No votes for Gervinho. Sad.

Vieira. I don’t think he has settled at Arsenal. He was a very interesting and promising player in Portugal. He hasn’t recreated that promise in the PL.

They can be sold if they’re fit. If they’re fit, they’ll play. At least Partey will. Additionally, Partey is going to AFCON. No team is paying real money, ie, €25 million+ to get a guy who is not fit, away to play internationals and will need a bedding in period, which will spill over into the run in. The buying club can acquire him in the summer for cheaper and have a full preseason with him.

Next, ESR. The number of clubs who can buy him at €30 million are a handful. Probably 8 in the PL, three in Spain, one in Italy, three in Germany and one in France. That’s 16. Wow. Huge number, right? Nah. The Spanish clubs don’t need him. The one French club doesn’t need him, off the German clubs maybe we can tempt Leipzig, the Italian club is broke. So we’re left with PL clubs. Of the 8, we can rule out United, City, Spurs and Liverpool. The other 4

1. Newcastle
2. Aston Villa
3. West Ham
4. Chelsea

Chelsea wanted him and got Cole Palmer. That ship may have sailed. Newcastle is still dealing with FFP so can’t get him either. That shrinks the number of clubs down to two. If I am ESR’s agent, I am asking him to hold on until the summer when there is some capital with the clubs and get a better deal.

Now for Eddie. We should have let him go for free. Or this summer when his stock was high-ish. None of the top 10 clubs are going for Eddie. He’s with us until the summer, at least.

Then outgoings at Arsenal will be loans at best.

I don’t think any of them leave this window. If we want to make it deep into the CL and finish in the top 3, we need all bodies.

We have people to play there but one can’t stay fit, the other hasn’t settled and the third has no confidence/ learning the position. To get another 8, one or two of the three will have to go/ leave the spot.

Irrespective of Partey’s departure this window/ summer, we need a 6. I have a feeling we won’t sign anyone this window. Next summer will see a clear out. But the squad is far too big to add more players to it.