Armand Traoré has completed his season-long loan move to Portsmouth, and the 18-year-old Frenchman has set a target to achieve something he has as yet failed to do with Arsenal – win a trophy.
The versatile left sided speedster is set to compete for the left-back slot at Fratton Park, and whilst manager Harry Redknapp claims the ‘Big Four’ are un stoppable, Traoré is aiming for a high finish.
“I want us to be up in the top half of the table and to win at least a trophy,”
“It would be great to defend the FA Cup – I think that it’s a great competition.”
The French Under 19 International follows a long line of Gunners to spend time on the South coast, and Armand admits Pompey boss Redknapp was crucial in his decision to rebuff other offers to sign for the Blues.
“Harry Redknapp is a good manager and the fact that he told me he had confidence in me; that was a big reason for me to come here.
“And Portsmouth are a very good team. They are in the UEFA Cup and that’s great for the club.”
He may have only been a Portsmouth player for a matter of hours, but already the fans are excited about their new signing, a statement echoed by chief executive Peter Storrie.
“We’re delighted that Armand has decided to join us for the season. There were half-a-dozen other clubs interested in signing him on loan.”
“He’s strong and quick and a player that Harry has admired since seeing him play for Arsenal’s first team last season.”
Traoré has had the frustration of Reserves football for the last 6 months, but that should end this weekend as Armand is expected to travel to North for Portsmouth clash against Everton.
Young Guns will keep you updated of the youngsters progress throughout the campaign.
Article By – J.Sanderson
I think that its gr8 for traore to go on loan to a gr8 club like pompey and under the management of redknapp he will only improve
Good deal for everyone involved. He will hopefully gain invaluable experience of the Premier League and can only get better.
Would love for him to score the winner against United on Monday.
He won’t be first choice, but it’ll be good experience to push for league games.
Do you expect Troare to play reguarly at Pompey JS and do we no which position hes been targetted to play in LB or LW?
Left-back, i doubt he will play on the wing especially now they have signed Jerome Thomas as well.
Nicky Shorey joined Villa so i think that has pushed through the initally interest.
Sounds gd i just hope he does get enough games as wouldnt like to see him on the bench all of the time as would be pointless.
I’m sure Wenger wouldn’t have let him leave without assurances that he would play week in week out.
Thats quality news then, an sorry to bring up first team issue but just goes to show why Silvestre was brought in. As it has allowed Troare to get regular first team games in order to challenge for the left back slot next year. Also it explains why Nordveit was allowed to go on loan aswell.
There were times in the past when loaning a player out was the signal of the end, but with Vela we’ve now seen a change in pattern where the loan period is either the end or the beginning.
Interesting stuff … especially with Merida possibly sticking around this side?
Fascinating to see Wenger hinting at still one more. His suggestions indicating he may still go for Barry, Alonso or Yaya. To come out of the off season with 5 signings, strengthening most positions and getting a mixed bag of promise and experience is excellent business in my opinion, and would give us a squad right up there challenging for the title. Let’s see …
One things for sure. He isn’t staying there, he’ll eventually come back a much better player and will be number 2 left back when Silvestre’s contract expiries.
It’s funny too. We’ll have to play a strong squad in the Carling Cup this season with the amount of youngsters going out on loan.
With everybody who has gone out so far, i cannot see Merida leaving
Best of wishes to Traore. Portsmouth might have avoided a hiding by Chelsea had they gotten him earlier…
what´s about merida?? is he promoted to the first team?
This is ridiculous, he looks happier there than with us and seems to think that winning a trophy with Pompey is more realistic than with us?!
On second thoughts, he’s probably right.
I’ll definetly try to watch Gibbs/Nortveit/Pedro/Barazite/Traore out on loan. Are they cup tied and can they play against Arsenal J?
Laz: I think he’s excited at a chance for first team football.
Amazing that for such a prospect, Traore is still so young.
Merida is yet another gem – looks like he could figure then? Although he didn’t really feature in pre-season – I wonder if Arsene has a card up his sleeve? At least it gives us another option if the midfield runs into trouble injury wise.
Traore will probably be played at LB which will be good for his development because he needs to improve his defending a lot. He was impressive against Liverpool for us at the Emirates in the PL last season. As long as he doesn’t get skinned by someone like Ronaldo and dropped from the team, this will be a very good move for him and he should provide ample cover when he returns to us next season.
hear dis sandersonany truth in it?
BUGDUV COULD GO STRAIGHT INTO ARSENAL TEAM SAYS AGENT
TIROL, MOLDOVA (AP) THE player described as the finest young player to come out of Eastern European football since Gheorge Hagi is good enough to go straight in to the Arsenal first team, according to his agent.
Massi Bugduv, the 16-year-old hotshot of Moldovan football has been linked with a host of top clubs around Europe for most of the summer.
Bugduv was left out of his country’s friendly with Lithuania this week because of his complicated transfer negotiations that have seen him based in London since Monday with conflicting news reports having him signing for Arsenal, Chelsea, Zenit St Petersburg, and bizarrely, a move to Reading that involved a loan stint in Ireland in order to secure a work permit.
Last night in London, his agent Sergei Yulikov said that he is sure that the demands of the Premiership will not phase his protege.
“I have no doubt that he has the ability of Fabregas and Nasri, but he needs a stage to perform and prove this. He can be as strong as Obi Mikel of Chelsea, but remember that he is still just a 16 year old boy.
“I cannot talk about the talks with Arsenal, but Masal is happy that he is even being linked with this great football club.
“It plays football the beautiful way, always moving, always passing, always running. It is like the football he played as a child, which is not too long ago, so he cannot believe that this type of football can be played at the top level in Europe,” he said.
Mr Yulikov was seen leaving Highbury House yesterday, the offices of Arsenal near the Emirates Stadium where twenty four hours previously, the club revealed Man Utd player Mikhael Silvestre as their latest summer signing.
Masal Bugduv has been described as one of the most exciting young footballers to come out of Moldocan football.
Born on April 14, 1992, he shot to fame playing for his native FC Olimpia B?l?i for whom he scored a hattrick on his competitive debut in an Adzi Cup match in December 2007.
Bagduv became the youngest player capped at that level by his country and he went on to make his senior international debut aged just 16 years and 44 days when he came on for the national team in their 2-2 draw with Armenia in a friendly international in Tiraspol on May 28.
Trailing 2-1 with just ten minutes left, Moldova seemed set to lose until Bagduv lost his marker on the left wing, shimmied inside two defenders and fired in a shot that could only be parried by Armenian keeper Racif into the path of onrushing Igor Bugaev who equalised. (AP)
August 21
Laz: He doesn’t say he thinks he’s MORE likely to win a trophy there. Bloody hell some of you can’t read. He says he would like to win a trophy, that’s it.
Talking about players born in the nineties really annoys me for some reason.
Well, not for ‘some reason’, it’s because i’m getting old… at 20. Pah, missed my chance to be the next Robert Pires. Oh well.
bugduv is bullshit so dnt ask again. bullshit
bullshit
bugduv story is bull
I wonder if the loan move for Traore may just give us an option on Niko Kranjcar?
hi apparently Gokahn inler will sign for arsenal according to the gooner talk wordpress just wanna know if JS has got any info. Also do u have any news on Lansbury is he going on loan or what. I think hes a brilliant player but wenger keeps playin him out of position maybe hes trying teach lansbury what all round action midfielder shud be able to do. The thing that lansbury has got now is pace before he dodnt think he was fast but seeing some games he looks like hes put on gas and he defo reminds of a steven gerrard. Hope he stays fit could be a real player for us and england
Masal Bugduv story is true!We have been in talks with him and his agent for the last 24hrs.
Describe this bugduv kid his he a messi type player or his he a central midfielder. I feel at arsenal youth there are a lack of quality wingers or wide players we have brilliant CM CB LB RB SS CF but no real out and out wingers
apparently this bugduv kid is going to sign for reading alondon based club then goin on loan to cork in ireland
john: You are so in the know that you call Reading a London based club? Sheesh, buy a map.
Well reading is in london but on the outskirts like old windsor
Good move for Traore, Portsmouth are a good team and CAN play good football…although sadly the often dont. Just hope they give him a decent chance to break the first team and hold down a place. But with him and Thomas in, what a partnership that could be down the left.
Btw, ny1 else seen this Fabio Paim deal for Chelsea? Some of you may remember him from CM 03/04, thing is he actually is good. Ive seen him play for the portugal U21s and other youth levels. Sporting fans over here know about him, even thou they’ve almost never seen him play. Hes somehwat of an enigma. The truth is hes a fanstaticly skillfull and powerful player, but his attitude stinks to put it midly, hes arrogance personified. So just a warning, for any1 who finds Ronaldo annoying, not cuz hes good but just cuz hes him, its about to get a whole lot worse.
In fact i recon we should follow suit and nick Helder Barbosa off Porto. They dont seem to want him much anyway.
Sanderson Diogo has signed for Olympiacos so that ends our interest.
he’ll become a full international and then there won’t be any work permit issues and then we look at him but for now we have enough strikers in ade,rvp,vela,bendtner,eduardo and a few younger ones aswell so no need for him
Well reading is in london but on the outskirts like old windsor
john said this on August 22, 2008 at 10:50 am
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If it’s not in the m25 it’s not in London or Greater London.
Reading is in Berkshire and not London you plums!
traore to portsmouth? good riddence i say, we dont need people like this at the club. let him leave.
oh hes only gone on loan. thats ok then he can come back when hes better in defending.
What number will Traoré be given at Portsmouth?