Conflicting Arsenal reports on Tammy Abraham transfer

Aren’t Arsenal supposed to be working on a deal to sign James Maddison this summer? A massive one that will force a few piggy banks to be smashed in order to secure a priority position? Well, never say they can’t multitask, which they are supposedly doing with Tammy Abraham.

Are they actually, though? This is the summer transfer window we are talking about and if someone could go ahead and invent an anti-virus type software to filter out all the speculative nonsense that would be just delightful.

Unfortunately, we have to decipher it all ourselves. It’s great fun. Sometimes. And next up on the list is Tammy Abraham, whose name has become more prominent in the Arsenal sphere in the past week.

It started with a report from The Telegraph who listed Arsenal as a side monitoring his situation at Chelsea. Monitoring, keeping an eye on, tracking progress and what have you, it’s all the same.

Conflicting Arsenal reports on Tammy Abraham transfer as Chelsea close to agreeing loan with £40m obligation to buy this summer

With a striker situation that is up in the air for as long as Alexandre Lacazette’s future remains unsolved, it’s difficult to see where a new centre-forward plays into the summer plans. Especially with four other positions in need of filling before at No. 9.

Lacazette seems like staying. Not out of Arsenal’s wishes, perhaps, but merely because no club will fork out £15m+ and take on his decent wages this summer when he can walk away for free in 12 months or leave for even less in January. European clubs simply do not have the money. It’s a huge investment, and more so for someone who is now 30 years old.

Were he to leave, however, then a call has to be made with Folarin Balogun. Regular football on a loan spell would benefit him hugely as opposed to occasional cup outings, and if so there is an opening for Abraham to come in provide a different option to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Get the salt ready, because Andy Dillon of The Sun is running an exclusive that claims Arsenal will pip Tottenham and West Ham to the post for Abraham, with an initial loan deal agreed with Chelsea that includes an obligation to buy for £40m next summer.

Loan with obligation deals between Premier League clubs are unheard of. Even loan moves with options to purchase are incredibly infrequent. Arsenal striking this deal can only be under the impression that a buyer for Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah has been found, and that Balogun will move out on loan. While you never know in the transfer season, none of this has been mentioned.

Good thing it’s been countered then.

Continued…

Fabrizio Romano Denies Tammy Abraham to Arsenal Links

Interestingly, The Sun have actually been surprisingly less dodgy with Arsenal news this summer. They’ve had their fair share of misses, as ever, but have actually cropped up with some credible information.

This, however, seems like a stretch.

Abraham will be leaving Chelsea this summer after falling out of favour with Thomas Tuchel, who is pursuing a shiny new centre-forward of his own. West Ham and Spurs have been linked, and there are reliable sources stating that Arsenal are staying informed of the 23-year-old’s future.

As they look set to land Ben White for £50m and are plotting a similarly huge bid for Maddison, throwing £40m on top of those deals for a striker who won’t play every week seems a touch dubious.

As per Fabrizio Romano, some sense has entered the fray. He states that there are no advanced talks with both clubs and that the Gunners are just wanting to stay in the loop as he is a player they admire. However, no official bid.

A specialist in vagueness and covering all avenues, this doesn’t completely dispel The Sun’s piece, but does slow everything down to a more manageable pace.

Abraham is not a priority but you can understand what Mikel Arteta has in mind, if he is indeed the player he’s after (which is questionable due to his technical level and link up ability). If Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are sold the Balogun can leave on loan with Abraham being Aubameyang’s backup.

Gabriel Martinelli can be third choice when he’s not out on the wing and come next summer there is then scope for the captain to move on. That would leave Abraham and Flo as the two vying for a starting berth. There is a succession plan there.

Also, while Chelsea rejects aren’t wanted, young Chelsea talents cast aside – Salah, Lukaku and De Bruyne, anyone? – are a different kettle of fish. Abraham is hugely underrated and given his age, Premier League experience, ability and him actually being an Arsenal fan, there is sense in this transfer even if £40m is steep.

But it’s not about him being worth £40m – which in the current market with the unavoidable ‘taxes’ is about right if not still over the top – it’s about necessity. Arsenal have too much on their plate to be spending that kind of money. It’s far too much for the Gunners to spend.

Ignoring The Sun’s piece (which is a good idea), unless Arsenal have a bottomless pit of money to be delving into then this is not the priority position to tend to. Far from it.