Emotional attachment aside, if it goes ahead then the sale of Kolo Toure to Man City is a good piece of business. £16 million for a player whose best years are behind them and who struggled to perform last season (a very low rank on OPTA stats) suggests that Arsene knows what he is doing.
Toure is set for a medical today at Eastlands and the deal seems likely to be finalised.
It is a blow for the club in terms of experience, but judging on Wenger’s comments after the Haladas game he sees the sale as necessary. Toure wanted out in January and we have 7 central defenders already on the books. It looks like it will be Vermaelen and Gallas as our first choice, leaving Djourou, Senderos, Silvestre and possibly Song for cover. The cover isn’t top quality, and Vermaelen is new to the Premiership, but it could work out.
Wenger has some money to play with now, although we may not necessarily see new faces at the club. It would be a confidence boost, for the fans and players, but Wenger seems to want to stick with the current squad.
Bar a Flamini style transformation, Denilson, Song and Diaby are not quite good enough to warrant first choice in central midfield with Cesc. That in my opinion is the only area that needs strengthening in the squad. The profits from our sales leave us with up to £30 mill to spend (or £15 mill if you count Arshavin’s fee). That needs to be reinvested in at least one player.
Wenger is remodelling this team to challenge for honours, but our weakness over the last two years has been a lack of strength in depth and experience. I’m fine with Wenger selling players on, we make a profit, and generally he knows the right time to sell, but these players must be replaced.
Kolo’s departure may prove to be a good piece of business, but the squad still needs some additions.
ArseSpeak 
Excellent insight. We need a Lee Cattermole and Robert Green. Sadly Song, Djorou, Diaby, Denilson aren’t up to it.
Very true, Arsenal is selling all our experienced players and failing to buy people who can replace them straightaway, every replacement needs time to reach their potential and we can’t win trophies while we wait.
my thoughts on arsenal 09/10
http://mariannabelle.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/arsenal-0910/
Dave, when did you become an expert? Are you sure you know better than Wenger? Because he is the one who bought them and still think they can do it . Stop these negative comments in the blogs and concentrate on supporting the team.
Blogs say we are skint and money from Ade sale has gone in the kitty. How do they know? Has any director at Arsenal made this comment? That Fergie said what he said is mind games and he is placating critcism of their own having boobed in letting Tevez to go.
Now we may be having Hangeland bought with money from Toure who was a bit-part player and was bought for a fiver. Also money from Eboue might come handy in securing another player of importance like Oba Martins whom I prefer to Hantelaar. Reason: he is experienced (which you all demand), durable and would score loads with Arsenal passes. Most of all he would be as cheap as chips to leave Newcasstle. That would be money from sale of a kid we bought a tenner.
Lovely jubly, no wonder many are having a pop at Wenger he’s marvelous.
What’s the obsession with Cattermole – he looked rubbish compared to our kids when they knocked Wigan out of the League Cup…..
to suggest we could use cattermole for anything
more than a ball boy is madness
Tidy Post.
Fingers crossed Eboue’s the next out of the door.
I’d also like to lose Silvestre.
Senderos has dropped a couple of clangers, but so did TA6. Him I’d like to stay.
I’m not fussed re: Diaby, Denilson or Song either and you’re right, it’s a position that needs addressing. And the signing needs to be quality.
We missed out on Melo – and Cana was there for the taking but if Wenger really wanted either of them, I’m sure he could have got them.
So who is he holding out for?
I don’t think it will be a Brit.
So, Toulalan maybe?
It is sad to see kolo leave, he was a true professional and always gave 100%. He has been my favourite Arsenal player for the last 4 years and good luck to him. He could of easily pushed a transfer, publicly flirting with other clubs…its unfortunate that Gallas, a player that is quality, but will certainly leave after this season, is the reason for Kolo to leave.
Its good business nonetheless and now we have money to spend. I wont be surprised if we dont spend any of that money though…
I feel we could do with a Def-mid, like everybody, but I am satisfied with this team and am relaxed and confident for the new season.
Selling players wouldn’t be bad if Wenger would swiftly look for and sign suitable replacements. But trust him to sign an unknown 16-year-old from Africa at mid night on 31st August for an “undisclosed fee”. Arsenal FC is clearly on a dangerous path!!
I think we can afford to sell him and 16 m is a good price. Eboue can also go for 8.5 m is more than double his value. So whats our best x1 Almunia Sanga Vermealan Gallas Clichy Arshavin Rosicky Fabregas Walcott Van persie Edquardo which is more than capable of a title challange. However its a bit injury prone so if wenger spends and buys what the pappers say we should have a team like this Almunia Sanga Vermalen Hanglehand Clichy Arshavin Fabregas Cartermole Walcott Van persie Huntlar good team with exception of Cartermole but unlikely to happen.
then ask for wenger if you dont believe him. everyone cried when he was tapped by real madrid. why? because he knows!!
Folks,
Let Arsene do his Job. This is the very same Manager that have brought Arsenal Championships. He is selling experience players is the argument, but when do you say the likes of Diaby, Song and Denilson become experience especially after they have all been playing in the first team for three to four years?
I don’t think the manager will bring anyone in until the group above prove they can’t handle the rigors of the league this year. He will give then until the winter transfer window to prove themselves. I’m fine with that, I don’t think any of use supports love Arsenal more than Arsene. Please folks be patient. This man have kept the team floating above water with out any money and he will do so again.
Its all Bullshit U all look wenger will sign nobody
its all fine writing bout how down we are and we feel its all over we should just close our doors coz as a club we have no future but deep down um sure every1 is hoping we do it this time,and believe it or not we have the right person at the helm to guide us to glory.
Wenger has an idea what he wants to do and he will do it,losing two players like he has he knows he has to improve the squad after he himself siad the first thing to do close season is to keep every1 and i think so far he has kept the pple he really wanted to keep Cecs and VanP,the ones that are leaving he really doesnt need or want because if he did he would have kept them.
We still have a good team here,but we have a lot of IFS [Eddie,Rosicky,VanP,Diaby lets hope not Nasri]we are counting on which is dangerous.
I still believe we will have silverware at the end of this season but um afraid i think it will be either FA Cup or Carling Cup lol lol lol
we cannot wait till the winter. ….by then we could be out of the running for the league (as we were last year)
we cannot even wait till september…we may miss out on anyone good to other clubs plus any new signing needs time to learn our system..
But the main reason we need top quality world class players NOW is that we all (fans and players) need confidence and belief that our money grabbing Directors want our club to succeed and win things and not just make a profit…
Arsene has a min of 30 million to spend….we need a DM and a defender
If he thinks that silveste or denilson or Diaby are the level we expect from Arsenal players he is wrong!! i know he has been great but even great managers lose it. we will NOT win anything if one of these three play more than a dozen games between them.
Wenger is still looking, he will definitely buy, and there are other players likely still to leave the Emirates. Last minute shopping does have it’s hazards as well as bargains though.