starter, he was the pick of available left-sided players. Now we have Tzolis and, barring any late activity, that's it. While two games is not a measure, he is not exactly an upgrade on either Martinelli or Trossard.
We ended last season needing a world class winger and striker, and we bought a defender, a midfielder, a goalie and a prospect. I think we have seriously miscalculated this window. I will be happy to be wrong by 11pm, however.
{Ed025's Note - you are not wrong mate..
15 Feb 2025 11:17:19
Hmmm I can get the 7 out, but THREE big signings in is unlikely.
14 Jan 2025 15:25:01
He has scored some valuable goals for us. I would see him as having made a positive contribution. Arguably, more effective than some.
30 Aug 2024 16:29:36
It's an interesting proposition but the sums being touted around do not make much sense. Four or five years ago, Sterling looked like the complete package, but even having been sidelined by Chelsea, I'm sceptical.
Like everyone else, I will be ears to the radio/ eyes to the TV this evening.
COYG.
15 Mar 2024 14:03:13
Aside from a couple of recent good goals, he has been terrible for Chelsea. For me, he can stay there.
20 Aug 2026 15:45:24
Point taken, but when Morgan Rogers and Elliot Anderson go for in excess of 120m, the market is what it is. It's worth noting that Barcola is 23; Yildiz is only 21, while Osimhen is 28. Neither Barcola nor Yildiz are going to sell for 80m. Applying notions of value to the absurdities of football transfers is, for me at least, pointless.
Looking at it purely transactionally, if such a purchase brings us the CL, such rationalisation goes out the window. That is the price of levelling up. You pay your money and take your choice.
20 Aug 2026 11:43:28
I would take Rashford over Sancho any day of the week. However, neither offers more than Martinelli. As it stands, we are in a great position for the EPL, but we have not got the upgrade necessary for CL success. Alvarez wants Barca or nothing, and would we want him anyway if we are the least worst option for him? Yildiz will take some prying from Juve; he signed a new contract 6 months ago and is unlikely to be let go without silly money.
That leaves Barcola (equally silly money, but less than what we were reputedly willing to spend on Vini Jr) or, potentially, Rafael Leao, around whom speculation is oddly quiet.
13 Mar 2026 12:05:27
Interesting note in the Guardian today suggests playing Saka as a No 10. Did he take that role in the cup game against Mansfield? It could be an option with Eze not exactly shining and Noni a considerable threat.
It could be a tinker too far at the business end of the season, but we cannot break open defences as we did in the opening half of the season.
21 Sep 2025 19:42:23
Agree 100%. I cannot understand why we have the luxury of options to replace Odegaard, and we play Merino. As soon as Eze cane on the dynamics were so much better. Great goal from Gabi, showing his values yet again, a deserved point, but could and should have been three. ??.
21 Sep 2025 11:18:11
Indeed it will. ?.