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Post by dorf on Jan 7, 2015 9:08:43 GMT
Polish club seeking total package of at least €3m
Arsène Wenger has seen a €2m (£1.6m) bid rejected by Legia Warsaw for the 17-year-old defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik. The Arsenal manager had Bielik at the club’s London Colney training base over the Christmas period, having invited him from Poland for a tour and he made an initial €1.5m offer for him at the time. Wenger has now stepped up his interest and the player is keen on the proposed transfer, even though he would most likely have to drop down from first-team level to the academy. Bielik, who moved to Legia from Lech Poznan last summer, has made his senior breakthrough this season. He stands 6ft 2in tall and he can play at centre-half while Henning Berg, the Legia manager, has tried him in various midfield roles. Legia gave permission for him to travel to Arsenal around Christmas and, with Roma having also shown an interest, they appear keen to drive the price higher. They want a package, including add-ons, of at least €3m. Wenger’s need for a defensive midfielder is well documented but Bielik would be a prospect for the future, rather than an immediate solution. He has a big reputation in youth football but has played in only five matches for the Legia first team. by David Hytner / Guardian
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Post by Premier League News on Jan 12, 2015 23:02:18 GMT
UPDATE:
Hamburg confident of signing Arsenal target Krystian Bielik
He would be a perfect fit here, says Hamburg manager
Hamburg have confirmed they are hoping to sign the Polish teenager Krystian Bielik, who was the subject of a bid from Arsenal last week. The 17-year-old has just returned to Poland after a trip to visit the Bundesliga club.
Arsenal had a £1.6m bid rejected by Legia Warsaw last week, with the Polish club holding out for £2.3m. And while Hamburg acknowledge that they face competition for the midfielder’s signature the coach, Josef Zinnbauer, is optimistic the player will join them.
“Of course Arsenal are also interested but I don’t think he is bluffing [about being interested in joining Hamburg]. Otherwise he didn’t need to come to Hamburg,” Zinnbauer told Kicker. “He is a really good boy who has very good build-up play. He would fit in perfectly with our philosophy.”
The Hamburg sporting director, Peter Knäbel, confirmed that Bielik had visited the club but added: “There is some good competition out there for him.”
Roma have also shown an interest in the player, who has made five league appearances for Legia Warsaw.
By Marcus Christenson / Guardian
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Post by Premier League News on Jan 14, 2015 8:53:46 GMT
UPDATE:
Arsenal's £2.4m Bielik deal almost done.
Arsenal were hopeful on Tuesday of finally reaching agreement with Legia Warsaw on the signing of 17-year-old midfield prodigy Krystian Bielik.
After having bids of around £1.5million and £2million rejected, they have returned with a further offer and talks are centring on a deal worth around €3million (£2.4million).
Bielik only turned 17 in January but has already broken into the Legia Warsaw first team after being bought from Lech Poznan for £9,500 last year on a contract until 2017.
He is regarded as one of the most promising young central midfielders in Europe and, at 6ft 2ins, is already a strong physical presence.
He spent some time at Arsenal’s London Colney training base in December and is expected to develop as a specialist in the holding midfield position. He can also play at centre-back.
Although Wenger has always shown himself to be willing to start young players, Bielik is clearly being pursued with a view to the long-term rather than this season.
Arsenal are also expected to move for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin during the summer as they plan for life beyond Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini as their two main defensive midfielders.
By Jeremy Wilson, Telegraph
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3in11
Monster Midfielder
No easy games in this league.
Posts: 1,773
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Post by 3in11 on Jan 17, 2015 12:24:25 GMT
Apologies for laziness, I posted this on the Holmesdale about Bielik:
The Arsenal manager has said he will be spending £20m this window and there is expectation that a BIG NAME will be bought. Wenger's ideas may be different as he's spending £2m on an inexperienced Legia Warsaw defensive midfielder. Legia boss Henning Berg* is full of praise for 17yr old Krystian Bielik, “He’s a physical player with good skills. He has very good understanding of the game and match mentality. Krystian is quite far ahead of other players at his age..... does not have any weaknesses". Bielik has only a few minutes of first team football under his belt and local fans seem to regard this as a 'good bit of business'....what will those idiot Gooners say?
* Berg's doing well in Warsaw, Champions last season and 3pts clear at the top at the moment. He is reported to have ambitions of managing over here again (had a spell running Blackburn 3yrs ago)and turned down an offer from Germany recently.
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