Bild.de says we put up a €23m bid for Lukas Podolski in November. Unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility since our interest in him seems to be ongoing. The article claims that there is an agreement in place between Arsenal and Podolski but the two clubs are still haggling over a selling price. http://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/podolski/poldi-schon-klar-mit-arsenal-22879862.bild.html
Could be an expensive summer. Arsenal need to pay out to keep Robin Van Persie. Some reports indicate he is going to break our wage record. Waiting in the wings is Alex Song who likely wants to see RVP commit before he does the same, though he has another year left on his deal. After that Arsenal want Podolski and continue to flirt with the idea of spending a fortune to bring in wunderkind Mario Gotze. Our transfer chest is supposedly 40m so how we can get all that done is beyond me. Maybe we are only looking at Podolski as a strategy in negotiating with RVP?
Arsenal have expressed interest in 22-year old Ukrainian national Andriy Yarmolenko. The 6'2" striker looks to be a replacement for Bendtner.
Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen, previously a Sp*rs transfer target, says he'd fancy a move to Arsenal this summer. The 24-year old is friends with Tom Vermaelen, who invited him to our Champions League 2nd leg against Milan at The Grove--a performance that impressed Vertonghen enough to put Arsenal on his list. Vertonghen is under contract with Ajax until 2013 but wants to move this summer. He was named captain of the club when Stekelenburg moved to Rome.
Vertonghen has confirmed that he will not sign a new deal with Ajax and will push for a move to the EPL.
Arsenal are still keen on 19-year old Dortmund Golden Boy Mario Gotze, who would cost the team 30m. His agent suggested last summer that he would eventually graduate from Dortmund to a bigger club but was in no hurry. He's having a lot of domestic success with them and he's been part of their team for ten years so it's hard to blame him. Wilshere and Ramsey are both great two-way midfielders but they don't have Gotze's offensive play-making panache (Wilshere is close). Having a setup man like Gotze could make things easier on Song, who has been an excellent passer this season but is doing double-duty as both a defensive midfielder and a play-maker. Szczesny Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Vermaelen Arteta, Song, Wilshere, Gotze RVP, Podolski Key reserves: AOX, Walcott, Rosicky, Ramsey, Gervinho, Gibbs, Fabianski That is a strong team.
Arsenal are set to swoop for 22-year-old Toulouse centre-back Aymen Abdennour. The Gunners have reportedly been linked with a summer move for Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio, 26. Reports in Italy are linking Liverpool and Arsenal with Udinese duo Mehdi Benatia, 24, and Mauricio Isla, 23, but they face competition from Napoli. Arsenal are also believed to be chasing Montpellier and France striker Olivier Giroud, 25, who has also caught the eye of both Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Highly rated Ajax centre-back Jan Vertonghen, 24, is keen on a move to Arsenal this summer. Lukas Podolski has revealed he could snub Arsenal's advances and join up with fellow Germany striker Miroslav Klose at Lazio. Arsenal have added promising Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland to their summer shopping list. Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are all chasing Fulham playmaker Moussa Dembele, 24, with the Belgian star impressing for the Cottagers so far this season. According to reports in Germany, Hamburg are set to beat Arsenal, Man Utd and Juventus to the signature of FC Basel's 19-year-old midfielder Granit Xhaka. Liverpool and Arsenal have both joined the race to sign Spanish winger Jose Manuel Jurado, who currently plays for Schalke.
Isaac Hayes (Hayden) has signed a pro contract with the club. The 17-year old can play midfield or defense.
Blackburn's Junior Hoilett, 21, has been warned by manager Steve Kean that he might not be as big a star at another club, as Arsenal, Newcastle and Bayern Munich track him. Thierry Henry made a flying visit from the United States to see former Arsenal team-mate and close friend Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton midfielder who remains in hospital.
Mario Gotze has signed a new four-year deal with Dortmund, putting transfer talk on ice for at least... well, it won't. They're already saying he'll leave next summer.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants to reinforce the holding midfield position with Rennes' Yann M'Vila, 21, and Lucas Biglia, 26, on his radar. The Blues are ready to take on Tottenham in the race to lure the highly sought-after Eden Hazard away from French club Lille this summer, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City also keen on the 21-year-old Belgium international. Real Madrid have made Arsenal striker Robin van Persie their number one summer target and are prepared to pay £25m to snap up the Dutchman. Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, a target for Arsenal and Newcastle, has refused to sign a new contract at the Stade de la Mosson and admitted he could leave in the summer. Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Manchester City's Bosnia international forward Edin Dzeko, 26, as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger scouts possible attacking additions this summer.
Denilson is expected to spend another season on loan with Sao Paulo. Shows how important he was to the team that I haven't thought about him since he left.
Rennes midfielder Jann/Yann M’Vila is keen on playing only for a French coach, suggesting that if he were to move to the EPL, Arsenal would be his top choice. The Gunners are crowded in the midfield with Arteta, Song, Wilshere, Diaby, Ramsey, Coquelin, Rosicky, and Frimpong fighting for minutes, so it is yet to be seen whether Wenger fancies another central-mid.
Arsenal are likely to bid for Ajax pair Jan Vertonghen, 24, and Christian Eriksen, 20, after Arsene Wenger was assured by the club's board that funds will be made available to him for a significant bid. The Gunners are also thought to be interested in 26-year-old Valencia defender Adil Rami, who is allegedly wanted by AC Milan. Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh, 28, has been told he can rejoin Bordeaux, providing he is prepared to take a pay cut. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is monitoring Fulham's in-form United States striker Clint Dempsey, 29, who has a year left on his contract at Craven Cottage. Robin van Persie is planning to snub a £200,000 a week offer from Manchester City and stay with Arsenal. Striker Carlos Vela wants to stay at Real Sociedad rather than go back to Arsenal. The on-loan Mexican striker, 23, is in Spain until the end of the season.
Arsenal are supposedly in "advanced transfer talks" with Rennes regarding highly rated midfielder Yann M'Vila (21), who has recently drawn interest from Inter and Bayern. His transfer cost is thought to be about £22-million. M'Vila is an aggressive defensive mid with a high work rate and excellent passing skills, drawing comparisons to Vieira and Makélelé. M'Vila is thought to favour a move to Arsenal based on Wenger's nationality and style.
^ Arsenal supposedly close to signing M'Villa for less than what was originally reported (£17.7m). Could be posturing by Arsenal to put pressure on Alex Song to re-sign.
French daily Le Parisien report that M'Vila will sign a four-year-deal with wages of around £60,000-a-week this summer, and with a fee of £17 million, he would be Arsenal's record signing, eclipsing the £15 million paid to Zenit Saint Petersburg for Andrey Arshavin in 2009. Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/898435-yann-mvila-transfer-to-arsenal-agreed#ixzz1uHfeiTv7
Wenger has played down the M'Vila rumours, saying our game this weekend is his only priority at the moment, but that's what you'd expect him to say, isn't it, you smartass?
Arsenal linked to Blackburn starlett, Canadian striker Junior Hoilett, along with Hernanes (Lazio), Oliver Giroud (Bayern), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), and Jan Vertonghen (Ajax), who has entertained offers from Sp*rs so fuck him. Dempsey had a pretty good year and would be a nice addition to our midfield with his propensity to get up and score goals as an attacking mid/forward. I can look past his passport status (just barely).
One-time Arsenal target Eden Hazard, now linked with the Manchester clubs, Tweeted that the last two games of the Ligue 1 season will be his last for Lilles.
