Arsène Wenger’s hunt for a young talented centre back has ended. Despite missing out on Fulham’s England Under 21 international Chris Smalling, he is set to wrap up a deal for Montenegrin Stefan Savić.
Savić has completed a 10 day trial with Arsenal and, according to the Blic Online publication, the Frenchman informed him yesterday that they would be be keen to keep him on. Talks are now on going with his club side BSK Borča for the transfer which would be completed in the summer.
The 19-year-old won the Montenegrin Young Player of the Year award for 2009 and he has rebuffed offers from Tottenham Hotspur and Birmingham City to arrive on trial. At 6’2 (188cm) he is an imposing figure yet many note Stefan for his adept passing range. He has made 10 League appearances for Borča, scoring once. The cultured prospect confirmed the deal yesterday.
“There were offers from Tottenham and Birmingham City, but once a call came from Arsenal, I had no more doubts. Wenger made sure my papers were arranged and my work permit was extended so I can be at more training sessions. A pre-contract will be signed on Thursday and then I will return to Belgrade and join BSK for their preparations. I will be staying with BSK until May.”
Arsenal are expected to pay around £100,000 for his services. Savić noted that Wenger has been particularly aggressive this week during training following the defeat to Manchester United, where he was in the stands to watch on. You can read the complete interview Here.
Savić’s arrival could signal the end for defender Håvard Nordtveit, who is interesting a handful of German clubs.
Article By – J.Sanderson
PLEASE WERGER MAKE SURE YOU SIGN THIS BOY ON TIME DON’T WASTE TIME ON HIM BEFORE UNITED KEEP HIM UP…
I find it a little funny that people say Wenger or this side have no ambition. What defines ambition? I would say his ambition is a that top of any managers. He has won trophies. He has had a undefeated season. He has turned a side from long ball into beautiful attacking style. Now he has said you know what, I want to mould this club into a top tier super club. What is more ambitious than that?
J., do you know anything about the arrest of Emmanuel-Thomas?
http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/content/redbridge/recorder/sport/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=IlfSeniorFootball&tBrand=RecOnline&tCategory=DefaultSportIlford&itemid=WeED03+Feb+2010+10%3A13%3A27%3A000
Yes mate, I reported on it yesterday.
http://younggunsblog.co.uk/2010/02/02/arsenals-emmanuel-thomas-arrested-by-police/
alright, did not see that one. Hope it works out for the best of the guy. Thanks!
http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/Arsenal-boss-Wenger-arranges-friendly-to-decide-on-Savic-signing/5540/?
was right in front of my eyes, funny that one, follow your page often from newsnow so went directly to the newest article. good article, quick and good
I have one word to say to those moaning about this signing: VERMAELEN. How many of you moaned when Wenger made that relatively cheap signing of an “off-the-radar” defender last offseason? Be honest. A signing that many rate as the best offseason transfer by any club last offseason.
Yes, Arsenal needs to shore up a couple of positions, no doubt. But, who here can say for certain that the quality of player needed was available at a price close to his actual value? Look at the strikers, CBs and GKs moved during the January transfer window–how many were bought by top clubs? Keane was probably the best at any of those positions and what Arsenal fan would have wanted him? I know that the loss to ManU was crushing, but have you considered the possibility that none of the top teams made big signings, other than the Smalling transfer, because the talent simply wasn’t available at this time?
Finally, I am absolutely shocked that there could be a discussion about the top players of all time where none of the following has been mentioned: Pele, Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto (Zico, too)! Shane, if you are watching videos of games in the past, see if you can watch any of the games that these fellows played in–even when they were old men playing with the NY Cosmos. I think it will be an eye-opening experience. And, if you ever get a chance to catch a video of Pele in his prime, I honestly don’t think that you will consider Rondaldino the best player ever–even Rondaldino would probably tell you that he patterned his game after Pele’s and would be flattered to be mentioned in the same discussion with him. If you don’t believe me or get a chance to see a video of him, consider this: Pele was officially named as a “national treasure” by the Brazilian government! There’s a reason why they did that and why no other Brazilian player has ever been similarly honored.
How soon will this prospect make up the ladder to the big guys. I hope he works out. http://bobbygee.wordpress.com/
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Americangooner.. I also have a feeling you didnt read the whole convo. The player were listed when comparing history between Arsenal, Man Utd ,Barcelona, and Real Madrid. Last time i checked, Zico, Bekkenbauer, Carlos Alberto and Pele never played for those clubs. Anyways, I have seen a few games of Pele and lots of footage. I would still choose Ronaldinho. Like I list with the Maradona, Cruyff, Best comment, Pele just ran around defenders with pace and ball control. I could imagine Ronaldinho playing against some of those defenders back then. Ronaldinho made proffesional players look like they were little kids. He did just run around them with pace. He has done things in games that I doubt will ever be done again. If you have seen the game vs Atletico Bilboa when he had 2 defenders on him and juggled the ball with like 8 touches and was flipping it over their heads. How about the goal he scored verse chelsea in 04/05. I have never seen another goal like that one. Or when he got the standing ovation at the bernabeu. Just my opinion
Jamie are you serious with “the end for defender Håvard Nordtveit”? I thought he was rated highly and will be the cover for Gallas and Vermaelen next season along with Djourou and Bartley.
Shane, actually I did plow through all of the more than 100 comments in the convo. and some of the names mentioned as possibly being in the top 100 All-time players by others (albeit not by you) were contemporaries of the four I mentioned or played before the era of free movement of players between UEFA countries (ie Cliff Bastien, Bobby Moore, George Best (who also played in NASL when he was older)). And, while Bayern Munich was dismissed as not being on a level with the clubs you mention-I suspect due to the drop-off in quality of the Bundesliga and club in recent years and the tendency of German clubs to have more German and Eastern European players, there was a time, not too long ago, when B.M., where Beckenbauer played, was every bit as big a club as those you mentioned. True, the other three players I brought up did not play in Europe, but, without a doubt, they, too, belong in the top 100 All-time, thus reducing the number of others in that group-which actually serves to help make your point about how many Arsenal players would be in that number.
As to Pele vs Ronaldino, I’ll agree that it’s a matter of opinion. Actually, I love Ronaldino and consider him the second best offensive player I have ever seen, but I will dispute your contention that Pele just ran around players with pace and ball control. I saw a number of highlights of him (there was an hour special on TV, plus other clips) playing in Brazil and the WC when he was about to come to New York and I saw every game he played with the Cosmos. The man had quickness and moves in addition to speed, strength and ball control-even as an old man-in an era when there was less “showmanship” in the game. His bicycle kick was a thing of beauty. Where I give Pele an edge over Ronaldino is in the area of determination. I’ve seen Ronaldino get frustrated and effectively disappear from games when things weren’t going his way. At least at the end of his career, I didn’t see that from Pele: I remember one game, in particular, I believe against Tampa Bay, when Chinaglia was hogging the ball and missed about a half dozen chances where he could have set up Pele or a teammate, where Pele finally got the ball with about 10-15 minutes left after barely touching it for much of the game, juked two defenders and placed a beautiful shot into the back of the net, sparking a comeback win. Certainly you might fairly argue about the level of competition, but let’s just say that both men have had their highlight moments. And, yeah, it is a matter of taste and opinion as to who you might prefer. I’ll grant you Ronaldino, but for me it is Pele. (BTW: I rate T.Henry very highly because of how clinically he finished, a quality that I think should be taken into account in rating a scorer. And, as good as some others have been, I rate Carlos Alberto as the best pure defender I’ve ever seen (a great leader, too), particularly taking into account his WC performances.) If Arsenal is going to rely on developing young talent and promoting from within to build the core of its team, I can only hope that Arsenal is able to find a diamond in the rough that will step up to that level!
Striker rate is relative. It is hard to judge the true level of the competition over time, but one thing you can definetly judge if the quilty of the goals. It doesnt matter who you played against goals like the one where Henry flip the ball up turns and hits it upper 90s from outside the back is proof. Also what you do in the most massive games. The 2 goals that stand apart from any other goals in history are the Maradona run in the world cup semis and Zidanes volley in the champs league final. Goals like Ronaldinhos verse Chelsea are legendary. Its one thing to do that verse a decent league team but in the knockout stages verse a huge team that had one of if not the best defence and keeper in the world at the time, was simply amazing. I will agree it is hard to argue against Pele, for obvious reasons but all I ask is that people recognise him in the short list of Pele, Maradona, and Ronaldinho.