As our season has finished effectively, the rumours about who we’re going to buy to ensure we are not in the same situation this time next year are growing steadily by the day.
The main player who will be touted between top four clubs in pre-season is Gareth Barry, Aston Villa captain. Already linked with Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as us, I think that there is very little chance of Wenger deciding to spend £15m on Barry just because he does not spend what he feels is too much for a player, even if it means letting go his chief transfer target and going for someone else instead. I would have to disagree with him on this one though. If Flamini is departing then we cannot afford to let one of the younger players such as Denilson or Song take over, and neither can we give Gilberto a first team place once more. Gilberto, while once a quality player, is now fading towards retirement unfortunately, and just does not offer the same energy and spirit Flamini does. Gareth Barry, on the other hand, has great positional awareness like Gilberto, but is nearing his prime, has good passing ability and brilliant leadership skills that have been shown by his club and country form this season. It’s just unfortunate that despite him being a great potential replacement, his nationality adds another £5m to what a player of the same talents living in France would cost. It’s also a shame that this clone who lives in France does not exist, and so if we’re looking to replace Flamini, each possible transfer will offer different things than he does - unless the signing is Gattuso of course…
Another Englishman who has been labeled as a possible Flamini successor is Man City’s Michael Johnson, the England U21 international. I have got to say I am a big fan of his and he has all the signs of being a big player in a couple of years time. But there are two problems to signing him: 1. He is very much a box to box midfielder and at City has Hamann who deals with the scraps just ahead of the back four. This makes him too attacking to help give Fabregas the room and license to go forward that we need him to have. 2. He is nly 20/21 years of age - if we are going to replace experience with inexperience, then why not just promote Denilson into the first team? Another potential stopper on this deal is how much would City want for him - if it’s £5m then he would a good “luxury signing” if we buy a direct replacement for Flamini and a winger and perhaps even a striker or centre back. If it’s £10m you’d have to say it’d be a pointless signing.
Daniel De Ridder has also been linked with us in the last few days. Now this is a very strange rumour and one I don’t really believe to be honest. He looked a good player when he was younger, and even last summer I thought he did well for Holland, but after a year in the Premiership he has played in only a few games. Wenger I hope is going for a winger with a bit more quality than De Ridder, and although he’d come cheap he’d only do a job if we’re talking about him being 6th choice winger or something, and if that’s the case De Ridder wouldn’t come anyway.
The shock of this week’s transfer rumours has got to be the news that Australian U23 international and Sydney FC captain Mark Milliagan. Milligan is a right footed player who is comfortable across the back four, and has played this season in central midfield for his clubd. The reports say that he is close to signing for Arsenal, although his agent, while confirming Arsenal’s interest, has said that he has not been offered a contract yet:
Brookes (Milligan’s represntative) told setantasports.com that “Mark has had interest from Arsenal but has not been offered terms at this stage.”
Available on a free, Milligan is a low risk and versatile player, although there are question marks over his actual quality as a footballer that Arsenal demands in all positions, and so it remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal will swoop for the Aussie. Opinion is very much mixed on him, as you can read here: http://arsenal-mania.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36711&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I think that Milligan, as a squad player, could well give us a bit of needed extra stregth in depth, although of course a first team player his lack of experience rules him out completely.
lastly there is another triallist who is going to be at the club in the coming weeks, joinging the youth team in an annual tournament that takes place in Italy. His name is Nikos Karelis, a 16 year old striker hailing from tiny Greek team Ergotelis. He has already made his debut with his club side, making him the youngest player ever to play in the Greek Supe League, and he is excited by the prospect of a chance of making it at a big club:
”I know that it will be very difficult to start with but I am going there to succeed. Even if I don’t make it, I think I’ll gain lots of useful experience that will help me improve in the future.”
