ArseWeb Summer Rumour Machine

ArseWeb Summer Rumour Machine - 1997

Following the popularity of last year's summer rumour list we're doing something similar this year.

This page carries a list of "genuine rumours" from the press and media, not just your "someone down the pub said..." kind of stuff. If you have anything to add, please send them to Jon Branaes, but please make sure you include all the details required for the list (especially the source where you heard/read the story).

The main point of the exercise, apart from the entertainment value, is to show how much bullshit is talked about transfers over the summer. If anything real happens you'll find news of it here (or linked to from here) as well. And for more details on the rumours, as well as the real transfer stories if and when they happen, there's always ANR.

The Rumour List

Compiled by Jon Branaes

(see below for actual summer transfers)

Patrick Dumas      Fra - Monaco - sweeper            Teamtalk 7/8
Keith O'Neill      Ire - Norwich - striker      [20] Teamtalk 4/8
Clive Platt        Eng - Walsall - striker      [19] Teamtalk 3/8
Roberto Carlos     Bra - R. Madrid - wing-back  [26] Teamtalk 29/7
Alexander Iashvili Ukr - Din. Tbilisi - striker [19] Irish Indep. 24/7
Ronald de Boer     Hol - Ajax - utility         [27] Daily Mirror 12/7
Christopher Wreh   Lib - Monaco - striker       [21] Teamtalk 1/7     signed 7/8
Taribo West        Nig - Auxerre - wing-back    [22] Soccernet 22/6
Steve Howey        Eng - Newcastle - defender   [25] Soccernet 16/6
Luis Boa Morte     Por - Sporting - forward     [20] several 14/6     signed 14/6
Jörg Heinrich      Ger - Dortmund - wing-back   [28] Bild-Zeitung 12/6
Tobias Linderoth   Swe - Elfsborg - midfield    [18] Dagens Nyheter 10/6
Giuseppe Signori   Ita - Lazio - forward        [29] Mail on Sunday 8/6
Carlos Secretario  Por - Real Madrid - defender      People 8/6
George Weah        Lib - AC Milan - striker     [30] AFP 5/6
Emmanuel Petit     Fra - Monaco - wing-back     [25] Daily Mail 4/6   signed 4/6
Gilles Grimandi    Fra - Monaco - defender      [26] several 3/6      signed 4/6
Laurent Blanc      Fra - Barcelona - defender   [30] Telegraph 3/6
Alen Boksic        Cro - Juventus - striker     [27] La Gazzetta 31/5
Craig Fleming      Ire - Oldham - defender      [25] Teamtalk 27/5
Brian Laudrup      Den - Rangers - forward      [26] Teamtalk 27/5
Gaetano Giallanza  Swi - FC Basel - striker     [19] Basler Zeitung 26/5
Marc Overmars      Hol - Ajax - winger          [24] Teamtalk 26/5    signed 17/6
Stefano Torrisi    Ita - Bologna - sweeper           La Gazzetta in May
Marco Lanna        Ita - Roma - defender             La Gazzetta in May
Pär Zetterberg     Swe - Anderlecht - midfield  [26] Teamtalk 24/5
Kjetil Wæhler      Nor - Lyn - defender         [20] Teamtalk 23/5
Marco Simone       Ita - AC Milan - striker     [30] La Gazzetta 23/5
Alex del Piero     Ita - Juventus - forward     [22] La Gazzetta 23/5
Paul Ince          Eng - Inter - midfield       [29] Marca, Spain 22/5
Mark Viduka        Aus - FC Croatia - striker   [21] The Sun 22/5
Alan Mahon         Ire - Tranmere - midfield    [20] Total Football 22
Jerome Bonnissel   Fra - La Coruna - wing-back  [20] Daily Mail 21/5
Davor Suker        Cro - Real Madrid - striker  [28] Italian TV 19/5
Ibrahim Ba         Fra - Bordeaux - winger      [24] Mail on Sunday 18/5
Graeme Le Saux     Eng - Blackburn - wing-back  [28] Daily Mail 17/5
Moussa Saib        Alg - Auxerre - midfield     [27] several 15/5
Murat Yakin        Swi - Grasshopper - midfield [20] Mirror 15/5
Dean Sturridge     Eng - Derby County - striker [23] Mail on Sunday 11/5
David Ginola       Fra - Newcastle - winger     [30] several 9/5
Marcel Desailly    Fra - AC Milan - utility     [30] Daily Mail 8/5
Sebastien Frey     Fra - Cannes - goalkeeper    [17] Guardian 1/5
Cyril Rool         Fra - Bastia - winger        [22] several late April

Real Transfers

(see above for list of rumoured targets)

Emmanuel Petit and Gilles Grimandi joined us on the 4th of June.
As you can see from the dates above, the story didn't hit the papers until they had practically signed.
...the same is true of Luis Boa Morte (not sure of the exact date of his signing but he looks just like Wrighty - Ian's the one on the left!)...
By contrast the transfer of Matthew Upson didn't become public knowledge until after it had happened, which is why he's not on the list above.
and of course the Marc Overmars deal (completed 17th June, £7million, 5-year contract) was being talked about for ages. So maybe we should listen to the rumours after all......?
...on the other hand there's Alberto Mendez-Rodriguez, the 19-year old (but reports vary) midfielder from FC Feucht. A complete unknown from the German 5th division side, Mendez-Rodriguez had been mentioned by no-one, and even his actual signing was missed by many, overshadowed as it was by the Overmars and Petit announcements. See ANR for more details. He'll be wearing "Mendez" on his shirt.
As for the mysterious "signing" of Christopher Wreh, ArseWeb first heard that he'd signed from the shirts bearing his name being sold in the club shop! Then there was a short piece in the Daily Express. See ANR for 11th July. At the time of writing (14th July) there still seem to be very few people aware of his existence! If the story in the Express in true, the shirts were being sold before he signed. Given all the hype about us allegedly hunting George Weah for the last year, it is remarkable that the club seem to have signed another Liberian prospect, and a relative of Weah's at that, with so little hoo-hah from the media.
15/07/97 Stories are appearing today to the effect that the Wreh deal is on hold. The sticking point appears to be that Monaco want a transfer fee for the player, despite the fact that he is out of contract (and was playing at Deportivo La Coruna last season, presumably on loan). However Wreh is now training with the Arsenal players. Meanwhile, while we're talking about Deportivo La Coruna, Soccernet are also reporting that we have today completed the signing of their pacy left-back Jerome Bonnissel for £2.5 million.
UPDATE 16/07/97 (According to the Mirror...) Yesterday evening Arsenal denied the Bonnissel story above, but confirmed that Wreh wil become an Arsenal player as soon as he becomes a free agent. Arseweb apologise unreservedly for referring you to the Soccernet article, which reported that Bonissel had actually signed for us (it's still there today). Also, please don't worry about today's stories linking Bergkamp and Wright with moves away! They're pure speculation.
UPDATE 7th August
Wreh's name has been removed from the AFCi squad list. I wonder if they're still selling the shirts.
And now, later on the same day, AFCi announces that Wreh has signed for us today! Check out their "latest" page, no details up as yet (14:20). We've also heard tell that Arsenal have agreed a fee with Boro for Platt. The Soton business from earlier in the summer shows that it doesn't mean he'll be going, but it's easy to see that Boro might be more tempting. Here's hoping he stays and fights for his place, but ArseWeb sources indicate he's almost certainly going.
Both these stories are now appearing on Ceefax, and AFCi confirm the Platt story as stated above. Only a little later than ArseWeb :-)

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