Arsenal News Show: Lokonga & Tavares GONE! | Calafiori deal close | Williams & Eze UPDATES

People deluded, I'm back again now. Allegedly, Lokonga and Tavares are moving ever closer to moving away from Arsenal Football Club. Eze and Nico Williams are two players that have been linked with our football club. Ironically, both of them have a European Championship final to be preparing for in their own capacity. Obviously, Eze probably won't play but Nico Williams from the jump and there's been some, you know, articles coming out on The Athletic in relation to goalies. You know, I said it previously on a watch along, a live stream, a video piece when discussing Arsenal and that. There's a reality we signed three goalies. Technically, you make Ryers move permanent. You obviously get a number two for Ramsdale if and when Ramsdale departs and you probably need a number three keeper and such has been the turnaround in the academy. You probably need to make up the difference in that regard. We've been linked with a few goalies in that, people. In fact, if you let me share my screen, we'll get straight into business now. I've attempted to scroll all the way down because there is a lot of jargon in this athletic piece. We know we've been linked with a number of goalies. We know Aaron Ramsdale's deal is subject to speculation. We know we've made an offer for Dan Bentley which has been rejected, people. We know Ryers' move has been made permanent. Ryers' future is subject, sorry, Ramsdale's future is subject to speculation. We all know of Inaki Kanya's influence at the Football Club, people. We've spent £70 million on goalies. Now, obviously, £27 million on Ryers, £30 million on Ramsdale. It is a bit conflicting but there's been a lot of turnovers where goalies and defenders are concerned. Probably shouldn't have ever let Emmy Martinez depart the Football Club. Big up Matt Turner but you weren't good. Leno weren't the guy really. Matt Macy weren't levels. To be fair, he was there already. The biggest crime of all is Runnison because I know Runnison wasn't signed for a crazy amount of money, people, but he was signed for a million quid and as much as I praise the Football Club and things go wrong, all the analysis, all the videos, all these kind of things that you have to look at to sign a player and no one thought maybe Runnison's rubbish. Either way, big up Runnison because let's not be disrespectful. We know we're trying to revamp the selection of goalies. Scrolling all the way down, people, to the kind of bulk of this, Ryan Steele has been made permanent, increasing the likelihood of Ramsdale departing this summer. That's not a formality, however. Ramsdale's on a good contract and Arsenal expect to recoup a fee in the region of the £30 million they paid for him. There were some rumours that we want £40 million plus £10 million in add-ons. Let's get that done, in my opinion. There are only a select few clubs in Europe who could meet those financial demands and most of them have first-team goalkeepers. Now, ironically, you go back a few weeks ago, Ramsdale was linked with Wolves. Not sure what's happening there. He was linked with Newcastle. Not sure what's happening there. Chelsea, I mean, they've got a couple of goalies in that. Ramsdale could be the number one, but he'd find himself in the same situation, if I'm completely honest with you. Beyond that, I'm not too sure. Apparently, he's been linked with clubs abroad. He's actually been linked with AC Milan, but they've got Mike McGahn, unless they're selling him. Is there any sense to that, people? Not a clue, people. So everything, leaving permanently, leaving on loan, staying for one more year and maybe getting another opportunity, nothing can be ruled out where Ramsdale's concerned, people. We'll have to see. The acquisition of Raya was unusual in that typically the signing of a goalkeeper requires a vacancy. I mean, Raya was wanted before Ramsdale. Ramsdale was the alternative. It was a market opportunity. We got him. This is where we're at. For the time being, Arsenal are unwilling to sanction, I'm going to say, because no way I can say that word, a loan deal or to consider dropping their asking price. Unless something changes and a significant domino falls in the world of goalkeeper recruitment, that position may have to shift. If Ramsdale does go, the man identified to replace him is 23-year-old Spaniard Juan Garcia. We all know he played 16 games for Espanyol in Spain's second division. He kept 10 clean sheets and he's been called up into the Olympic squad. Both Kanya and the club have determined that Garcia is a suitable profile to deputise for Raya. He previously had a buyout clause of 15 million euros, but Espanyol's promotion meant that rose to 25 million euros. Now that's about 20 odd million quid, which isn't the biggest, but 27 million on making Raya's deal permanent, 20 million on him. My maths is poor, but that's 47 million on goalies. Before you talk about California, which is rumoured to 40-50 million, before you talk about a central midfielder, which could be anything from 30 to 40 to 50 upwards, before we even get into wingers, striker, it looks like the market is dead for us in that regards. But before you get into that, it's a bit crazy really and truly. So maybe there's some negotiating to be done, people. However, Arsenal believe that given Garcia's only just began to establish himself in the Espanyol team, they should be able to acquire him for considerably below that figure, perhaps even below 15 million euros. If that's the case, and we can get him for that, then obviously who doesn't like a bargain? Although the club have done good groundwork on Garcia, they are not expected to progress with a deal until a buyout for Ramsdale comes forward. The idea is for Raya and Garcia to be supported by Bentley. The Wolves back up, who made five Premier League appearances last season, was part of the Arsenal academy as a youngster before obviously going to Southend. Like previous signings, Raya and Runnison, he has also worked with Kanye before. The pair spent several years together at Brentford. Arsenal have been on the lookout for a homegrown third choice goalkeeper for some time. It is quite a specific role. Playing time can be limited if any, and personality is important. You look at Scott Carson over there at City. Bentley is regarded as the sort of character who would be able to make a positive contribution to the goalkeeper group. Bentley is under contract with Wolves for one more year. So again, if he's got one more year, they probably need to stop playing hardball. Arsenal will need to pay a fee to sign him and their opening offer fell well short of his demands. With the start of pre-season approaching, Arsenal may bid again in the coming days to try and strike a deal. We all know Kyle Hines signed a new deal and he probably needs to go out on loan and that was probably a big conversation to be having at 22 years of age. He's going to do that. We've seen several keepers depart the club now. You've also seen us sign Lucas Njordgaard, the Danish international, 18 years of age for our academy. And simultaneously in the last 24 to 48 hours, you probably have seen David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano speak on Arsenal's interest in Ajax's 18-year-old Englishman, Tommy Setford. He's actually played with Ethan at youth level. Arsenal have begun talks with Ajax about their intention to sign the England under-20 international. Now, it's a weird one because goalkeepers, we need a bunch of goalies. But for Tommy, obviously if you're leaving Arsenal for Ajax, the education at Ajax to sign him for Arsenal, obviously in line with what we're doing with the modern day goalie, with what Arteta is doing, with what Arsenal Football Club is, him being English and moving back to England, there's a lot of talking points. And I'm sure Ajax are going to be surrounded by some world-class coaches. But surely it doesn't make sense in the name of a pathway, because Rye has just been signed. In goalkeeping terms, he's very young, really. So you're not going to eclipse him. You're probably not going to eclipse Ramsdale. So what would be the point? Is he someone that's going to come in, play for our 21s, maybe a development signing, long-term, gets a loan spell or two when this Bentley guy, if this Bentley guy for Wolves' 30 arrives, if we have him for a couple of years, when it's time to phase him out, then you bring this one in. Or maybe Arsenal can say, you know what, let's bring him in. Let's turn him into something. You know, we get him in for a couple of million. You sell him for a lot of million. I don't know, people. But that's where the goalies are concerned. It feels like we spent a while on that. Keeping up the theme with the athletic, Lokonga is set to undergo a medical on Friday, today, ahead of a season-long loan with Sevilla. The 24-year-old's loan will include an option to make the move permanent for a fee in the region of £10 million, €12 million. If Sevilla activate the purchase clause, Arsenal will keep 25 per cent sell-on clause on any future move Lokonga makes. Probably should have even just included a buy-back clause for no reason. Now, many people, rightly so, will say, you know what, the club need to get better at selling and let me know your thoughts. We maybe could have got a better fee. We need to get better at selling. But for me, I'm only unhappy in the sense that it's not an obligation to buy, in the sense of, you know, I hope Lokonga goes there. He's the best centre midfielder in La Liga because they buy him permanently and we keep it moving. But if he doesn't, you know, simply put, if he doesn't do the business, nobody's going to sign him. But let's just say Sevilla find themselves in financial difficulty or Lokonga's playing amazing but they've got other things to do. Let's just assume that, you know, because it makes it very simple, Lokonga has to start 20 games for the move to turn into a permanent one. Imagine if, you know, like I said, Lokonga's form was shaky but you've played him 19 times or, you know, there's financial difficulties. You might, the coach might say, do you know what, you're sitting on the bench, you're not playing again. That's where we've sold ourselves short. I mean, he's got a year left on his deal, so it is what it is. But it is nice to see some progress. You know, Mika Beresford's gone, we've got some money from Omari Hutchinson's move to Chelsea. Obviously, we're going to get some sort of loan fee for Lokonga. Tavares is gone and there's probably some things I'm missing out. Apparently Fiorentina were prepared to make a superior offer but Lokonga only wanted Sevilla and his preference proved decisive, people. So we wish him all the best, people. He made 39 appearances for the football club. He was at Crystal Palace and Luton. It hasn't banged. So yeah, I mean, from a selfish point of view, you would have loved Fiorentina to have been given a chance. But if that's where he wants to go, that's where he wants to go, people. Nuno Tavares to Lazio. Here we go, says Romano. Verbal agreement on a five-year contract just reached a deal until June 2029. Tavares will travel this weekend for a medical, if all goes to plan, with formal documents. Arsenal receive nine million euros, people. Loan with a mandatory buy clause plus sell on clause. Music to my ears. I just wish that was applied to Lokonga as well, if I'm honest with you. Ah, Lyon are about to sign him. Southampton are taking a crazy L, if I'm honest with you. Losing a lot of talented players in that regard. Dzerzhinsky seems to be moving closer to Man United. So maybe there's some progress where Califori is concerned. Arsenal expected to complete a deal to sign Bologna defender Califori in the coming weeks. So I thought this week was meant to be the most important fact to people. This is why I always say what the media reporting and what's actually going on are very different things. Sources say the two sides are still trying to fresh out a fee, but personal terms are not expected to be an issue with Califori keen to make the move to North London. Great stuff for us people. Dean Jones has said, what I've noticed about Arsenal is that information is slightly harder to get this summer than it is in past years. I think they're trying to keep the doors locked in terms of big information. I mean, rightly so, because you've got people like you that are going to be too chatty. Bill Bowes president has hit out at persistent questions over the future of Nico Williams. I've told my, sorry people, and said he's not really happy. As we know, Nico Williams has said, I've told my family and my agent that I didn't want to know anything about what comes from the outside about signings or stories. They know what I'm like, the personality I have. I don't like to know because I get distracted easily. I prefer to focus on one thing and go for it because if one thing or another comes to me in my head, my head doesn't work very well. My agent, my parents and my family know me perfectly and they know I don't want to hear anything until the Euros is over. He then said he speaks a little bit of English people. Again, the Bill Bowes president has said that Nico Williams deserves more protection because he's being aggressively spoken about and his future is aggressively spoken about. And I mean, it seems like Barcelona are going to prize him away. Barcelona are confident about his signing. They're not worried about Premier League interest or PSG and they believe the player is 100%, you know, prioritising Barcelona according to sport. This has said people have initiated talks with Mico Moreno's reps as they eye a €25m deal for the Real Sociedad midfielder. Allegedly he's open to joining us. He's keen to leave the club. People were only willing to pay €25m as his contract is set to expire in a year's time. Obviously, people, apparently his name first came into conversation during Arsenal's talks to sign Zoubamedie. Obviously, Zoubamedie's move didn't work. So it seems like we can get this 28-year-old. He's quite durable. He's only missed 13 games due to injury over the past five seasons. And to be honest with you, you know, we have got positive omens. You've seen what Monreal's brought to the club where we've brought players from that kind of region in Spain. So why not people? Barcelona, once again, are still leading the race for Nico Williams. Nobody cares at this point. We obviously just went over the California stuff. Dani Almo has said clause until the 20th of July. Yes, if clubs want me, they know what to do. There's time until July the 20th for the clause. Otherwise, later, it will be tough negotiations. I'm on the contract at Leipzig and I want to win titles. I mean, are you going to do that at Leipzig? I don't know. Apparently, people, Crystal Palace are doing everything behind the scenes to keep Manchester United and Spurs target Eze at the club this summer. People, as you know, he's also been linked to with Arsenal as well. They could lose Gohi, who apparently doesn't want to sign a new deal. They've lost Elise. Keeping Eze is paramount, really, paramount, really and truly. So yeah, and he did sign a new deal until 2027 last year. So it makes prizing him away even that much harder. PSG set price for Man United and Arsenal to sign Xavi Simmonds. What price is that? I'm a bit bored of this. He has said we'll know about his future. It seems like his future doesn't lie in the Premier League. We have seen conflicting reports. There has even been rumours he could go back to Barcelona. Man United, Arsenal, Bayern and Leipzig have all expressed an interest, people. Apparently, they want 70 million. I'm not sure he's worth 70 million. I mean, 70 million is not that much in today's day and age. But yeah, my future, I don't know yet. I'm happy. I'm happy with my national team. We'll see after the Euros what happens. Do I want to return to Paris? I was happy in Paris. Things happened. I was at Leipzig this season. After the Euros, we'll see. I also see that fans always wish me the best and that's good. So we'll have to see where he's concerned, people. Moving on, we have seen that Marseille have been linked with a move for Eddie Nketiah. Arsenal have said, apologies, pardon me, to reject this opening offer from Marseille of 20 million euros. But we are considering moving him on. And to be fair, to learn from Roberto Di Zerbi could be a great thing for him. Dan Bentley offer's been rejected. We've gone over that. And apparently Bayern Munich are looking to sell Kingsley Coleman. Would any of you lot go for that, people? Let me know. But in relation to the transfer news at this moment in time, any news that comes out, I'll be receptive and get the videos out for you lot. Let me know your thoughts on the goalkeeper stuff, on what you make of Lukonga and Tavares on California, on Eze and Nico Williams. Most importantly, stay safe, stay blessed. Peace.