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Transfer Balls: Arsenal Bid £40m For £20m-Rated Marco Reus

TRANSFER Balls: a look at Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus Marco Reus’s move to Arsenal, as told by the trusty media…

Number of words said by Arsenal on the transfer: nil.

Number of words said by Dortmund and Reus on the transfer: nil.

Yet the Metro says Arsenal are preparing a £40m for the Germany player.

 

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The scoop quotes not a single source.

Vox Media counters with:

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Posted: 1st, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Radamel Falcao Joined Chelsea Twice, Signed For Manchester City And Manchester United And Headed To Arsenal And Liverpool

TRANSFER Balls: A look at reporting on Radamel Falcao, the Monaco player linked to Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Cheslea. It’s been a pretty rich summer of utter balls being passed off as a fact.

The Metro says Falcao has agreed to join Manchester United for £51m.

 

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Is that to be believed? In 2013, the Mirror said Falcao had joined Manchester City for £54m.

 

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The Mirror added:

…the deal is also a major coup for Pellegrini, with 27-year-old Falcao keen to work for the Chilean, who is expected to sign a two-year deal at City within a fortnight.

 

On August 29 2014, The Week asked if Falcao had joined Real Madrid.

 

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On August 29, the Metro said Arsenal had a clear run to buy Falcao:

 

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The ever dire Goal.com said that Falcao had signed for Chelsea.

 

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The equally rubbish CaughtOffide stated that, yes, Falcao had joined Chelsea.

 

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Of, course the same site said Cheslea had bought Falcao for much less money the year before.

 

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But then the Mirror said Falcao had “already agreed” to kon Real Madrid. That was January 2013.

 

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On Augut 7 2014, Falcao was heading to Liverpool.

 

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On August 17, Falcao was heading to Juventus, said the Daily Mail.

 

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It’s a Transfer Balls Royal Flush as Falcao is linekd with all give of English football’s biggest clubs.

Such are the facts…

 

 

Posted: 1st, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Manchester City Beat Arsenal To Falcao With Sale Of Negredo To Valencia Agreed

TRANSFER Balls: It’s the final day of football’s summer shopping season and much media attention is focused on Monaco’s Radamel Falcao.

The Mirror says Manchester City will buy Radamel Falcao is they can offload Alvaro Negredo to Valencia. Readers learn that Negredo is “desperate” to move to Spain.

The Mail says Negredo is on his way, having agreed to leave City for Valencia. But the paper adds that he will stay at City if The Citizens don’t bag Falcao. So. In other words, no deal has been done.

And, yes, this is the Daily Mail which reported Falcao had signed for Real Madrid.

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Posted: 1st, September 2014 | In: Arsenal, Manchester City, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Loic Remy Has Left QPR to Join Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. Now Read On…

TRANSFER Balls: Loic Remy has left QPR to join Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. Now read on…

The Daily Express has news:

According to West London Sport, 27-year-old Remy rejected a new contract at QPR on Friday and will undergo a medical at Chelsea tomorrow. But those plans could change as Arsenal put their hat in the ring, with Wenger likely to descend into a bidding war with Mourinho for Remy’s services.

No need for any war. The Mail says Loic Remy has joined Chelsea for £8m. The paper announced:

Loic Remy has completed a move to Chelsea from QPR

 

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Posted: 31st, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Radamel Falcao Joins Real Madrid After Agreeing Terms With Chelsea And Arsenal

TRANSFER Balls: The summer has been full of news that Radamel Falcao is leaving Monaco to play for Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus or Real Madrid. It’s not only in the UK that the Press has been full of utter balls.

On July 3, Spanish organ AS said Real Madrid had reserved the Numebr 9 short for Radamel Falcao.

 

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Posted: 30th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Radamel Falcao Choses Manchester City Over Arsenal On Twitter

TRANSFER Balls: a look at the utter balls being presented as insider knowledge and scoops in the football world. We’ve spotted the Daily Express’ news that Radamel Falcao is on his way to Arsenal.

Anthony Chapman says Radamel Falcao has “dropped the biggest bint yet he will sing for Arsenal”.

What did he do? Did he stand in front of an Arsenal creast, like Mario Balotelli did – a few days before he joined Liverpool? This screengrab is from the Independent:

 

 

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Posted: 30th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)


Arsenal Balls: Mesut Ozil Highlights The Problem Of Being Too Good

MESUT Ozil explains what it’s like being played out of position for Arsenal and Germany:

“I’m one of the best players in the world in that No 10 position. Fans, coaches, players and everyone knows that my best position is playmaker. It’s different playing on the left. When I was in Madrid, I often played on the right. I enjoyed that because I’m left-footed and I was able to cut inside to give assists and get shots on target. On the left, it’s more difficult. If I do get past someone I’m still away from the danger zone, still on the flank, and it’s harder for me to find the final ball with my right foot than with my left.

“But Joachim Löw needed me on the left. It’s not about the individual, it’s about the team. It’s not my favourite position but I was willing to play there for the team. It was difficult just before the tournament started that I was suddenly playing on the left and had a different role. I needed to get my bearings, which I did. I think I did my job well there. The Boss saw me as being able to play on the right and we ended up as world champions.

“The opinions of fans are important to me and I’m happy they have such high expectations of me. I have high expectations of myself. I know what I can do and in the past few years I’ve shown that I belong to the select group of best players in the world as a No 10. What’s important is that the manager gives me his trust and in Joachim Löw and Arsène Wenger I have two managers who do exactly that. Both coaches know that my favourite position is the No  10. I’ve played on the left in a World Cup and for Arsenal but my best performances come as a 10.”

Arsenal fans await the move…

Read on.

Posted: 29th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Roma Sign Adrien Rabiot From Arsenal

TRANSFER Balls salutes the work of The Metro newspaper for its reporting on Adrien Rabiot, the PSG midfielder.

On August 28, the Metro told reders that Adrien Rabiot was on his way to Arsenal.

 

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Not all that long later, the Metro reported that Rabiot had not signed for Arsenal. Instead he was “close” to signing for Roma. Apparently, Arsenal “MISSED OUT’. But there are no reports of Arsenal ever having bid for the player.

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Posted: 29th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Manger Arsene Wenger Explains How The Transfer System Works

TRANSFER Balls dought its cap at Arsenal Werger, the Arsenal manager who has told media that what they print is often utter balls.

 “I will be actively involved but on the last day of the window. I will of course be on alert until the last minute of the transfer deadline. You (the media) have decided that I have to buy strikers – I have not necessarily decided that. Once again all the negotiations have to be as secret as possible and if we sign somebody, even if we sign Falcao, you will be informed.

“If I give you the number of strikers I have at the moment it’s absolutely unbelievable. We have Sanogo, Sanchez, we have Walcott, we have Podolski, we have Giroud who will come back during the season and I forget maybe one or two. Campbell can play centre forward as well and of course we can be successful.

“The success of a season doesn’t depend on one player that you buy or not. I think you do it when you think it strengthens your squad. We have shown in the last two seasons, when we think money has to be spent we do it. But we want to do it in the right way.

“It’s harder to buy top top top players. Many clubs are on the market and everybody knows each other. The last few days are poker games. There’s a lot of lies there in the few days, everybody is interested in the same player even if you’re the only one who wants the player.”

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Posted: 29th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Want Real Madrid’s Radamel Falcao And Edinson Cavani Is Dropped

TRANSFER Balls: Let’s see what the media has been saying today about Arsenal and Radamel Falcao and Edinson Cavani. And what Arsenal haven’t been saying about everyone.

The Mirror, as ever, leads with a question. Before we see it the Mirror also asks today is Adrien Rabiot if on his way to Arsenal.

 

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The Daily Mirror’s question-mark-at-the-end-of-a-headline balls is not reserved for Arsenal. The paper asks today about Manchester United:

 

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So. The Mirror is full of questions and no answers.

But in the question mark arms race, the Mail wins:

 

 

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Back to Falcao. The Mirror asks: “Arsenal target Radamel Falcao joining Real Madrid for £20m?”

 

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The article contain not a single word on Arsenal actually buying the Monaco player. Instead it just says he’s joining Real Madrid. For Arsenal fans, this is the entire story:

Arsenal target Radamel Falcao is joining Real Madrid from Monaco. The Spanish giants are unable to buy him outright because of UEFA’s financial fair play rules, so are taking him on a season long long – through the fee even for that is reported to be a whopping £20m.

The move could be made permanent next summer. It means Arsenal have one less option should Arsene Wenger decide to bring in a striker following Olivier Giroud’s injury that will keep him out until the new year. (Calciomercato).

Calciomercato is an Italian website. And today it reports that Wenger is buying no strikers. And, even if he were, the Arsenal manager has no intention of telling the media.

But depite this, the Express plucks a straw:

 

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Drop the hunt for Cavani? Arsenal made a single utterance in public about Cavani.

So. Back to that Falcao to Real Madrid story on Twitter:

 

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Yep, news is that Real Madrid have completed a £20m deal to sign forward Radamel Falcao, 28, from Monaco.

You can read that on Calciomercato.

What about the player? Well, last night he spoke about Monaco in the Champions’ League:

“We are hoping to progress to the knockout stages. All the teams are level … We have confidence in our overall potential, our qualities. We have already been preparing for challenging for the Champions League for some time now. We will gain experience. The whole club is confident and we are on the right track… It is important to take points both home and away. We must try to win all our games. That will be essential to access the knockout stages. “

So. No transfer deal done, then…

Posted: 29th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos For More Than They Offer

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TRANSFER Balls:  The Press is replete with reports that Arsenal have made an approach to sign Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Broussia Dortmund’s Greek defender.

What facts do we now know?

The Daily Mail Dortmund tells its readers:

Dortmund paid £7.5million for Papastathopoulos but want close to £20million now as the window is so close to closing. Arsenal are understood to be willing to offer £12m plus add-ons.

So. Arsenal are willing to go to £12m.

The Indy says the Gunners have bid £10.9m.

If Dortmund representatives are reading the Mail, the news is that Arsenal are willing to go higher.

Talk Sport says “Arsenal have made a £12.5m bid for his signature.”

In other facts:

The Star says: “Reports suggest the Gunners are taking steps to replace Thomas Vermaelen who moved to Barcelona for £10m this summer.”

The BBC says Vermaelen went for £15m: “Thomas Vermaelen: Arsenal agree £15m fee with Barcelona.”

When evern the most basic facts are

 

 

Posted: 29th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Buy Adrien Rabiot As Manchester United Parade Vidal

TRANSFER Balls: Are Arsenal buying Paris Saint Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot? Let’s see what balls the media has been reproting.

The Metro says the Gunners  have bid £11.9million for the player. The paper says his agent is in London to finalise the deal.

In another story from today, the trusty Metro notes “Arsenal are not thought to be close to signing anyone”.

 

 

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It’s almost as if  the Metro makes it up as it goes along.

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Posted: 28th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: What Is Champions League Qualification Worth?

HOW much is qualification to the Champions’ League 2014 worth to Arsenal?

The Sun: “ALEXIS SANCHEZ paid off his entire transfer fee with one kick — firing Arsenal to a £50million Champions League place”

The Times: “…a goal worth roughly £30 million in prize money”

Daily Telegraph: “Champions League qualification is generally worth around £20 million each season to Arsenal”

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Posted: 28th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Money, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Giroud Out For Four Months After Tibia Operation

ARSENAL Balls:

Olivier Giroud has undergone successful surgery to repair a small fracture to his left tibia. Scans following Saturday’s match at Everton confirmed the injury and after specialist opinions in the following days, the decision was taken to have surgery in London on Wednesday afternoon. Olivier is expected to return to action in approximately four months.

In other new, Giroud wears his kit to watch the football:

 

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Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Munir El-Haddadi Linked To Arsenal

TRANSFERBalls: The Daily Express says Arsenal are “keeping tabs” on Barcelona’s 18-year-old “wonderkid” Munir El-Haddadi.

Rumours are that he can be purchased for £10m. And that would be a relative snip given that he scored on his Barcelona debut.

Stories linking Arsenal with Munir emerged in January. And nothing happened…

 

Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal And Manchester United Were The Only Clubs In For Mehdi Benatia

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TRANSFER Balls: Arsenal and Manchester United never did sign Mehdi Benatia.

That’s a big shock to readers of Nick Lustig, one of the Star’s football writers:

Arsenal and Utd in two-horse race for Mehdi Benatia as Roma scrap Bayern meeting

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Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Want Radamel Falcao But Only If He’s Better Than Nikola Zigic

TRANSFER Balls: Arsenal are going to sign…

The Mail says it’s Danny Wellbeck, Manchester United’s spare part. Sami Mokbel says Arsenal “will” move to buy a striker before the transfer window closes. And top of the list is Wellbeck.

 

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Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Who’ll Never Guess Whose Having A Medical At Arsenal

TRANSFER Balls: From news of the sublime Edinson Cavani heading to Arsenal, comes news that the Gunners have all but agreed to sign… Nikola Zigic. The very tall striker is undergoing a medical at the Emirates.

This news from Zigic’s native Serbia has been picked up by the Mirror and the Sun.

Zigic is a 6’7 barely mobile mast who was released by Birmingham City.

If this move happens – and that if is bigger than Zigic’s noggin – it will be the shock transfer of the season…

 

Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Weigh Up Cavani Against Benzema

TRANSFER Balls: The Express leads with the news that Arsenal are lining up a £50m move for Paris St-Germain star and Manchester United target Edinson Cavani.

Anthony Chapman has news:

…according to reports in France, Wenger is determined to sign Cavani before the end of the window, with a £50million bid believed to be in the works.

What reports in France, he doesn’t say. If only there were a way of linking stories to their sources on a world wide web.

We found talk that Cavani is off to Arsenal if PSG can secure Benzema from Real Madrid.

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Posted: 27th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Buying Just Three Strikers To Replace Giroud

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TRANSFER Balls: The Daily Express has sensational news for Arsenal fans. The Gunners are not buying one striker. Nor buying two strikers. They are buying three strikers. This will leave them with NINE strikers (not including the others – ed).

As Arsene Wenger told us:

“We have [Yaya] Sanogo who will be an important asset, we have Giroud, we have Lukas Podolski, we have Joel Campbell who can play centre forward. We have Alexis [Sanchez] and [Theo] Walcott coming back. Let’s not forget that.”

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Posted: 26th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comments (3)


Transfer Balls: Manchester United Get Arturo Vidal For £10m Less Than Arsenal Bid

MANCHESTER United have moved to buy Artuo Vidal, the Chilean midfielder. The fee is a £34m plus one Mexican striker namely Javier Hernández  (Guardian) or  £31.8m (Independent). Vidal, the Juventus skipper – they are the Italian champions – must be overjoyed to be heading to Manchester United, England’s seventh-best team.

But, then, the Belfast Telegraph calls Vidal “fragile”, which is a comment on his right knee rather then his mind. The Indy says that knee is so dodgy any move “may require a complex, appearance-based contract”.

Back in Manchester, United manager Louis Van Gaal is talking players:

“I cannot say anything about transfers and you have to understand that. When a transfer is finished, then we say anything. But now you have to wait and see. If the moment is there Manchester United shall announce it. But it is not only Di Maria. Maybe Vidal or Messi. We are a big club.”

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Posted: 26th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Get Cerci, Benatia, Khedira And A Headache

CErci Arsenal

TRANSFER Balls: With the football Transfer Season coming to an end, the media experts have taken out their scatterguns and aimed them at Arsenal. In the past 24 hours, Arsenal have been linked with the following players:

The Metro says Arsenal want Alessio Cerci

The Star says Arsenal want to buy Atletico Madrid’s Toby Alderweireld

The Mirror says Arsenal want Wolfsburg’s Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo

 The Mirror says Arsenal want West Ham’s Winston Reid

The Metro says Arsenal want Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho

The Star says Arsenal are chasing Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote

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Posted: 26th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Arsenal Balls: Manchester United’s Wellbeck, Remy, Podolski And Radamel Falcao’s Futures Rest On Giroud’s Ankle

ARSENAL Balls: how football reporting works with the Telegraph’s Matt Law. He’s looking at Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud.

 

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In an “EXCLUSIVE”, Law writes:

Arsenal could be forced into late transfer window move for striker after Olivier Giroud injures ankle

Could.

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Posted: 25th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment (1)


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Beat Manchester United, Sunderland And Spurs For Everton’s Kostas Manolas

TRANSFER Balls: Arsenal are being linekd with a move for Olympiacos defender Kostas Manolas. Is  there any truth in it? After all, in 2013, the Star said Manolas was being watched by Newcastle.  That followed the Star’s September 2013 news that “Tottenham, Sunderland and Fulham targeting Greek defender Kostas Manolas”.

The source for the Star’s scoops was Gazzetta.gr, a site that said Manolas was on his way to Juventus in a done deal (August 8) and heading to Roma (March 2012).

Numerb of quotes from anyone connected to thsoe clubs: nil.

Also in 2010, Manolas was an Everton player.

 

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So. What now for the Greek player?

 

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Posted: 25th, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal Get Khedira Before Chelsea And Manchester United Turn Down Angel Di Maria

IS Sami Khedira heading to Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United? Transfer Balls investigates what the media experts have been reporting on the Real Madrid player.

August 23:

The Daily Mail announces:

Sami Khedira could be heading for Bayern Munich, as he misses Real Madrid’s Spanish Super Cup clash to watch his brother play in Germany

So. German goes to Germany. Read all about it! Did Khedira met with Bayern Munich? No.

But Charlie Eccleshare has more facts:

…it is unclear whether Bayern’s manager Pep Guardiola is interested in the World Cup winning midfielder.

By “unclear”, he means ‘I have no idea’. But.,.

Sportsmail understands that Khedira is not Guardiola’s first choice for the central midfield position, which could put the breaks on the deal.

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Posted: 23rd, August 2014 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment