Doesn’t look as a bright prospect. He might join Ryo in the bundesliga 2 in a permanet spell.
IMO, to invest on good scouting is better than throwing money into unknowns and hope they will turn out good.
If you have good scouts, you still can sign good young players in younger age and not paying that much.
Of course, having a coach like Wenger… you may have a 15 year old genius but still end up like Theo’s career.
My reply was meant more for good scouting and taking low financial risks on forwards especially, not so much Asano in particular.
I think that Theo’s career at Arsenal is a enigma. At times flashing top talent and then showing little if any desire–it’s hard as a fan to let go of the post match comments about crystal palace wanting it more. The injuries hurt the progression in a big way, but I think his lack of “want to” on a consistent basis is maddening.
2 Likes
This is a weird case, he is 23 and working to get a work permit which usually takes years unless he is given one due to special talent which is not the case.
With brexit i think is even more difficult, correct me if i am mistaken on this one. In the past it was easier, just had to be loaned out to spain for 2 years to get his spanish citizenship/EU passport.
At his age with his numbers/stats and on loan to a tier 2 team, makes me think that this signing makes no sense, by the time he adapts to european football and if he someday manage to get into our first team, he would be like 25/26.
Unless i am wrong about WP and he can get his WP this year for next season pre season tour, then we can decide to keep him or let him go on a fee.
I can’t understand the reason to sign him at all. The whole deal is weird and doesn’t make sense.
Ryo Miyachi all over again 
I’ve always seen transfers like him, purely as a marketing tool for the Asian market and to sell more kits.
1 Like
The selling kits part has been thoroughly debunked. Clubs don’t make enough on shirt sales to warrant buying a player.
As for Asian market, I’m just unsure. Or even ignorant. He’s Japanese, so are potential fans in China, Vietnam, Singapore etc going to be wooed by a Japanese player? Do they give a shit? Is that like saying people in France would be more interested in supporting a particular Japanese baseball team because they’ve signed a Portuguese player? (Ignoring the ridiculous notion of Japanese baseball having mass international appeal lol)
1 Like
Who will buy an “Asano” Arsenal jersey??
Let’s be honest…
We don’t even know if he will ever play for the club…
This marketing/jersey sale is just ridiculous.
3 Likes
Surely that would depend on how much is paid?
Think it’s just a case of the club taking a punt on a decent looking talent which is not an issue and should be done more often tbh.
More often than not it doesn’t work out but you might unearth a gem at some point.
2 Likes
I agree there is nothing wrong with taking a chance but the way we do it is utterly brainless.
Tbf, the cases aren’t really analogous because Asian players in big clubs is very rare, whereas europeans no. More analogous would be is a Bolivian interested because a Peruvian signs for a big club, or a Panamanian because a Costa Rican or a Guatemalan because a Cuban or a Hondruas/Nicaragua/El Salvador, etc.
I think to some extent the answer would be yes, and it will help to increase profile in those regions. I think sometimes these type of signings are to also make inroads in areas of scouting/perhaps generate good will/contacts in such areas? so that if this one doesn’t work, when the next one comes along…
We certainly need more luck to find that “gem”…
If we are playing good football, yes, it will make our profile looks better and expand the fan base.
IF WE ARE NOT playing good football, it will damage our image, and expose our problems/issues.
Same situation and amount of transfer fee, I don’t think Ozil and/or Sanchez will come today, because our weaknesses and issues are exposed too much to the world in the last couple of seasons. Would they join a sinking ship??? A few seasons back, it would be a different scenario if Wenger was more proactive on his tactics/management, and aggressive in the transfer market.
Now is too late.
Surely that completely loses any value when the player doesn’t in fact actually play for the club. Park (7) Ryo (7) Asano(0) and Inamoto (4) combined have less than 20 appearances for the club.
2 Likes
I mean, I think I did acknowledge that the analogy was flawed lol. Yours are better.
I did also say that I was ignorant with regards to whether it would generate interest in those other countries. So I appreciate your opinion. I’m still sceptical as to whether people in other Eastern countries would take any more interest because we signed a Japanese nobody who has never played a game for us and probably never will. I think people might take notice that weve signed him, before realising that he isn’t playing for us, and continuing not to give a shit.
1 Like
No doubt, aside from the potential (admit I’m totally speculating there) benefits in terms of fomenting contacts and scouting inroads.
Just theorising why it could mean that, all things even, we prefer a prospect from such a country to another. But meh.
It’s well documented that Florentino and Barça battle over the South American market and that influences in signings like James for Madrid, and while they may be mostly mafiosos, they surely know more about business than me so there must be something to it. But I obviously recognise that’s on a totally different scale, to the point it might not even be relevant to signings of the type of Asano. I guess the hope is that if you hit big with someone like Asano you hit very big, and you have a major marketing bump aside from the sporting benefits.
2 Likes
Honestly, they won’t.
There’s interest in stars like Sanchez or James, no random name like Asano or even mid-level talents like Farfan was.
I remember all the panchis rocking the Farfán PSV shirt back in uni in the U.S.