As usual Arsenal conduct themselves with class in the transfer market and keep their heads below the radar. Eduardo (as he'll be known) has been followed for nearly a year and no-one knew a thing. I love that about Arsenal. Our purchases are always such a surprise!
I for one am really excited about Eduardo. People are saying he scored a lot of goals in a poor league but you can only excel at the level you are playing at. He has also scored seven goals in twelve games for Croatia and no-one can question that... it's at international level, it doesn't get better than that.
Initially the press thought Arsenal had spent the whole £16m they received for Henry on the Croat but I believe that was simply lost in translation. The realistic fee looks to be somewhere in the £8m region and that's good money considering some fools just spent twice that on Darren Bent. I bet he scores more goals and has more assists that Bent next season.
Manager Arsène Wenger said: "We are delighted to have signed Eduardo Da Silva. He has great qualities and will integrate very well into our style of football. He is a very good finisher and although he is predominantly a striker, he is a very adaptable player."
Oh dear? Does that mean Wenger has dreams of converting the young man into a winger? I hope not. He probably means he can also play him wide in a five man midfield and as a support striker. I can't wait to see him in an Arsenal shirt and I don't care that it'll be the 'unlucky number 9'. He probably chose that because of Super Davor Suker and it is only a number after all.
One very important thing to remember is that we shouldn't think of him as a replacement for Henry. Realisitcally speaking no-one in the world could directly replace the moody Frenchman. Lets just look at him as an exciting new signing who'll be looking to score goals in an Arsenal shirt. Here are the first pictures of him in an Arsenal shirt.
It'll be strange that in some games next season Arsenal will have two left-footed strikers (Eduardo and van Persie) and two left footed centre backs (Gallas and Senderos.)
All they need is a left footed left winger now!!!
