Arsenal’s only signing of note this summer is Petr Cech, the 33 year old goalkeeper from Chelsea. While he is definitely an upgrade from Ospina and Szczesny, who has now departed for AS Roma on a season long loan.

But apart from that, we’ve been quiet in the transfer market. It doesn’t mean we haven’t been linked with a plethora of players though.

There’s no doubt the Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez will be even bigger players for us this season, and fringe players such as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will (hopefully) make a bigger impact if they can stay injury free. I would have included Jack Wilshere to that list but today it was revealed he’ll be out for 6 to 8 weeks.

Olivier Giroud is a player who divides opinion, and I’m in the camp that thinks that he is just not good enough to win the Premier League. He is a top striker, and a great player to have on the bench when Plan A isn’t working, but he shouldn’t be our first option. He’s brilliant against the lower sides in the league and can be used in a rotation system, but he’s just not good enough.

Look at the title winning teams of the recent past. Chelsea have Diego Costa and used to have Didier Drogba – who was a phenomenal striker, he really was. Strong and powerful but also quick and deadly – he was a real allrounder. Manchester United have had Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, Ruud van Nistelrooy and even Berbatov who was decent. Manchester City have had strikers such as Carlos Tevez and Kun Aguero as their main man, with the likes of Edin Dzeko waiting in the wings who were also decent players.

We don’t have that striker who is world class, that player we need to win the title. We need that special forward who can create something from nothing in the big games. Against Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Tottenham Hotspur, Giroud can’t make that difference. His goalscoring record against the top teams is very poor indeed.

We’ve been linked with Karim Benzema, but it’s unlikely that he will be leaving Real Madrid and doesn’t seem keen. So who can we get?

We’re finally in a position where Arsenal have the funds to spend big money, like we did with Özil and Sanchez. But this summer we’ve been distinctly quiet when signing a top top striker would be the final piece in the puzzle. With a world class striker, you’d even fancy us to do well in the Champions League as well. Remember the home game against Monaco when Giroud missed a host of sitters?

The transfer window doesn’t close for a couple of weeks but I’m hoping and praying that Arsene has an ace up his sleeve.

Otherwise it’s another season of finishing in the Top Four.

So finally, Petr Cech is an Arsenal player. #WelcomeCech

But what do you Arsenal (and Chelsea fans) think of the move?

From what I understand, Jose Mourinho (and the majority of Chelsea supporters) were against the move, while it was a conversation with Roman Abramovich that paved the way for a move across to the red side of London.

On the surface, it does seem like a very strange one.

Most pundits and fans alike accept that Petr Cech is still a top goalkeeper who has something to offer a top Premier League side, although the number of years he can do it for is debatable – some say he can last another 2 seasons, some say he could play at the top until he’s 40.

Either way, the move makes no sense from a Chelsea perspective. Even if Cech was in decline, his move strengthens Arsenal in a position we have struggled to find a solution to for the last 10 seasons – and again, even if Cech lasts 2 seasons then the wealth of experience and knowledge about the game would give Szczesny invaluable tutoring.

Szczesny is not a bad goalkeeper. But he is young and needs guidance from a world class goalkeeper, and that is what Petr Cech is. Over the next 2/3 seasons, while Cech is Arsenal’s Number One, Szczesny will be improving at a rapid rate under Cech’s wing, at an age where the Pole will look to reach his peak.

So again, the move is fantastic for Arsenal on a number of levels.

There’s also rumours that Cech’s goalkeeping coach will join Arsenal as well, which is another plus for the young and developing Szczesny.

Szczesny came out in support of Petr Cech’s arrival (although I appreciate he can’t really do much else) but you can be sure that Arsene Wenger has sat the young goalkeeper down and said something along the lines of that he needs to knuckle down, work hard and learn from the best. And then when Cech does hang up his gloves in a couple of years he will be ready to be Arsenal’s Number One for the next 10 years.

It’s a win-win scenario for Arsenal which ever way you look at it!

So what do you think? Leave your thoughts and comments in the section below!

The last we heard, Petr Cech was apparently having a medical on Friday at Arsenal. Since then, nothing.

Some reports suggest that the deal will be announced tomorrow, but when Chelsea involved I wouldn’t be surprised if something has happened to the deal.

Other rumours (mainly from Twitter) suggest that Alexis Sanchez has “persuaded” Arturo Vidal to spurn advances from clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United – and will join Arsenal after the Copa America has finished.

Apparently the news has come from the same agent that declared that Alexis Sanchez was going to join Arsenal after last summers World Cup.

So what do you think will happen with Cech and Vidal?

Take the poll below and vote for the most likely transfer scenario!

As the signing of Petr Cech is apparently being wrapped up, the general consensus is that it’s a great move for Arsenal – but is it?

For around £10.9 million if you believe the latest reports, we are getting an experienced goalkeeper who has won everything in the game – including the Premier League four times, FA Cup four times, the League Cup three times as well as the Europa League and the Champions League.

You’d probably struggle to find a more successful goalkeeper in recent times, apart from Iker Casillas and Victor Valdes.

On the surface it’s a no brainer. He is a fantastic goalkeeper, a player with a wealth of experience and someone who is used to winning.

So what’s the problem?

My biggest concern is Jose Mourinho. This is the man who can’t stand Arsenal, and likes Arsene Wenger even less. He is not a man to give Arsenal an inch, nevermind a mile (if you believe the opinions about Petr Cech – that’s basically what Chelsea are giving us).

Don’t forget, this is the manager who wouldn’t let us have Demba Ba a couple of summers ago because we bought Mesut Özil and we therefore “genuine title contenders”.

So if Jose Mourinho didn’t want us to have what was essentially a second rate striker as it would apparently strengthen us, then why on earth would he let us have Petr Cech?

Forget all this rubbish about Mourinho being unhappy at Cech moving to a rival and Cech being rewarded for his 11 years of service – that’s all smoke and mirrors in the theatre that is football. And John Terry’s opinion that Cech would give us an extra 12-15 points in a season is questionable.

Let’s put it this way – if John Terry, Didier Drogba or Frank Lampard still had “something to give” then could you see them joining Arsenal? Exactly.

Like Mourinho, his most loyal lieutenants would never help, nevermind join, Arsenal. Petr Cech is in that category and we all know how Jose Mourinho works. If he was truly unhappy that Cech was moving to us, he wouldn’t be as quiet as he is now. Mourinho is no shrinking violet and he would be swearing, shouting and kicking up a massive fuss in the press – but no, he has been relatively mute about the whole thing.

All he cares about is winning at all costs and that would include not letting a very good player join a rival. That is something Arsenal would do, selling Robin van Persie to Manchester United, Ashley Cole to Chelsea and about half of the Arsenal squad to Manchester City. Chelsea only sell to lower league teams or clubs who are abroad.

Jose Mourinho and Chelsea are playing clever mind games and basically, don’t think Petr Cech is any good any more. That’s the only reason why they are letting us have him but they can’t be seen to letting him go “too easily” so they are putting up a fight.

Mourinho may be a massive bell end / tosser / wanker (delete as appropriate) but he is a hugely intelligent man when it comes to football. I don’t have to like the man but you have to respect him in terms of his achievements in football. Remember when he was a Real Madrid? He dropped Iker Casillas when he thought he was in decline and he was proved right. He has seen Petr Cech in training week in, week out, and knows how good Petr Cech still is. Chelsea have no reason to sell and have never been held to ransom over any player wanting a move – so why now?

The bottom line is Petr Cech was a great goalkeeper but is in deep decline and Jose Mourinho doesn’t mind if he moves to Arsenal.