[Official] Silvestre joins Arsenal

• zocoss

  20 Aug 08, 11:14

  Arsenal are taking the Mik

   

  

   

   

  ARSENE WENGER has hijacked Manchester City’s bid to sign Mikael Silvestre. The Manchester United defender, 31, was undergoing a medical at neighbours City when he got a call telling him Arsenal were interested.

   

  Silvestre immediately abandoned the medical and hurtled down the M1 to meet Gunners boss Wenger and discuss terms. An Arsenal insider confirmed: “Arsene has been looking for experienced cover for Gael Clichy and he knows all about Mikael.

  "Arsene has followed his career with France and at United and the fact he is French is a bonus.” The France left-back, who joined United from Inter for £4m in 1999, made six appearances at United last season and was granted a free transfer this summer.

   

  City appeared to have pipped Portsmouth to Silvestre and boss Mark Hughes will be devastated to have missed out.

   

• thongs

  20 Aug 08, 17:39

  omfg, worst buy

• zocoss

  20 Aug 08, 19:05

  Gunners in shock swoop to steal United defender Silvestre from under the noses of Sunderland
  

   

  

  Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre was last night on the verge of an astonishing move to bitter rivals Arsenal. The 31-year-old France international had appeared to be on his way to Manchester City or Sunderland. But Sportsmail can reveal that Arsenal came in with a late offer to tempt Silvestre into one of the summer’s most unexpected transfers.

  Sources close to the player revealed last night that the 31-year-old had been won over by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, one of his home country’s most revered coaches, and the promise of Champions League football at the Emirates.
  
  Arsenal will expect to pay United around £750,000 for a player who moved to Old Trafford from Inter Milan in the 1998-99 season and will offer him £50,000-a-week.
  
  What makes the deal so remarkable is that Wenger and his bitter rival, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, have never before traded players in the 12 years they have been in opposition in the Premier League.

  The two men have often been in competition for the same player from overseas and have at times coveted members of each other’s squads. Wenger, for example, considered a move for David Beckham when he left United in 2003 and Ferguson always wanted former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira. But no deal between the two men has ever been close to coming off.
  
  Silvestre, who has made 361 appearances for United in all competitions, was thought to be holding out for a testimonial next year when he turned down summer approaches from Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain in his homeland.
  
  It was also thought that his family wanted to remain in the north-west.

  Wenger wants to integrate Silvestre into a defensive unit that already contains Frenchmen Gael Clichy and William Gallas. The arrival of Silvestre — if the transfer goes through — would also probably spell the end for Arsenal’s unreliable Switzerland centre back Philippe Senderos.

   

   

   

  Aiya $750,000 not so bad lah, its not as tho they are paying millions for him... United have been trying hard to find him a new club to take his waged off their salary bill... So like this everybody happy i guess...

   

• redDUST

  21 Aug 08, 09:17

  i think it is a good buy. defensively, silvestre is (still) quite dependable. but i noticed he has a habit of doing last minute switch...

  b4 man u, houllier had thot he's got him until SAF lured him away. (and no, i am not bitter. he probably fits into the man u system of play then better)

• Saltiga

  21 Aug 08, 09:53

  seriously, between ManC, Sunderland and Arsenal the choice is as clear cut as black and white lor..

• zocoss

  21 Aug 08, 10:19

  I am a bit surprise over this deal, but only a bit... Cos when was the last time Wenger sign a 31 yrs old player? Lucky he is French... or Wenger won't be interested in him at all...

  Anyway, Silvestre is still quite an ok defender but also prone to making silly errors at times but better than Senderos I feel...

   

• Saltiga

  21 Aug 08, 10:37

  AW's hands are tied.. he can't afford huge transfer fee so he is left with no choice but to be very very choosy but with Silvestre costing them a mere 750k as reported its not a bad deal at all.. gone are the days when they can pay millions for the very best youngster around so now its just a matter of ensuring having enough players sitting on the sub bench on match days

• reyes

  21 Aug 08, 15:46

  personally i think it is a good buy.

  age is no big problem for defender as positioning is more impt than stamina. since he no longer play for france. that is a bonus!

   

  He has the experience to play left back and central defender as well.

   

  compare to senderos, he is definitely better dispite his age. maybe newcastle can come offer few million pound for senderos!!!

   

• Trump_Card

  21 Aug 08, 17:45

  Arsenal sign Silvestre

  

  Arsenal announced yesterday the signing of Frenchman Mikael Silvestre on a two year deal. The French international joins the Gunners from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee. Silvestre gave an exclusive interview to Arsenal TV Online on Wednesday and also posed for the Club cameraman.

  Good buy !

• zocoss

  21 Aug 08, 19:51

  ARSENAL YOUNGSTERS GOING?

  

   

   

  Mikael Silvestre's shock move from Manchester United to Arsenal is expected to result in the departure of either Armand Traore or Johan Djourou from the Emirates but several questions remain unanswered about one of the most surprising transfers in recent history.

  The 31-year-old Frenchman was on the verge of completing a switch to Manchester City on Tuesday evening before learning that Arsenal were interested in securing his services. Barely 24 hours later, he was being unveiled as the Gunners' latest signing.

  Although the lure of living in the capital has been cited as a persuasive force in Silvestre's decision to move south, it is difficult to believe that he would have joined the Gunners unless he was assured that he would enjoy more first-team opportunities than he had in his final years at Old Trafford.

  According to reports, Arsene Wenger regards Silvestre as a partner for William Gallas in the centre of defence and he may even start Saturday's match at Fulham. It is understood that Rennes have already made an enquiry about the possibility of taking Johan Djourou, the current deputy for the injured Kolo Toure, on loan.

  However it is more likely that Silvestre has been recruited to act as cover behind Toure and Gallas as well as left-back Gael Clichy. Portsmouth are in the market for a left-back and Silvestre's arrival has raised the possibility of Traore joining cash-strapped Pompey on a season-long loan deal.

  Other than wishing Silvestre well and thanking him for his nine years of service in a short press release, Sir Alex Ferguson has yet to comment on the defender's exit or his thoughts on selling one of his players to arch-rival Wenger.

  Yet, having put Silvestre up for sale, Ferguson may not have had much choice in the matter. Silvestre is believed to have been offloaded to reduce a wage bill that is still expected to be swollen by Dimi Berbatov's arrival.

• zocoss

  21 Aug 08, 19:57

  Ferguson's Silvestre Salute

  Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to the service provided by his former French defender, while Mikael Silvestre says he has not arrived in north London to warm the bench...

   

   

  Mikael Silvestre spent nine seasons at Manchester United. He was touted as one of the greatest centre-backs in European football mid-way through his Old Trafford spell, but has since fallen down the pecking order with the acquisition of Nemanja Vidic.
  
  He has had less joy in the left back role too, with Patrice Evra remaining an ever-present when fit. Over the summer he had been linked with a move to Sunderland, and neighbours Manchester City, but then Arsenal snuck in with an 11th hour offer that the French defender couldn't resist.
  
  Sir Alex Ferguson paid tribute to Silvestre's service, he is quoted by the Manchester Evening News as saying: "Mikael was a great servant and a wonderful professional. We wish him all the best at his new club and thank him for his service."
  
  Silvestre indicated that he is eager to link up with a young, but experienced Gunners squad, pointing to their technical and skillful abilities, but is looking to be playing in central defence, and not on the bench.
  
  Arsene Wenger mentioned: "Mikael's versatility, experience and calibre will provide the extra depth we need to reinforce our challenge for honours this season. His defensive adaptability will serve us well and it's a big plus that Mikael has top-level experience and a great understanding of football in the Premier League."
  
  Commentators point to his two year deal as a shift in Wenger's over 30 policy. While previous Arsenal players such as Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires were constantly refused longer deals and only offered one year extension, Silvestre, at 31, has been granted a contract lasting two years.

• omgukilledkenny

  21 Aug 08, 21:52

  Originally posted by zocoss:

  Mikael Silvestre spent nine seasons at Manchester United. He was touted as one of the greatest centre-backs in European football mid-way through his Old Trafford spell, but has since fallen down the pecking order with the acquisition of Nemanja Vidic.

  lolololololol!!!

• Spartans

  21 Aug 08, 21:54

  Why are we buying an expired Man U player? Pathetic!

• omgukilledkenny

  21 Aug 08, 22:08

  Originally posted by Spartans:

  Why are we buying an expired Man U player? Pathetic!

  Maybe because......

  Silvestre stats bode well for Gunners

  There are now seven Frenchmen in the 2008/09 Arsenal squad. Arsene Wenger is rumoured to favour partnering the 31-year-old with William Gallas in central defence. Bacary Sagna and Gaël Clichy could then make up the all-French back four if Kolo Toure misses out.

  

  The Arsenal boss will be aware that Silvestre and Gallas know each other well from their France days. Aside from being born eight days apart, they played together 22 times for Les Bleus, winning 17 of those and losing only two. However, the most impressive stat lies in the fact that France conceded only 0.5 goals per game when the two were in defence.

  Silvestre has 40 caps for France, scoring two goals.

• gunner77

  21 Aug 08, 22:13

  anyone rmb wat happen to the last defender who wore number 18?

• omgukilledkenny

  21 Aug 08, 22:15

  Originally posted by gunner77:

  anyone rmb wat happen to the last defender who wore number 18?

  

• gunner77

  21 Aug 08, 22:27

  Originally posted by omgukilledkenny:

  

  bingo!

• thongs

  22 Aug 08, 00:53

  lol cygan = retarded actions, bad judgement and poor understanding

• Pitot

  22 Aug 08, 04:00

  so henry coming?

• zocoss

  22 Aug 08, 09:45

  Poor Cygan, kenna condemn until like that...      

• reyes

  22 Aug 08, 12:06

  that show AW is kinda desperate if he break his policy of offering 2 year contract to player over 30s.

   

  anyway, i think silvestre still has alot to offer.

  by the way, with his obsent,  i think ferguson will be the person short of cover in defence.

   

  what if vidic /ferdinand is injured? brown left?

  what if evra is injured? who cover? o;shea?

  take care man utd. dont just buy striker where defence is one of weakest link this season.

   

• Pitot

  22 Aug 08, 16:42

  ever heard of the da silva brothers? jonny evans?

   

  Good deal, sell him while they still can. If man united were really concerned about keeping him, they wouldnt let him go.

• Saltiga

  22 Aug 08, 19:23

  selling him is not much of an surprised but selling Henize was.. Henize was very much at ease playing as their left back...

• thongs

  23 Aug 08, 00:55

  Originally posted by zocoss:

  Poor Cygan, kenna condemn until like that...    

  I never condemn, i stating facts :D

• 

  23 Aug 08, 01:04

  Originally posted by redDUST:

  i think it is a good buy. defensively, silvestre is (still) quite dependable. but i noticed he has a habit of doing last minute switch...

  b4 man u, houllier had thot he's got him until SAF lured him away. (and no, i am not bitter. he probably fits into the man u system of play then better)

  nope, big mistake!