More “Gilberto to Juventus” rumours
October 16, 2007
There has been a slow buildup of rumours this week, all suggesting that various Italian clubs will make an offer to Arsenal for Gilberto.
The speculation has finally resulted in The Sun making up the following story:
Juventus in for £5m Gilberto
UVENTUS are ready to make a £5million January swoop for disgruntled Arsenal star Gilberto Silva.
The Italian giants are hopeful of nabbing the Brazilian ace, 31, who is fed up after losing his starting spot at The Emirates.
Juve sent a delegation to London at the end of last season to clinch a deal for the midfielder.
Gilberto, whose contract runs out in 2009, was keen on a move but boss Arsene Wenger put a stop to it.
Yet this season Gilberto has been reduced to just four starts and is frustrated with life on the bench.
There is so much in this article which strikes me as pure imagination.
Firstly: who said that Juventus are making this bid? Who is your source? ‘A close source to Juventus’ perhaps? No? Without any quotes, it makes it hard to ascertain how they gained such information, which makes me think it’s pure shite.
Secondly: Juve sent a ‘delegation’ to London to try to sign Gilberto at the end of last season? Really? Then why didn’t we hear anything of it at the time? And why is it that first time we’re hearing about it, is also in an equally ficticious news story, almost 6 months after the event?
Thirdly: Gilberto wanted to leave Arsenal, but Wenger put a stop to it?? Where did they hear this from? It sounds as made up as the rest of these wild claims, and I suspect that it is.
Fourthly: Five million pounds? Well, since you say it, it must be true! Where did they get that number from? Sounds like exactly the kind of number which a transfer-gossiping journalist would make up.
Besides all of this, even if Juventus WERE intersted (it is quite possible that they are, and who can blame them), then it doesn’t make any difference to whether Wenger will be willing to sell Gilberto.
The odds are that Wenger VERY MUCH wants to keep Gilberto – and since Gilberto is presently contracted to Arsenal, that means he will stay there for the foreseeable future.
Note: I am not bad mouthing Juventus here at all. Juventus are a fine club (despite their extremely questionable off-pitch activities), and should Gilberto one day in the future end up at Juventus, it would be exciting to see him play there. However, it’s the way that all this rumourage is being spouted, with such large quantities of drivel thrown into the speculation, which makes it seem unacceptable to me. The stories seem designed just to unsettle Gilberto.
Also, the fact that Juventus are interested in Gilberto just adds them to the long list of clubs who are interested in him. Half the clubs in Italy would probably like to sign Gilberto, so the fact that Juventus are actually being linked to him, doesn’t mean they’re special.
Despite what The Sun would like, Gilberto will do what Gilberto wants, when Gilberto is ready, thank you.