Sky Sports have said that Arsenal have made an apporoch for our promising young centre back Chris Smalling. Apparently the fee could rise to as much as 7million. although the money is good, I don’t think that we should sell the guy.
Arsenal in for Smalling
by Lydia | Jan 20, 2010 | Uncategorized | 9 comments
9 Comments
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Its just journalists making mischief, no need to worry.
Yep, Peyton’s thoughts are mine too. Must be a slow news day.
But at 7mil for a CB who has started 1 game? We would be silly not too! And it makes perfect sense for a club that wants to survive in the EPL (as opposed to Pompy, Hull etc) – buy players who you think are undervalued and think cancontribute, sell players when they have been over valued. Wenger has been doing it for years (which is why they are in the top 4 and solvent, where Liverpool are not.) And if you are following my logic you will realise that Wenger would never pay 7mil for a CB who has played one game (many other clubs would) – so if the story is not a beat up, then the money suggested is.
I agree that the story is probably wide of the mark, but I disagree that Fulham should accept a bid of £7m. We should be looking to keep Smalling and develop him further, showing young players that Fulham could be a good home for them. It would return as to being a selling club again. A replacement, capable of stepping straight into Premier League football, would cost a fair bit.
Wenger has previous though doesn’t he? Walcott, Ramsey, similar stages if a little younger. So it’s his sort of buy, and he’s very badly off at CB. So I can really see this being true, sadly.
I don’t know that being a buying/selling club comes into it. Presumably we’re both. If we sell Smalling and buy Victor Moses with the money I’d call that an upgrade, as we’d lose something we don’t immediately need, then gain a potential star. True, Smalling could be really good, but as with all our defenders, you can’t tell whether it’s him or the system. I’m sure he is very good, but we still have Hangeland, Hughes and Baird, and that won’t change for 2-3 years (hopefully). So Smalling’s going to have to wait his turn. That being so, why not take £7,000,000 (with big clauses)/?
You see I’d like to hold onto Smalling because I could see him edging ahead of Baird (if he hasn’t already at centre back) and possibly Hughes in the next year or so. I’m not sure Moses could do it in the Premier League and it’s far from a like-for-like replacement. Smalling’s got all the attributes to be excellent – it’s the fee that will decide things. If Arsenal are serious and they offer big money, then we’ll probably take it sadly (and that’s where the selling club comes into it because others will be persuaded that they could tempt Hangeland away).
On Wenger’s transfer fees, Arsenal only paid £5m up front Walcott and £4.8m for Ramsey so this would far exceed those as an initial fee.
From a Northern Ireland supporter point of view- DON’T PUT BAIRD IN DEFENSE. He has made his mark in centre mid field, why change it.
On Victor Moses- I would love to see him in a Fulham Shirt. He looks to be a great player and a quality goal score.
I think that 7million is very generous but I do think that unless it is this much we shouldn’t give in. In the past we have just been a feeder club for bigger teams, lets not start that again!
Even Roy’s now said he thinks Baird’s best in midfield and Smalling’s probably first choice cover in central defence now. Would nice to see us play hardball with Arsenal if there is actual interest.