Due to exams at the minute I haven’t really kept this site updated as much as I wanted to do, and so I apologise for that. And with that apology out of the way, it looks like the transfer rumour merry-go-round has truly gone mad this time around. Hopefully I can now do a quick round-up of all the transfer stories floating round the Emirates at the moment:
Alberto Aquilani: First of all, I think that there is something wrong with all the papers if they believe for one minute that we would sign this Italian to play alongside Fabregas in central midfield - I think we were quite bad enough defensively this season without getting rid of a defensive midfielder and placing a creative midfielder in his place. But there you go. This is what his agent has to say on the story:
“Aquilani is speaking to Arsenal,” Morabito confirmed. “We will have to see if Roma will be able to match his demands.”
Now in my opinion that is clearly an attempt at gettting a better contract, as Aquilani is a local boy I believe and is someone who is likely to be loyal to his hometown club, but merely wants a better salary to reward his efforts. Although I do also think we’re interested, probably not for £12m, and probably as a potential creative-midfielder-turned winger, but I don’t think we’ll get him.
Samir Nasri: This is currently the strongest rumour surrounding Arsenal FC. La Provence, Marseilles main newspaper (as I understand it) has been reporting both today and yesterday that Arsenal have already agreed a fee for one of France’s brightest young hopes, with the fee reportedly around £12.5m. I personally believe it’s not all that far progressed, mainly so that I am not too disappointed when Real Madrid jump in and sign him at the last minute, but I believe if this is true he will be a great addition to the team, and would almost certainly be used as a wide player in a Hleb-type role. he is a massive talent and has quite a bit of experience for his age, meaning he could come in and do a job for the first team straight away, with perhaps a couple of months adaptation.
Original source: http://www.laprovence.com/articles/2008/05/19/452752-FRANCE-cisse-comme-nasri.php
Hatem Ben Arfa: All has gone a bit quiet since the young Frechman admitted that he had talked about Arsenal, and so we will have to wait and see after the French Cup final to know where he is going to leave to, or even if he’s going to leave Lyon. All I know is that he would make an excellent signing depite attitude problems that have cropped up while at Lyon, because he has the talent to make a great winger for us, with real pace and direction to his running, a fresh directness we aren’t used to at the Emirates these days.
Roque Santa Cruz: With 19 goals this season, in what is a debut season, it is inevitable that Santa Cruz gets linked with someone this summer and apparently it is us who are lining him up as a potential replacement for Adebayor should he leave. This is coming from this morning’s Telegraph, and to be honest, I don’t believe a single word of it. I think that we do not need to sell Adebayor, he’s stated that he loves the club and will stay, so this is therefore a non-story in my book. However, if either van Persie or Adebayor leave the club, it could be a completely different matter.
Niko Kranjcar: Since Niko Kranjcar has won more trophies this season with Pompey than Arsenal have won in the last three seasons, you could wonder the reasoning behind joining The Gunners, but it has been reported that the Croat will be available this summer if Harry Redknapp lands Harry “Missing - Presumed Dead” Kewell from the scousers. I like Kranjcar he is a very clever player who hashad a great season this year and looks like he would fit in with the passing game here. However, he doesn’t have that stand out quality I’d like to see for £15m, and definitely don’t think he has that pace the rest of our players have. However, he has already adapted to the Premiership and as a bench player he’d be great, but not as a starter please Arsene. I don’t actually think he will join us either way due to better options being available. This is what Kranjcar had to say about the rumours:
“I don’t want to go anywhere, I’m very happy. Obviously playing in Europe is a big chance for me,” he stated.
“I’d be crazy if I said I wasn’t tempted by the calls of big clubs like Arsenal because everyone wants to achieve the most in their career and play Champions League football and win more trophies. I’m not in a hurry to go anywhere, I’m 24 this summer and I’m looking ahead to the European Championships and having a great year. What the new season brings no-one knows yet but I’m happy at Portsmouth and it’s a great place to be at the moment.”
Source: http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=701297
Sebastien Frey: A goalkeeper is probably one of the lower priorities this summer, as Almunia has done a decent enough job, while Fabianski looks fairly promising as well, but apparently L’Equipe knows otherwise, today linking us with a move to Frey, an excellent goalkeeper currently playing for Fiorentina. But I think any interest we may have shown in the goalkeeper would have been extinguished as soon as the figure of £16m was mentioned…
Source: http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_3584129,00.html
Mouhamadou Dabo: This is a very interesting potential signing, but the main reason for this intrigue is that there seems to be no reason for this transfer. Apparently Dabo is a right back currently playing for St. Etienne in Ligue 1. Now I know what you are all thinking, just what we need, a right back! But apparently he can play in midfield as well, and Eboue has proved what an easy transition that is…. Now I’m not saying he’d be a terrible signing as I am sure that Grimandi has done very detailed homwork on this player, but I think currently we need to strengthen other places with relative experience and quality more than a right back slot or indeed a right back in a midfield slot.
Jean II Makoun: Now this is a player that has caught my eye when I have watched him play due to his tenacity and strength in the tackle, therefore making him a potential Flamini replacement. And the paper’s have also seen this, and coupled with a confirmation that we’re interested in him from his agent, speculation is growing that we may try to sign him this summer. He seems a Wenger signing, although Wenger has said he is happy with those players he has in central midfield, I believe he’ll add another one… I hope.
Raul Albiol: Wenger likes a bargain and it seems as if a cut price £7.5m move for Raul Albiol may be on, or so the Sunday Mirror would have you believe. Nonetheless, he’s an excellent player from what I’ve hear and the little that I have seen, so perhaps there may be something in this. Although of course, The Daily Mirror isn’t what I’d call a trustworthy source.
Lillian Thuram: This rumour has been lingering for a while, with it resurfacing again this week with a couple of sources claiming Wenger may attempt to get the experienced defender and French legend Thuram on a deal that would give Arsenal’s backline exactly what they need. I’m not convinced his legs aren’t completely gone now, but on a coaching role and the odd appearance here and there, the experience he could give the players in training would be great.
out of the possiable sighings above the ones we should defintely sigh are nasri, thuram, ben afra, frey, and albiol