Arsenal are now believed to be back in the race for Fulham defender Chris Smalling after having a bid accepted by the Cottagers.
Manchester United have been in talks with the England Under 21 international since this morning and they’ve announced on their website that they had signed the player and that all but a medical is needed for the deal to be done. However, Fulham say nothing has been signed. Smalling is due at their Carrington training complex tomorrow where he will have those tests but Arsenal have now stepped in and reportedly matched the fee of around £8 million.
Life long Gooner Smalling now looks to have the final decision on any move.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Right, I’ve just had to spend half an hour picking all your toys up and putting them back in your prams and I’m not happy.
No pudding for a lot of you tonight.
Why slag off Arsene – Gazidis handles handles the transfers these days. I’m sure Arsene has been with his players for the last two days.
s – it’s not confirmed on Fulham’s website.
It says terms have been agreed but also says:
“Should a successful medical be completed and final terms agreed the player will join Sir Alex Ferguson’s team at the start of the 2010/2011 season, staying at Fulham for the remainder of the current season.”
they slagg of Wenge cos they want BIG NUMBERS and BIG SPENDINGS. SMALLING WOULD WIN THE TITLE FOR US DO YOU NOT KNOW? HES THE NEXT MESSIAH…
In fairness the statements from Fulham and Man Utd state that no deal has been signed in contract and so Arsenal could still feasibly sign him. Something similar happened with Aaron Ramsey. Man Utd gave a statement on their website saying
– “Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical,”
and you know what happened then.
Source by the way – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/2302309/Man-United-favourites-to-to-sign-Aaron-Ramsey.html
Christ, why do any of you care. Man Utd are desperate for a centre-back as Vidic is leaving and Rio is falling apart. For all we know Wenger has been playing mind games, pretending to be interested in order to trick Fergie into overpaying (yet again) for an unproven defender.
fuck smalling we dont need him. Jesus wenger is obsessed with the “right player at the right price” on what planet is smalling worth 10mill, but chamakh isnt worth 5mill.
Seeing as Crystal Palace has gone into administration mabey we can get Victor Moses and Nathanel Clyne on the cheap?.
Where did you get your update from J?
Wikipedia has it confirmed?
poor CP.. maybe we get all their Academy kids like when wimbeldon moved, that means more gibbs and .. errr who els came from there again?
Seriously why are Manure allowed to buy any player with that kind off Debt,it is a fucking disgrace.
enjoyicecold10 – I read your comments and you said the article was “removed”. It wasn’t. Its just pushed onto the second page like a number of other articles published today based on comments from Wenger’s pree conference. So to complain about me saying I should read your comments before critiscing you is just wrong. Next time get your facts right it wasnt “removed”.
Anyway, people are saying Smalling supports Arsenal. Anyone got a link or where did they here this?
Smalling did very well at Stamford, playing instead of Hangeland.
can i ask you though people, I have never seen this kid Smalling, and i had never even heard about him before AW wanted to buy him. IF we end up paying 8M for him, is he worth it? I mean should we not be happy united are blowing their money on some unproven kid while we buy the likes of Vermimator?
I saw Smalling play once and score an own goal. I will excited if we are talking about Kun-Aguero or Villa! True gooners know the value and wisdom of AW. We surely dont want to become another Man U, Liverpool or Madrid laden down with debts and a questionable future.
Listen,Wenger pays for the talent that is exactly what he did with Ramsey and Walcott too,great promising talent costs.deal with it.
How comes no-one else has this story? How do you know this?
Appeciate you cant reveal your sources but it would be good to have some more colour
Thanks
Take a chill pill guys! You’d think we are Sp*rs by the way most of you are reacting. If you want Wenger out, who the he’ll are we going to get to replace him? Window isn’t closed yet.
Personally, I feel we should just put another 3 mill to that 7 and buy SHAWCROSS, he,s young, tall, English, takes no s**t, and hes got valuable PL expierience.
How did you know that he was a lifelong Gooner?
Oh my good! What the fuck are you spioled little brats writing about Wenger? You should be happy he dosent spalash out enourmous amounts of money on unproved players. We have the best finacial situation in the PL! Why do you think that is? Burn in hell you unthankfull motherfuckers. This shit pisses me of.
I doubt we will sign him. Wenger did sound abit sheepish at the press conference though. you never know. I think we have 40% chance of signing him
looks like its going to be a tight one
In Wenger u trust………………………u mugs
hahahahahahahaha
Fulham’s site says ”
Should a successful medical be completed and final terms agreed the player will join Sir Alex Ferguson’s team at the start of the 2010/2011 season, staying at Fulham for the remainder of the current season.”
Two conditions yet to be fulfilled. There is still time to scupper the deal and Man Urd have shown no class by publishing the news before it is confirmed.
Why do we need smalling,we have Djorou, Bartley,Nordveldt to back up TV & WG….
Rumours say SAF dined with Hodgson in Manchester this weekend, i assume that is some of the reason Smalling is heading that way instead of to us.
#
I despair at some of the ‘Football Manager’ morons commenting on here.
I’d rather we didn’t pay over the odds for someone who’s played about 10 games thanks. Wenger knows.
Bartley has plenty of potential.
Ian Gooner said this on January 26, 2010 at 4:46 pm
To be fair, I play Football Manager exactly like Wenger: buy cheap and young, try and build up my academy, sell the players I build up for ridiculous profit and win everything playing beautiful football. Also never see bad challanges!
From what i can understand from the websites the deal dosent seem to be done. And as mentioned abowe Wenger looked like he had something up his sleeve at he press conference. Lets wait and see. Its sound like alot of money to me tough. Bur Wenger hasnt given me any reason not to trust him when is comes to talent.
Simon out.
Hey Gary, you are right… we don’t need him, especially for over inflated british player prices… Don’t forget to add to your list we also have out Sol back…
Hey Gary, you are right… we don’t need him, especially for over inflated british player prices… Don’t forget to add to your list we also have our Sol back…
i don’t believe i’m reading a blog of arsenal fans. i think these fans who say that wenger should go out should stop supporting arsenal. we don’t need people like u. Wenger is the one who brought 3 premier league titles , 4 FA Cups- Fabregas, Vieira, Henry, Pires, Petit, Overmars; the invincibles ….. Please i beg, those who don’t support the team, don’t write here
#
Where did you get your update from J?
Darren said this on January 26, 2010 at 6:19 pm
#
Wikipedia has it confirmed?
Matt said this on January 26, 2010 at 6:24 pm
<3 u gooners.
If Wenger thinks he is good enough, he is good enough. I remember Tony Adams scoring own goals, was he not worth it? But like someone else said, Vidic is off, Rio is crocked to shit and Evans is a rapist- no wonder Fergie is trying so hard. We aren't in such a bad position and if we lose out, it'll be a shame because the kid is obviously talented but it isn't the end of the world.
smalling just seems like a older bartley..why do we care..its just a prospect missed its not like wenger wont find another one!! and apparently smalling had the game of his life against chelsea..yet..drogba managed to climb out his ‘pocket’ to score a header(senderos???) and then scored the winner for chelsea..sounds great
also much rather sign sakho from psg
something strange Is going on , fulham official website from about an hour make a link about Smalling Statement and when i try to get in it show ( error ! ) but know they say that they agree the deal with MU ! i think it end to be manchester deal but we should wait anything , lets hope its good news for gunners !
can i just say- and i am never the type to advocate such a thing- arsene plz plz plz plz plz from the bottom of my heart PLEASE- buy Buffon if he wants out from Juve.
u call urselevs gooners and yet fukin crucify wenger….the same fukin wenger who has made arsenal wat it is today……u fukin twats forget that wenger brought Vermaelan the same guy who guys call ur hero des days…..when arsenal wins u guys sing praises about wenger and how thers onli 1 of his kind??…..and when we lose ul treat him worse than the scum…..u guys just wait for arsenal to make a mistake so u can put the blmae solely on wenger…..wev got enough players to win the league dis time around and we got song and eboue along wid nicklas and samir comin back from injury…..wer in wid shout……dont fukin crucify wenger.its not his fault that our players get injurd or dont perform on the day…..hes a fukin manager not a god…..if u guys cant support arsenal then fuck off to spurs….dose lousy shite arse fukin tycoons need sum support cos diers is shit
In other news – looks as though Ferdinand is out for the Arsenal game. Excellent.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7079119/Manchester-United-defender-Rio-Ferdinand-charged-with-violent-conduct-following-return.html
P.S. Wenger built this club into the modern marvel some of you infantile twats take for granted. Whatever success this clubs has in the future none of it could or would have existed without him.
He works tirelessly and thinks of nothing other than the club and its LONG TERM success and stability. It is a miracle we have competed at all in this era of outrageous expenditure financial recklessness.
You are beneath contempt for asking for his head – who do you think you all are?
well said Jonny totally agree with u.
yea exactly…..dis guy works day and night for arsenal…..hes termed as the most hardworkin manager in the league….he bloody rejects a move for real who were willin to pay him twice as much..goes a long way in saying how much AW wants arsenal to win and his loyalty is unquestionable….for him arsenal is like a son….who he nutures so that he can have a good future…theres onli one arsene wenger.but a whole lotta gay wankin hobos out here
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/SmallingStatement.aspx
Fulham themselves have merely noted that they have accepted a bid. Now in THEORY Fulham could accept a bid from Arsenal that matches United’s and also loan the player back to Fulham. And loan Wilshere to Hodgson also.
As of RIGHT NOW Smalling is still available. If I was Gazidis I would note how every major media outlet has suggested the United ‘beat’ Arsenal to signing Smalling and match their bid. Not only did we sign Ramsey but this time United actually brief the media that the boy had signed.
WOW. What an opportunity to shit on Manchester United.
Again.
If I am Gazidis. I would embrace this opportunity.
Fulham are saying its just fee agreed, final personal terms is to be decided.
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/SmallingStatement.aspx
If Wenger manages to pull this one off and steal Smalling from under Utd’s noses, it would be absolutely brilliant. I doubt there’s a single Gooner who wouldn’t enjoy the moment!
Spot on Jonny.
Smalling, I don’t really care, he’s gone to Utd now. Remember Djourou will return next year, probably with Nordtveit. And we have Bartley to follow.
you say competed,but it’s more like hanging on 3rd and 4th isn’t really competing is it..
why is everyone getting excited about djourou
Smalling is starting for fulham tonight, interesting! Lets see what he’s like. If he scores tonight against the spuds then we know he’s definitely a gooner! :)
P.S. Wenger built this club into the modern marvel some of you infantile twats take for granted. Whatever success this clubs has in the future none of it could or would have existed without him.
He works tirelessly and thinks of nothing other than the club and its LONG TERM success and stability. It is a miracle we have competed at all in this era of outrageous expenditure financial recklessness.
You are beneath contempt for asking for his head – who do you think you all are?
Jonny said this on January 26, 2010 at 7:14 pm
—————————————————————–
@ Jonny, i second that, people dont realise what an incredible job he is doing despite all the handicap, AW is setting up structure that will keep at the VERY top FOREVER, not success here and there.
Smalling plays for Fulham against Spuds tonight.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8467865.stm
Will this be more wasted money like dare I say it…Walcott?
Anyone got any links to confirm that he supports Arsenal?
Remember we have been here before with united and them jumping the gun.
“Manchester United is delighted to announce it has agreed terms with Cardiff City for the transfer of Aaron Ramsey subject to terms being agreed and the player passing a medical”
Sounds familiar huh??…..plus Ramsey was a boyhood united fan, and there is talk about Smalling being a gooner!…Still got a chance i think.
o-dog
Smalling didn’t score an own like Senderos used to do and we found nothing wrong with it and kept him for six seasons. The ball was already on its way and he was attempting to divert it. Fact. He’s a pacy, tall, strong and looks better than the Djourou that you hail.
Fact. He can be a great CB in the mould of Adams in the making. He kept Drogba calm until he moved to the RB and got one over Etuhu. Drogba never beat him in that game.Fact.
i see the moron brigade is back in town. now let me explain something to teh Wenger haters.
at Arsenal there is a chain of command and procedure so here it goes Wenger says he wants player X it is then upto IVAN GAZIDIS to negotiate the terms with club and player.
NOW MOST OF BUS BOY CAHRLIE WAITERS WHO ARE JONNYCUMLATELY PLASTIC SUPPORTERS should try and understand thinsg before calling Wenger all the names under the sun.
since the george graham incident the managers are not the ones that take care of the financial side of transfer dealings.
WENGER KNOWS!!! muppet fans piss off if you dont like it.
All Arsene haters are tottenham fans disguised as supporting for Arsenal, finding this as an opportunity to abuse him.
This is internet who knows who is there at the other side..
Anyone got any links to confirm that he supports Arsenal?
78692 said this on January 26, 2010 at 7:36 pm
John Cross @ the Mirror seems to think he is….i know thats not definitive, but..
http://twitter.com/Johncrossmirror
We are about to piss red nose of even more by snatching Adam Matthews from Cardiff City.lol
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=6610831
Don’t believe the ‘ManUre’ website. Link above is from the summer 2008 confirming they had signed a young welsh starlet called Aaron Ramsey. But we all know the truth :)
Arsene Knows!
Utd website now saying personal terms are agreed.
Sean: link?
Lets get 200 comments,
Sad bout’ Smalling, but then Bartley ect. will be ready soon.
… Sky Sports just noted Smalling in the Fulham side by saying that he is “REPORTEDLY” joining United next year… sounds a bit less definitive than what was on Sky Sports website this afternoon
I don’t suppose he would go back to Fulham till the end of the season- the same way Ramsey wasn’t loaned back to Cardiff. (This is IF we sign him, of course). Campbell, Senderos and Silvestre are not having their contracts renewed at the end of the season and Gallas is stalling, so if the boy was smart he’d notice he could get a lot of game time early in his career if he was to come here. I presume next season it will be Vermaelan, Djourou (first choice pairing), Smalling, Nordtveit (second choice pairing- maybe Sol), Bartley and Ayling on loan, Song as absolute back-up.
Medical and terms need to be agreed by the player. What has happened is a fee has been agreed with Fulham according to their websitehttp://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/SmallingStatement.aspx. ManU are a bit premature reporting this and may well embarrass themselves again
Just face it guys he’s a ManU player now. I’m not going to sink to any low level of hoping manu jumped the gun like some desperate kid. It’s over, deal with it. If he comes great but if he goes to them ok….either way I’m starting not to care.
How is Smalling playing?
Samuel
From what I’ve seen, Smalling is better than Djourou. He’s strong, pacy and can’t be bullied. He’s also a ball-playing CB like TV. He ticks all the points against Djourou. Note that Djourou is a midfielder turned CB so he lacks the meanness.
I think you will find its Mr Gazidis in charge of negotiations.
Jeez, the guy who played 8 games is better than the seasoned international?
Djourou is immense for his young age. Just because he is out for the season I’d hope Arsenal fans wouldn’t forget his abilities but obviously that wasn’t to be.
Just thinking- Smalling scored an og against Chelsea, Djourou scored an og against Chelsea, Gallas threatened to while at Chelsea… CONNECTION- we’ll soon be able to tell who Arsene’s next signing is. :D
Typical sky, constantly referring to smalling as a united player.
Skychester united
http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2010/January/SmallingStatement.aspx
No not this time Wenger, Fergie has got his man as Neville will retire and Vidic will leave Utd will need a longterm replacement. This will not be a Ramsey-like deal but more like a Ronaldo-like where Fergie hijacked the deal after Wenger was too slow to conclude it.
The Ice Man 10,
Didnt work with u, dunno y
Smalling looks decent. Outjumping Crouch quite abit. Strong in the tackle. could be a could partner for TV5
zamora shoulda scored early in da game.. tottenham playing beter tho.. smalling is good ..probably be a great player later in life… totteham winning 1-0 swchwarzer fault…smalling good at heading sumtimes outjumping hunchback of notre damn(crouch)
WTF is u peoples problem….i think it over now, move on. Last thing i want is some dumb ass manc saing shit.
Samuel
Smalling is better than Djourou. Arsene knows. He won’t chase a 20 year old English defender if he knows he’s not good. For your information that og you talk about was already on its way to the net. The og was not like Senderos’s og when we played Villa in 2007/8.
Smalling was trying to retrieve a ball already goal-bound. He’s faster and stronger than Djourou. Senderos was even ahead of Djourou so that tells you the the level of trust Arsene has for Djourou.
sp*ds just scored. Smalling caught ballwatching.
He could be a partner for TV5, but he won’t be. ManUre confirmed they reached an agreement with the player, he will be their player, not ours.
Anybody surprised that Fulham are selling Smalling now? A year in the premier league and his value would double or treble. Its unusual for a player to be sold just after his debut
Is this kid really a lifelong gooner?
I would love it if we nicked him off ManU like we did Ramsey!
Stick to your £30m flops Sir Alex!
Any further updates anyone. They’ve announced it on republikof mancunia too- I’d love them to end up with egg on their face- that would make my day.
Modo: I wasn’t putting him down for the og. Read again. Also Senderos ahead of Djourou? Since when? Like when he was shipped out on loan because he wasn’t needed and Djourou was overtaking Toure as one of our first choice centre halves? Djourou was exceptional in our race for fourth last season and don’t you forget it. I seriously think that when players get injured, Arsenal fans forget who they even are.
Gerry: There won’t be any updates tonight. The guy is currently playing- he’s not exactly in a position to drive to Manchester for a medical. Is just down the road from Highbury House though ;)
Too true too true. But its not a done deal with Manure though…correct?
Arsene is killin us,huntleaar is now here he is bein reluctant to sign him on loan why we perish without strikers,victor moses is there callin on arsenal he still is messing up with his selfishness,if we lose this one i won’t be surprised cos thats wat he does best lose players and later he would say,i should have signed him last ten years like if did in likes of ronaldo,drogba etc.i think arsenal should get someone that signs players not wenger
yea Samuel, he’ll probably drop by there on his way home from the game ;)
banchico. Oh yea, I forgot. Wenger never signed the second best midfielder in the world (after Essien) from Barcelona, did he? He never signed the best striker of last decade in Henry, did he. And he certainly didn’t sign Overmars, Vieira, Arshavin, Vermaelen or Nasri, well did he? No, Wenger never signs players so lets keep on saying crap like this until we believe it’s actually true.
Samuel
Djourou is not strong enough to be successful in the EPL. Djourou is an up and coming player but don’t think he has what it takes to nail a position as CB here. He’s okay as a squad player though. Djourou also scored an og against Chelsea when we beat them at Stamford Bridge last season. Fact. Senderos has always been ahead of him. The fact is if all fit, I mean Senderos and Djourou, Sendy always plays. Its a fact you can check that one too.
I think we need all new players. Just like Boncho says and tha Moda kid. Smalling will winn us the trophy, he is sooooooooooooooo exceptional! he would kick ass on drogba, on torres on rooney on everyone! he is the shit. we should bit 15M atlest. stop be stingy.. and boncho says the righ tthing to.. money is so easily obtained today we should buy buy buy. thats what footy is about. big signings omg omg omg we aint gooonna winn nothing if we dont singn smalling or hunterlaar. what we gonna do ??? our team is shit like denilson and song and diaby shit shit shit. we need new players panic panic panic WENGER SUCKS!!!
ok that sums up most of the retards.
J you ever conicered to have an iq limit on this page? i mean surly neither bonchi or moda would ever pass :P
IF you cannot see AW doing great buissness and doing great buissness management regarding Arsenal you must be a retard…
do you think for each season we go potless,they put a minature version of the emirates in the cabinet or do you not think they have built one yet
i personally have no issue with not buying smalling..dont know him dont care…but not buying an out and out striker ala “huntelaar” is criminal and will be our downfall
What an overreaction, have any of you seen Smalling play? It’s just assumed he is this amazing player, but what is that based on? The fact he’s English? Wenger isn’t selfish, he’s sensible, let’s wait and see what a world beater this Smalling is (or isn’t) before attacking someone with far more football knowlege than all of the people leaving comments (myself included of course) put together.
Be a supporter, not a detractor.
where does it say we got a bid accepted
Bonchico: Huntelaar wasn’t good enough for Real or Milan- why would he suddenly be good enough for us (a team that has done better than either according to last years Champions Leagues)?
Modo: Again- I bought up the og! Jesus, you just don’t read properly what I say do you? You have a go at me for bringing up Smalling’s Chelsea og when I was just joking and then use Djourou’s og against Chelsea against him! Senderos was sent on loan because he wasn’t above Djourou in the pecking order- so your ‘fact’ is ridiculous. Not strong? Did you not watch the Chelsea game in question- when he made one Anelka his bitch? I’m sure if Drogba started he would have done the same.
stella art: Most of my friends support teams that they’ve never seen win 1 trophy in their lifetime. Are you like them and 3 years old?
@stone,u get a world class player admist kids isn’t gettin a world class team,d names u mentioned ain’t big name notify that they are a little above average,thats why drogba scores anytime he sees arsenal cos we player sometimes like kids,we need wat is called steel strong iron ore in that team,a good striker better than d ones we have,good wingers,those players u called were world class thats why we were undefeated thru a season,but we don’t have dat class in our team anymore,ordinary stoke could plug their hands into our eyes and ditch us out the fa cup,if it was then it would end 4:0 with henry scorin a hatrick…go watch our previous season with those guys and wat we have now.guy use ur head
Smalling’s a Utd player. I have no idea where this information came from, but it’s inaccurate.
I don’t know if hes any good really, never seen him play. I’m not too disappointed to see Wenger keep his money in his pocket though. It just means the next manager will have more to spend.