Friday, 11 July 2025

Third Arsenal Signing Confirmed


💥 The Loose Cannon Not-So-Exclusive: Christian Nørgaard Signs with Arsenal — Our Third New Gunner This Summer


Get the cannon fire ready! Danish dynamo Christian Nørgaard has packed his bags from Brentford and A‑listed in N5, becoming our third summer signing after Kepa and Zubimendi  .

🎯 Why It Matters


The 31‑year‑old midfield enforcer arrives fresh off a Brentford stint where he racked up 196 appearances, bagging 13 goals and dishing 18 assists  . His arrival fills the gap left by Partey and Jorginho—Arteta wanted steel and brains, and Nørgaard ticks both boxes  .

🎓 The Man Behind the No. 16 Jersey

Copenhagen roots – product of Lyngby's academy, cut his youth teeth through Denmark's U‑16 to U‑21 setup (73 youth caps!), starred at the 2011 U17 World Cup & Euro U21 campaigns before his senior Denmark bow in 2020 ().

International experience – played Euro 2020 including knockout wins over Wales and Czech Republic; featured as a substitute in the semi‑final vs England at Wembley ().

Club journey – post‑youth breakthrough at Lyngby → moved to Hamburg (no first‑team action) → returned home to Brøndby (Danish Cup winner 2018) → five strong years at Brøndby → Fiorentina hiccup → Brentford revival under Thomas Frank ().

🧠 Arsenal Fit: What Makes Him N5 Material?

Leadership pedigree – captained Denmark U‑19s under Thomas Frank, and wore the Brentford armband 65 times in the PL, 68 overall ().

Ball‑winning beast – since the 2021–22 season, he tops the Premier League for interceptions (201) and possession recoveries (844) ().

Dead‑ball threat – his best scoring form came in 2024–25 with 5 PL goals (4 from set‑pieces), and 9 of his 11 Premier League goals are from dead‑ball situations  .

Aerial meter – strong in the air with a 61.9% duel success rate, and first contact on 29 corners—just behind Nathan Collins at Brentford ().

🤝 Team Chemistry

Nørgaard reunites with David Raya, his former Bees teammate (107 games together) who moved to us in 2023  .

Continues the Thomas Frank connection — Frank brought him through Denmark youth, Brøndby, and Brentford—so he's plugged into that coaching DNA.

🌟 Off‑Field & Underdog Moments

Grandma's his biggest fan — she makes an annual scrapbook full of articles, a tradition since Brøndby days.

Grew up idolising Zinedine Zidane, owning his Real Madrid shirt to replicate that Galácticos magic.

Swings a golf club too — had a handicap of around 14 in 2021, and counts Tiger Woods among his sports idols.

He's already planning for the future — working on coaching badges, and even helped support "Tonsser," a grassroots football app, to spot overlooked talent.

🔚 Final Shot


Nørgaard's arrival isn't just another summer splurge — it's a calculated injection of grit, leadership, and set‑piece nous. He's more than a squad‑filler; he's a midfield rock for our Champions League campaign. Plus, you've gotta love the scrapbook vibe and the Zizou dream.


Welcome to the Emirates, Christian. Buckle up. It's going to get lively.

Wednesday, 9 July 2025

No Gyo After All For Arsenal?

LOOSE CANNON NOT-SO-VERY EXCLUSIVE

"Gyokeres Gone Cold?" – Arsenal's Striker Saga Stalls Again

By The Loose Cannon Crew


Just when Arsenal fans thought the striker drought was about to end, it looks like the tap's been shut off—again. The long-awaited move for Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly on ice, with the Gunners and Sporting Lisbon locked in a stubborn transfer tug-of-war that's threatening to derail the whole deal.


The north London club, having flirted with both Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko this summer, had seemingly pinned their hopes on the Swedish goal machine. Gyokeres, who netted a mind-bending 54 goals last season, looked destined for the Emirates. A pre-contract was believed to be in place, and fans were dreaming of a front line that finally had a ruthless finisher.


But reality bites.


Portuguese sources now claim that talks have ground to a halt. Arsenal's delegation has packed their bags and left Lisbon without a deal in hand, and according to Record, unless Sporting budge on their demands, the Gunners might walk away altogether.


So what's the sticking point?


Gyokeres believes he has a gentleman's agreement to leave for around €60m plus €10m in add-ons (£51.7m + £8.6m). Arsenal have gone above and beyond that, reportedly offering €65m plus €15m (£56m + £12.9m), but Sporting are standing firm: they want the full €70m (£60.4m) up front. No wiggle room, no compromise—just cold, hard cash.


That hardline stance may prove costly. Gyokeres is said to be fuming at Sporting's backtrack, refusing to train and ready to burn bridges. He's even offered to forgo €2m (£1.7m) of his Arsenal salary to sweeten the deal. But so far, Sporting aren't biting.


As it stands, the Gunners are assessing their options. A second round of failed negotiations has left Arsenal officials exasperated, and sources suggest the club might cut their losses and shift focus elsewhere—perhaps to Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze or Chelsea's Noni Madueke, both of whom have been on the radar.


Gyokeres still wants Arsenal. Arsenal still want Gyokeres. But with Sporting playing hardball and the player running out of patience, a bizarre twist could see him loaned out to Fenerbahce just to escape the stalemate.


From Brighton to Coventry to a goal-glut in Portugal, the 27-year-old's journey has been anything but boring. But unless someone blinks soon, his next chapter might be written in Turkey—not north London.


Meanwhile, Arsenal haven't been idle in the market. £60m man Martin Zubimendi has landed from Real Sociedad, Kepa's arrived between the sticks for £5m, and Brentford's midfield general Christian Norgaard has reportedly joined (as he was spotted in a long-distance photo at the training ground) for £12m.


But without that long-coveted No.9, Mikel Arteta's summer revolution still feels incomplete.


Stay tuned. This one's got legs—and not just the kind that bang in 50 goals a season.

#LooseCannonFC | #ArsenalTransfers | #GyokeresSaga

Monday, 7 July 2025

Gyokeres taking pay cut for Arsenal

You've got to love Gyokeres, but the deal is not quite over the line yet!

💥 GYOKERES TAKES A PAY CUT TO JOIN ARSENAL – STRIKER TELLS SPORTING: "I'M DONE"


If there was ever any doubt about Viktor Gyökeres' desire to wear the red and white of Arsenal, he's just put it to rest—in the most committed way possible.


According to reports from Portugal (and you know they don't mess around), the Swedish goal machine has offered to give up €2 million from his own wages to help seal the deal from Sporting Lisbon to North London.


Let that sink in. In a world where most footballers hold clubs to ransom over image rights and car parking spaces, Gyökeres is cutting his own salary to make sure the move goes through. Love at first bid?


💸 Arsenal's Latest Offer


Arsenal's most recent bid is said to be €65m (£56.2m) upfront, with another €15m (£13m) in add-ons, but Sporting—no mugs themselves—are understandably holding out for top dollar. Still, with Gyökeres flat-out refusing to report for pre-season, the writing is on the Lisbon wall.


He's reportedly told Sporting he's played his last game for them. The man's not just pushing the door open—he's drop-kicking it off the hinges.


✈️ Berta Flies In to Seal the Deal


Transfer chief Andrea Berta (remember, it's his show now—Edu's gone) has reportedly flown to Lisbon to get this one over the line. And thank God, because Arsenal fans have been gasping for a striker with a proper bite ever since we gave up hoping on Nketiah (now departed).


If it's done soon, Gyökeres could join Martin Zubimendi as the second marquee signing of a summer that's beginning to take real shape. That Zubimendi deal—confirmed Sunday—came in at over £50m and looks like a statement. Now we're adding firepower to finesse.


🧨 Goals Galore


Gyökeres has numbers that make your eyes water:

43 goals in 50 during his debut season at Sporting.

Then 54 in 52 the following campaign.


That's 97 goals in two seasons. And no, those aren't video game stats—this lad has been terrorising defences like it's his personal hobby.


No wonder clubs like Man United, Juventus, Liverpool, and Atletico Madrid were all sniffing around. United even tried the old "he used to play for your gaffer" trick with Amorim. But nope—Gyökeres has his heart set on the Emirates.


🔍 What Kind of Striker Are We Getting?


European football guru Zach Lowy gave a mouth-watering breakdown:


"Gyökeres is a bunch of different strikers blended into one. He's a bulldozer, but also has pace and instinct. At 6ft 2in, he's great with his chest and can hold up play—just don't expect Firmino-style false 9 stuff."


He's not finesse over function. He's direct, aggressive, and always looking to shoot. In short, exactly what Arsenal have been missing when the Plan A stops working.

⚠️ The Verdict


This deal looks inevitable now, and frankly, it's about time. Arsenal have spent all summer window-shopping in the striker aisle, but with Gyökeres, they might finally be cashing in.


And with Zubimendi in, Nørgaard expected, and Mosquera/Madueke on the radar, it's shaping up to be one of Arsenal's most ambitious summers in years.


Let's just hope the cheque clears before someone else hijacks it…



Sent from Outlook for iOS

Sesko snubbed for Gyokeres

Until the deal is done, there's no telling if it will happen or not, but now Zubimendi and Kepa are in, the transfer window is in full swing...

🔴 GUNNING FOR GYOKERES – SESKO SNUBBED AS ARSENAL RE-IGNITE TALKS WITH SPORTING ACE


It's the transfer saga that refuses to die quietly. After months of juggling targets like a caffeine-fuelled juggler in the Emirates boardroom, Arsenal have resumed talks with Viktor Gyökeres, with Benjamin Šeško now looking more like a forgotten Tinder match than the Gunners' next great No.9.


According to the Independent, Andrea Berta has reignited negotiations with Sporting Lisbon for Gyökeres, having already agreed personal terms with the bullish Swedish striker earlier this summer. Yes, the same Gyökeres who tore up the Primeira Liga and has the sort of physicality Arsenal have been missing up top since peak Giroud.


It's a sharp U-turn from the club's recent flirtation with Šeško, who had apparently risen to the top of Arsenal's striker shortlist. But as ever, the romance collapsed when money started talking. RB Leipzig reportedly wanted €80m—and Arsenal, still haunted by the ghosts of £72m splurges on the likes of Pepe, weren't prepared to dance to that tune.


Arsenal were said to be €10m short of Leipzig's valuation, and more importantly, they weren't happy with the structure of the deal either. Probably a few too many ifs, buts and bonuses for the north London money men to swallow.


So now, the Gunners are back at Sporting's door—knocking louder this time. And with personal terms already settled, the hard work lies in agreeing a fee with the Portuguese side. If the Gunners can pull this off, Arsenal will be getting a powerful, prolific forward who looks tailor-made for Arteta's high-octane system.


The only question that remains: can Arsenal finally land the man they've been circling all summer, or will we be back here again next week talking about Dusan Vlahovic, round two?


Sunday, 6 July 2025

Is Vic there? Patience Gooners!

Viktor Gyökeres? He'll be in soon!

Gyökeres Breakthrough: Arsenal Win the Race for the Reluctant Red Devil


Well, it looks like Viktor Gyökeres has made his mind up — and it's Arsenal or bust. The Sweden international has reportedly told Manchester United, Juventus, and even his old boss Ruben Amorim to jog on, all in favour of pulling on the red and white of north London.


Talk about good taste!


While United came sniffing (as they always do) and Juve popped their head round the door, Gyökeres had eyes only for The Arsenal. Maybe it's the Arteta project. Maybe it's the Emirates crowd. Or maybe — just maybe — it's because we didn't try to suggest playing him on the wing like some clubs we could mention. Did anyone actually suggest that? Or is it misinformation?


Sources close to Sporting Lisbon suggest the Portuguese outfit were bracing for a full-blown striker strike — a bold tactic from the player, but one that screams: "Get me to Arsenal now."


And who can blame him? With the Gunners making it crystal clear that a top-class No.9 was their top priority this summer, Gyökeres saw the writing on the wall. Arsenal want him to lead the line — and he wants it just as badly.


The big Swede's got the lot: strength, sharpness, and a nose for goal that makes defences nervous and fans giddy. At 27, he's in his prime, and he's picking Arsenal over everyone. Not bad for a lad who was playing Championship football not long ago.


So, while Sporting count the cash and United lick their wounds, Arsenal fans can get ready for a striker who actually wants to be here. Fancy that.


Over to you, Viktor. No pressure — just score the goals that win us the league.

Here's a snapshot of Viktor Gyökeres' career records, up to May 2025:

⚽ Club Career Totals


(All competitions – league, cups, Europe, etc.)

Brommapojkarna (2015–2017): 67 apps, 25 goals 

Brighton & Hove Albion (incl. cups & loans): 8 apps, 1 goal 

St. Pauli (loan, 2019–20): 28 apps, 7 goals 

Swansea City (loan, 2020–21): 12 apps, 1 goal 

Coventry City (loan + permanent, 2021–23): 97 apps, 40 goals 

Sporting CP (2023–25): 102 apps, 97 goals 


Total: 314 club appearances → 171 goals (in all competitions).

(Transfermarkt lists 333 apps, 174 goals — slight variations depending on competition count) 

🌍 International (Sweden senior team, 2019–2024)

26 caps, 15 goals 

🔥 Recent Form with Sporting CP

2023–24: 50 apps, 43 goals (29 in league) 

2024–25: 52 apps, 54 goals (39 in league) 

Overall Sporting: 102 apps, 97 goals 

🏅 Additional Highlights

Championship (Coventry): 38 goals in 91 league matches over two seasons 

Combined club + country 2024–25: ~71 goals/assists in 51 games 

📊 Summary Table

Team

Appearances

Goals

Club (Total)

~314

~171

Sweden (senior)

26

15

Gyökeres has emerged as one of Europe's most lethal strikers: nearly a goal per game at Sporting, solid Championship form, and a strong international strike rate (0.58 goals per cap). His record speaks for itself — and it's easy to see why Arsenal are so keen.