Race Hots Up For Portuguesa Striker Diogo Luis Santo

The race to sign Portuguesa’s highly rated Brazilian striker Diogo Luis Santo has become a two team affair, after the São Paulo based side confirmed they have received another offer for his services.

Arsenal have had two previous bids rejected, and the latest approach from an unnamed Italian side, has suffered the same fate.

“So far the best offer has been from an Italian side,” proclaimed Portuguesa director Andre Heleno

“They have bid around £9 million, but we want closer to £11 million.”

The clubs president Manuel da Lupa admitted the Gunners long-term interest three months ago, and claims they have twice turned down Arsenal’s advances. South American scout Sandro Orlandelli is keeping Steve Rowley updated with the situation, but Lupa already has a plan in place to generate more cash for their prize asset.

“We want Diogo to play in the Brazilian league until the end of the year, reach the national team, and increase his value.”

Many regard Diogo as one of the brightest prospects currently in Brazil, and is already been hyped up as “the new Alexandre Pato”. At 182cm, he is not only a skillful, intelligent forward, but also excellent in the air. He notched 18 goals in his debut season, and a further 22 strikes last campaign.

It is expected he will partner the Milan forward Pato at the forthcoming Olympic football tournament, where scouts from all over Europe will be monitoring the tricky striker.

It is currently unknown if Arsenal would return and match the asking price, but should this happen Diogo’s representative, Rodrigo Righetti, says he would favour a switch to London.

“Diogo would love to play for Arsenal. But for now, he must wait for an offer that suits both the club and himself.”

Unless a “Special talent” visa application would be accepted, he would not be able to claim the required work permit. This would mean he would have to be loaned to Spanish link side Salamanca, and with no players currently signed to send there next season, the possibility of his signing increases.

Article By – J.Sanderson

91 thoughts on “Race Hots Up For Portuguesa Striker Diogo Luis Santo

  • June 24, 2008 at 4:36 pm
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    wuld b gd if we got him as if hes anything like Pato he will be class.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:36 pm
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    If he is regarded as the next big thing in Brazilian football? you think that there would be more than two clubs in for him wouldn’t you

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:37 pm
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    according to wikipedia he has a portuguese passport

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:40 pm
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    Yea but would a 21 year old really wanna spend 2 seasons of his carear playing out on loan waiting for a permit. He has a brilliant goals to games tally, but signing him would signal the end for either Eduardo, Bendtner or Vela unless Ade goes.

    I meen: Adebayor, Van Persie, Eduardo, Bendtner, Vela, Walcott, Barazite. Thats 7 strikers, ok Barazite will only feature in the CC and Walcott can get games on the wing but thats still 5, add in Diogo that 6 quality players fighting over 2 spots.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:42 pm
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    Santo is a great player statistically but like you said there are too many people runnin for the same spot. Its a little overboard in my opinion!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:43 pm
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    please can anyone tell me what’s happaning with NASRI?????

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:44 pm
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    nothing wrong to bring a highly thought prospect in.

    are there any truth that Arsenal did bid for him?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:45 pm
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    he aint signing. fact!! guarantee it, arsene has already said he dont need forwards!!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:45 pm
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    nasri thing is getting way to boring and depresing..
    in the end we will rather be relieved than happy.think it might happen the 1st of july

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:46 pm
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    Could the idiotic ‘first’ behaviour not infect this top site as well.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:48 pm
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    His Wiki claims he has a Portuguese Passport so would he still need to be loaned out?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:48 pm
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    always youngsters…people probably think our scouts are paedofiles

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:49 pm
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    wiki are sometimes worst than the tabloids

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:51 pm
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    But why would people make up little details like that?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:53 pm
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    well if tabloids can make up garbage….wiki is free so anyone can edit it.
    last i heard that he needed a special talent work permit

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:54 pm
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    We can forget Nasri today… It’s really really depressing and boring……. I am very nervous.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:54 pm
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    hmm i think that diogo would be a brilliant signing but yeah 6 strikers for two spots except when we are dominating a game and arsene decides to go 4-3-3 which i feel we will do alot next season…or the everything or nothing 4-2-4 which will be used in desperationa few times next season but it will not be deployed alot and means that they will only make substitute appearances which they wont find good enough. Vela and Walcott could go midfield i suppose i dont know if diogo is good in midfield Barazite will be mainly CC maybe fringes of 1st team… i dont know how it would work… and who decides about the special talent visa…i think it will become increasingly harder with the 6+5 rule and homegrown rules trying to be brought into play. but i would open him with open arms as he is a very good player.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:55 pm
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    if he’s remotely anything close to pato he should have that special talent thingy. and maybe pedro botelho will be loaned out to salamanca. we never know. that’s what arsene does. knowing stuff.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 4:57 pm
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    well denilson got a special talent visa when he joined..

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:02 pm
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    nasri thing has become a joke. i cant even be bothered whether he does or doesn’t sign. the whole thing has been an utter mess.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:04 pm
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    i can remember the Hleb signing also took quite some time.
    and other signings like eduardo happens in a flash

    have someone hared the rumour that Marsielle want to wait for the end of year(finance) before selling him?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:06 pm
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    if he has a portuguese passport he doesn’t need a special talent visa or work permit, etc. an eu passport would suffice.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:13 pm
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    I believe the italion side is Fiorentina and they have money, plus with us having so many stricker i think he may choose them so he gets to play

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:21 pm
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    Well, here is an interview with Pape Diouf (today):

    We knew the position of Samir Nasri. According to the provision Webster, he had the opportunity to leave the club with a cheque that would have been much smaller scale compared to the agreements which we reached today. After moult negotiations with him and his representatives, we have reached this agreement which established the rules of the game of a departure. Samir was very concretely approached by Arsenal, a club which was also sent to us. So there are steps to be taken which are to establish a definitive agreement between the two clubs. It is not yet done so even if verbally, agreements have been more or less endorsed. Pending reaching the formalisation of this agreement, we can not say that Samir Nasri belongs to Arsenal. There is indeed a strong likelihood that it operates in the club next season but until that agreement is not formalized finally, we can not talk of departure.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:25 pm
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    Attila can you or some1 explain that to me im lost

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:25 pm
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    would we buy such an expensive player, that we are not missing just because we have an agreement with salamanca?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:27 pm
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    Worth 5mil tops. Played against my team here in Brazil and only managed to dive and get his team a penalty. Good player but not even close to being worth 10 mil. Plus, being 20 or 21 (not sure really) it is a bit idiotic calling him ‘new Pato’ when Pato is three years younger than him.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:29 pm
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    11 million pounds, this kid better be damn good. Sounds pretty unlikely to me…

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:30 pm
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    I have doubts with Diogo getting a Work Permit. And not all players will want to be loaned out for a few seasons like Vela until he is eligible to play in UK. Man Utd’s plan to loan back Ramsey backfired although its not about eligibility.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:35 pm
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    sounds like the nasri deal is still from being completed

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:35 pm
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    sounds like the nasri deal is still FAR from being completed

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:41 pm
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    It says that a verbal deal has been agreed but not officially agreed. He says that there is a large chance he will join Arsenal.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:46 pm
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    Cheers Attila can only understand abit of it due to my average skills in french due to schooling…as i get its in the process but its the agreements between the two clubs but it says the fee amount has been agree’d so what else is there to be agree’d? and with Nasri i will be glad to hear it finally announced with jubilation but with exhaustion that its finally finished.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 5:59 pm
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    A lot of money for a kid, its a gamble.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:10 pm
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    Another day comes, another day goes and still no Nasri. I am beginning to think its time for Arsene to knock this one on the head and turn his attentions to someone else. JP Bernes is dragging this out in order to embarass, frustrate, humiliate and make a monkey out of our boss. Wenger should tell him and Nasri to f*** off. Either you want to play at Arsenal or you don’t, it ain’t that difficult.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:11 pm
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    Bernes & Wenger are good friends now, both of them were in contact with each other before the Nasri saga began.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:12 pm
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    oh yh what happened to nasri i thought he woz signing today huh

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:22 pm
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    Gooner Chris, how do you know they are good friends now?

    I find it hard to believe Wenger can forgive a man responsible for stealing two titles from him, thats at least 2 years of Wengers life stolen by opposition bribes and corruption!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:23 pm
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    Whenever i hear that we are in competition with anyone i automatically dismiess the possibiility

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:25 pm
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    He has a Portuguese Passport mate, and Wenger wouldn’t spend £11,000,000 and then ship him out to Spain for 3 years, not a million years..

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  • June 24, 2008 at 6:37 pm
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    Diogo is a player that, even if the story about a portugueese passport was untrue, would be a special signing.

    As long Arsenal ‘own’ the player, what are the chances that in 12 months his price jumps to between 20-30 millions pounds?
    Football is also business you know, so if he stays on for Arsenal good, if we sell him later, all good.
    It will be a clear win-win situation.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:01 pm
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    kenyagunner, good point! Like it or not, football is more of a business nowadays. If he is as good as the hype, then we have to snap him up before others do, even if it is just to sell him on. Arsenal need to think big like Real Madrid do, they buy up more talent than they need and sell them or part loan them to other clubs.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:03 pm
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    Nice work J.S. Diogo would be quite a signing. Where did the agent’s quote come from?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:07 pm
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    I’m assuming that if Adebayor goes then this Diogo will replace him. They make a note of pointing out he’s good in the air which Ade is and thats something we lacked before last season.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:19 pm
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    This Adebayor appreciation week thing on arsenal.com is fantastic timing :)

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:38 pm
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    Ruby044, lol am I the only one who believes the Arsenal.com team must be living in a bubble or some time portal?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:42 pm
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    Why is everyone getting their effin knickers in a twist coz nasri hasn’t signed officially?

    He WILL sign. Who gives a flying f*ck if it doesn’t happen for a few more days?

    Is he missing games for Arsenal?

    SWheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh! No patience.

    Sod £11 million for Diogo as well.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 7:52 pm
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    “lol am I the only one who believes the Arsenal.com team must be living in a bubble or some time portal?”

    I think basically the Arsenal.com site isnt a news site its an announcement site, they announce things that happen when they happen, they dont speculate on stuff.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:12 pm
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    The Arsenal.com site only announce the arrival & departure of players when all of the relevant paperwork concerning the parties in question has been signed, sealed and delivered.

    That is the correct approach to take, both legally and factually.

    If some fans get upset because the official Arsenal site doesn’t get updated as often as Newsnow does, that’s just too bad.

    Incidentally, Arsene said earlier this month that if Nasri is signed, the deal is likely to take place after the completion of Euro 2008. He didn’t say it was dependant upon when the French team got knocked out of the tournament. So if we happen to sign Nasri before the end of Euro 2008, that’ll be a bonus.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:13 pm
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    I know that Johnny, but recently they have started Adebayor Week, in a week where he has been heavily linked away from the club. They did the same last year just before Henry joined barcelona.

    Last week they named Ashley Cole as one of Arsenal’s all time greats!

    Sometimes going on Arsenal.com feels like going to nanns house in a small country village, where they talk about news that is 5 weeks old.

    I just feel that the team behind the site are out of touch with the real fans, they don’t need to speculate to appease fans, they just need to be on the ball!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:18 pm
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    How Cashley Twat was in the list of players I’ll never know? Ahead of the likes of merson, Sansom McLintock FFS!

    He wouldnt maske it into a list of the 100 best dog turds.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:19 pm
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    arse.com is spending a week each on their players of the season, Sagna came fourth and got last week dedicated, and a 3rd place Ade got this week. It has nothing to do with AC having scouts come out in the press to say they’d like him. The more I think about it, the more I think Hleb and Ade will be here come next season. Well, at least Hleb.

    Diogo looks special, he will get a visa no doubt. Just watch Goalisimo (sp?) every week and you usually see him do something special. Ok, it doesn’t give me an indication of him constantly over 90mins but it’s as close as i’ll get to knowning who’s doing what in Brazilian football and the kid looks good. There is a reason he is found in highlight clips and it’s not the same reason Titus Bramble can often also be found. And he has been stated to partner Pato at the olympics for a long time, how is that not an indication of being worthy of a visa? Well, I guess now Boris runs London and there is a BNP seat it’ll still fail. :S

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:24 pm
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    lol@samuel yup that bnp probably hates arsenal.

    I agree with you about Hleb, but feel uneasy about the reason he is staying. He obviously wanted to leave, but the clubs that are interested don’t rate him highly enough to pay the asking price; which must have been a shot to his confidence. If he does stay it is purely because it suits him best, he obviously doesnt give a toss about the club or fans.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:30 pm
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    Um, we don’t know IF clubs havent iffered enough for Hleb, do we?

    Once again, its speculation, not facts.

    Hleb has said he is happy at Arsenal, many times. In fact I think all this shit started coz his agent was going on about a new deal for him when he was playing well and the club point blank refused.

    Result; the agent starts smoozing loads of european clubs.

    Saying all of that, I’d rather flog him and sign Silva!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:31 pm
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    would we turn down messi just because we’ve got Bendter? course not. If Diogo is as good as is suggested, sign him up, loan him him out and see what he’s made of.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:32 pm
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    The team behind Arsenal.com are not in the business of responding to silly summer season madness & idle speculation/fiction put out by the press & broadcasting media, and nor should they be.

    They have a responsible job to do, and I for one am glad that they don’t waste their time & energy continually responding to & firefighting fictional stories about this or that player.

    The bottom line is that fans have to use their own critical faculties to assess what they read, and make up their own minds about the truthfulness or otherwise of what is put out by the media in the public domain.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:34 pm
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    Joy of cesc;

    Diogo’s rubbish! Just look at the photo above, its so obvious!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:41 pm
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    Spike: It was voted for by fans. Not myself, I didn’t have a subscription to atvo at the time, and sure as hell wouldn’t have voted for the cunt myself. But he was a major factor of the unbeaten team, so I can understand why less bitter people would vote for the bastid.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:45 pm
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    Samuel;

    Are you sure it wasn’t all down to you?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:45 pm
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    Yeah, arse.com could comment on transfers before they’re done but it’d only make us look as silly as Aaron’s Ramsey’s current club Manchester United!

    In that Rowley article last week he said that the only players we care about now are the next Kaka’s and Maradona’s, no small fry. If we buy Diogo, it’s because he’s great. No less. This is the man responsible for a team that found Cesc and Clichy and a million other greats and they are only getting better at it as time goes on.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 8:47 pm
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    Well there was that man who came to my door and asked if I thought Merson was worse than Cole and I agreed. I thought we were discussing abilities to have bum sex with men while sober though.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 9:14 pm
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    can anyone post any video’s of this lad please I can’t find any?!!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 9:39 pm
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    Why is this article word-for-word the same as the one on goal.com?? have they been copying?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 9:55 pm
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    Arsenal.com didnt vote Cole as arsenals 25th best player, the arsenal.com users did. I took part in that poll (no i didnt vote for Cole) and none of my players have come up yet…so im hoping my top 10 end up being the top ten.

    Yea its ridiculious that Cole and Anelka have been voted in as 2 of Arsenals 50 greatest all time players but its not the sites fault. As for Adebayor week they always do a weeks focus on each player that comes 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st in the player of the season poll (i voted for Sagna btw who came 4th which im a bit miffed about), its not their fault that Ade has been linked to clubs on the week they had scuduled to announce the 3rd placed player in the poll.

    What pisses me off if that they are so limited on what they do offer, e.g. when they have something to announce they announce it from one day to 1 whole week in the case of U18s results after its happened, they hardly ever update the statistics, they dont update the player profiles etc…

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  • June 24, 2008 at 9:59 pm
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    Thnx ARENAL I laughed my ass off when the defender tried to defend with an overhead kick… they always do that in Africa and South America!!!

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  • June 24, 2008 at 10:50 pm
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    From my understanding, Nasri has had a medical and signed his contract. Part of that deal was that Arsenal do not formally announce the deal unless given a go ahead by Marseille.

    As far as signing is concerned, it is done!
    Arsenal have no responsibility to denounce the deal as the mistake did not come from the club. He is unofficially an Arsenal player. If Marseille wants the deal to be announced later, then Arsenal will dance to the tune of that agreement. It is however very unfair on the fans who follow this club, who would have felt good this summer about the announcement.
    Whatever the case is, it would be announced. The agent is obliged to make the comments he made. That’s procedure
    Let’s move on from this saga onto more important stuff.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 10:57 pm
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    Why do I seriously doubt that we will buy this Diogo? If he is as good as this coach says than we should snap him up no later than yesterday. But if he was even close to being as good as Pato then he would be in the national team. I find it funny that he is said to be the new Pato, as the Duck is two years younger.

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  • June 24, 2008 at 11:29 pm
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    Am I the only one to think from that picture that this guy looks like Walcott with longer hair?

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  • June 24, 2008 at 11:37 pm
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    its only u ethan

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  • June 24, 2008 at 11:43 pm
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    Can anyone compare David Silva and Fran Merida Perez

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  • June 24, 2008 at 11:53 pm
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    “Am I the only one to think from that picture that this guy looks like Walcott with longer hair?”

    I think its just cuz they have a similar skin tone and side burns, i see what ur talkin about thou.

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  • June 25, 2008 at 4:41 am
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    It’s also the way he stands. Walcott often has the same posture when he is dribbling towards somebody.

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  • June 25, 2008 at 8:04 am
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    Stone said this on June 24, 2008 at 10:57 pm

    Well, Robinho and Adriano have a lot more experience, and Robinho is better than most strikers in the world. Pato is still trying to break into that and Diogo/Pato will be the partnership for the olympics, so we know it’s going to be the future front 2 for brazil, barring any crazy injuries or unheard of next pele type shit. But it’s like Bojan doesn’t make the Spanish national team, it doesn’t make him crap, it makes him young.

    Is all the olympic football going to be on the tele j? it’s seems like the type of thing you’d know about and would interest us all.

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  • June 25, 2008 at 9:52 am
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    does anyone knows about Thiago Neves Augusto?

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  • June 25, 2008 at 9:56 am
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    Anyone else reckon we should be in for Heuluro Gomes the player kept 60% clean sheets last season, best keeper ever in eridvise.

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  • June 25, 2008 at 10:28 am
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    wenger: well consider that one of the most exciting teams in holland are managed by steve mclaren and it gives you a more realistic picture. he is good though. Also, anyone find it hilarious no-one wants to buy spurs’ shit, so they will just rot in the reserves while they can’t afford to buy all these players? The more I think about it the more I see: Gomes (success), Dos Santos (starts well, then everyone forgets about him), Modric (it’s just written on the wall, failure), Milito (only player i can see replacing berba, gets 14 goals, of which is 1 hatrick, kinda failure).

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  • June 25, 2008 at 1:00 pm
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    I doubt we will spend £10 million plus only to send him out on loan. We are not Chelsea. Besides good work WHO LET THE BEAST OUT, great job. I love your blog, it is very informative.

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  • June 25, 2008 at 2:33 pm
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    Why every single blog is about Nasri. “Bring upa new subject ARSHAVIN”

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  • June 25, 2008 at 8:09 pm
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    Im sure he would be able to get a special talent visa, If denilson got one then he definateley should. Never seen him play so i cannot say if he is worth it but he has consistently scored goals and is highly rated. Might see if i can find any vids on youtube about him.

    Reply
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