Re: Silly Season 2013 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits it would be impossible to turn down any opportunity to sign unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. The Gunners are considering whether to make a move for Swansea attacker Michu. The 27-year-old scored 22 goals in all competitions in his debut campaign with the Welsh side last term. Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has urged the Gunners to sign Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama. The Kenyan, 21, is valued at £10m by the Scottish Premier League champions. Barcelona striker David Villa, 31, who has been linked with Arsenal and *****, has said he will not make any decision about his future until he has finished playing in the Confederations Cup with Spain. The tournament is set to run from 15-30 June. Belgium international goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, 25, has been linked with a move to Emirates worth £10 million. Laurent Koscielny says he’ll only look to leave Arsenal if the club shows no ambition to end its trophy drought.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Real Madrid striker Gonazalo Higuain hasn’t entirely ruled out a move to Arsenal. The Argentina international said at the weekend that he would be leaving Real Madrid this summer but while Juventus are favourites to secure his signature Arsenal are believed to have offered more money to the Spanish club though they might not match Juve’s personal terms. Toulouse defensive midfielder and Arsenal target Etienne Capoue has hinted that he could leave the French side this summer. Capoue has been linked with a move to Arsenal with Arsene Wenger lodging a transfer-deadline day bid for the 24-year-old at the end of January. Returning Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants to "hijack" Arsenal's bid for Fiorentina forward Stevan Jovetic. Reports from Serbia suggest the Gunners have agreed a deal with Partizan Belgrade for youngster Aleksandar Mitrovic, a player described by local journalists as ‘the new Nicklas Bendtner’ – a comment that will do little to curry favour with the Emirates faithful.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Aston Villa have placed a £40m price tag on in-demand Christian Benteke in an effort to put off Atletico Madrid, Arsenal and Tottenham, who are all keen on the 22-year-old striker. Arsenal have further boosted their financial firepower in the transfer window by freeing up around £10m from their annual wage bill after Andrey Arshavin, 32, Denilson, 25, and Sebastien Squillaci, 32, finally ran down their contracts and were allowed to leave for nothing. Arsenal are being linked with a move for Freiburg midfielder Mathias Ginter. The 19-year-old is currently at the Uefa Under-21 Championships in Israel and scouts from the Emirates are expected to watch him in Germany’s opening game of the tournament when they take on the Netherlands in Petach Tikva this evening. Arsenal should know by early next week whether or not they are still in with a chance of signing Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain. Representatives of the Spanish side will meet Juventus on Sunday to talk about the 25-year-old striker who has told Real that he wants to leave the club. First up and the Metro are reporting that Arsene Wenger will make a shock move for Bayern Munich ace David Alaba this summer. Miralem Pjanic has revealed he was on the verge of joining Arsenal rather than Roma two years ago.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been given the go ahead to move for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis says the club can afford the England international. Arsenal have moved ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United in the battle to sign Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 25. Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is ready to move on after the 24-year-old Belgian signalled he would not sign a new deal with the club. Mignolet has been linked with a move to Liverpool and Arsenal. Talent scouts from across England have been sent to watch Kevin Strootman in action; with Arsenal and Manchester United both keen to grab the talented and promising Strootman.
Re: Silly Season 2013 On Wednesday, Arsenal made a transfer bid for Marouane Fellaini. The £22-million offer leaves the Belgian midfielder free to negotiate personal terms with Arsenal, and Everton is powerless to stop him, according to Goal.com. Arsenal are moving closer to securing the services of Gonzalo Higuain, with the Mirror reporting Arsene Wenger has met with the player and his father Jorge as discussions enter the final stages. Arsenal are in the process of a £19-million bid for the coveted centre-forward. Chelsea would be prepared to take on any attempt by Arsenal to sign Wayne Rooney should Manchester United and their new manager David Moyes decide that the player can be sold this summer. Rooney's £200,000/week salary is suddenly affordable for flush Arsenal. Arsenal's free transfer list is the longest in the league. No team has cut as much fat this summer. The list is: Andrey Arshavin, Samir Bihmoutine, Reice Charles-Cook, Denilson, Craig Eastmond, Sead Hajrovic, Conor Henderson, Jernade Meade, Nigel Oldfield Spence-Neita, Joshua Rees, Philip Roberts, James Shea, Sebastien Squillaci, Sanchez Watt. Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson believes Arsene Wenger cannot be trusted with hefty transfer funds. Arsenal legend Bob Wilson has branded Stewart Robson as "bitter" over his criticism of Arsene Wenger. Arsenal's buy back first option on Cesc Fabregas could see the Spanish star return to Emirates. Fabregas has been fighting for first team appearances with the powerhouse and the recent signing of Brazilian starlet Neymar could signal the end of Fabregas' tenure at Camp Nou. Manchester United would like to sign him but are held back by Arsenal's rights to the player.
Re: Silly Season 2013 David Villa’s likely exit from Barcelona to Premier League north London rivals ***** or Arsenal has been put in doubt by a contract clause published by Marca today. When Barcelona signed Villa from Valencia on a four-year deal, they agreed to pay the Spanish striker 7.5 million euros a season, bumping this up to 11 million euros for the final campaign of the contract. Arsenal flop Nicklas Bendtner has claimed that five or six clubs are interested in as the Gunners look to shed his alleged £80,000 weekly wage from their wage bill. Arsenal are planning a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan. The Mail Online believes the holding midfielder will cost £20m. The former Nurnberg player has three goals and as many assists from 28 league games in the 2012/13 season. The second German international in Wenger's sights is Bayer Leverkusen star Lars Bender. The 24-year-old could be available for a slightly smaller fee - £15m - but represents as much value for money as his compatriot. Bender had six assists and three goals from 32 league starts this season. Reports emerged that Arsenal are sounding out a move for Bayern Munich midfielder/defender David Alaba – fresh from his treble triumph with the German giants. The Austrian international is thought to view himself more as a midfielder, having been deployed at full-back by Bayern, and would seek a move away from the Allianz Arena in order to play in his preferred position. While the capture of Alaba would be a coup for Arsenal, it seems more plausible that the Gunners will sign SC Freiburg's Matthias Ginter, who has been linked with a £5m switch to the Emirates. The German midfielder could develop into a major talent, but the 19-year-old would hardly be a marquee signing. Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain has set tongues wagging over the past few weeks, after conceding that his future lays elsewhere. The Argentine has subsequently been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League, with Arsenal and ***** both interested in his signature. Unluckily for the pair, Higuain is also rumoured to be interesting Italian champions Juventus, who have already added Fernando Llorente to their ranks. A sticking point for Arsenal could also be his valuation. With Real Madrid reportedly asking for around £26m for Higuain, the Gunners may decide to look elsewhere to strengthen their attack. Suggestions coming from Italy and Serbia are that the man for Wenger could be Partizan Belgrade's 18-year-old striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. While the Serbian has impressed this season, he is hardly in the same bracket as Higuain. Of all the players linked with Arsenal so far this summer, one name that constantly crops up is Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic. The Montenegrin has enjoyed another impressive campaign, both domestically and internationally, most notably acting as England's tormentor during their World Cup qualifier. Much like Higuain, though, the Serie A star has caught the eye of Juventus and, omniously for Arsenal, now features highly on the transfer list of a resurgent Chelsea. Arsenal have reportedly set a 'ceiling' of £20m on the signing of Jovetic, a move which could tie their hands when it comes to negotiating a fee. It seems as though a back up option could be for Arsene Wenger to return to his happy hunting ground of Spain for reinforcements, with Gunners' scouts believed to be already running the rule over Levante's 19-year-old winger Ruben Garcia Santos. The player is already aware of Arsenal's supposed interest, commenting that he would welcome a move to “a big club”. Financial troubles mean that Valencia will be forced to shed a number of their players this summer, with centre-back Adil Rami just one of the stars linked with an exit. With Arsene Wenger thought to be a long-term admirer of the 27-year-old, the Gunners have been linked with a move, but as reported in this very parish, the French international is interesting Man City. Despite having a rumoured £70m to spend on recruitment this summer, Arsenal will still struggle to match the fiscal strength of Man City, who must be considered front runners for his signature. It is therefore likely that they will instead turn their attentions elsewhere, with Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate rumoured to be an option. The Senegalese international is valued at around £5m, an absolute bargain! With rumours of a new keeper arriving at the Emirates this summer circulating, it appears that Fabianski will now be relegated to third choice at the club, something he is unlikely to accept. As a result, the Daily Star‘s report that Turkish side Besiktas is keen on signing the Pole will be music to the ears of both the player and the club, offering him the opportunity of a graceful exit, and giving Arsenal the opportunity to free up a crucial spot in their squad. Despite the rumours linking Gervinho with a loan move to France, and inspite of the player’s insistence of wanting to forge a career at Arsenal, there is a very genuine chance he could leave the club this summer with the Daily Star reporting that Turkish giants Galatasaray have readied a 12 million pound bid for the Ivory Coast international. n a shock development, new Napoli manager Rafael Benitez is aiming to bring in Arsenal forward Theo Walcott in order to strengthen his attacking options, according to Tuttosport. Benitez has been interested in the Englishman since his time as boss of Liverpool between 2004 and 2010, with the Gunners eventually snapping up the 24-year-old for £9.2m in 2006. In fact whilst acting as interim manager at Chelsea this season the Spaniard convinced the Blues to submit a £15.3m offer for Walcott, but boss Arsene Wenger was unwilling to let the attacker leave mid-season.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Arsenal target Clement Grenier's father doesn't think his son will change teams this summer. His agent had previously insisted the "priority…goes to Lyon", with interest also coming from AC Milan and Juventus, and Michel Grenier told Telefoot: "I think Clement will be with Lyon next season." Nicklas Bendtner's father-agent says Arsenal have agreed to sell the striker to five different clubs, leaving the choice where to move up to the player himself. Fiorentina's 23-year-old forward Stevan Jovetic, who is reported to be a target for Arsenal, wants to join Juventus instead. Juventus director general Guiseppe Marotta has met executives from Real Madrid to discuss signing Gonzalo Higuain. The 25-year-old Argentine striker is also wanted by Arsenal. The belief is that Arsenal place his value closer to £20 million, but Madrid want £25.5 million instead. Ligue 1 side Marseille have made an offer to Arsenal to take former Lille forward Gervinho to the club on loan next season, according to the Daily Express. Portuguese paper A Bola have claimed on Sunday afternoon that Arsenal are interested in Benfica’s Nicolas Gaitan. The player has a large buyout clause (€45-million) that would come into play. Alleged Arsenal target Victor Wanyama says he is open to leaving Celtic this summer and talks are already taking place over his future. The agent of Sunderland goalkeeper and Arsenal target Simon Mignolet says his client will not look to force a move away from the club this summer. Real Madrid’s interest in Juventus duo Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal could give the Serie A champions the advantage over Arsenal when it comes to signing Gonzalo Higuain. Michu is emerging as a contender to become Arsenal’s new attacking spearhead, despite Arsene Wenger’s admission that he is interested in Wayne Rooney. Cesc Fabregas will only play for Arsenal if he ever decides to quit Barcelona – who believe United’s £40-million bid for the midfielder is in response to their interest in Wayne Rooney. Like Thierry Henry, Fabregas has always said he would never play for any other English club.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Cesc Fabregas has played down talk of a return to Arsenal and will only move on from Barcelona if he is told he is not wanted. Florentino Perez claims Arsenal have yet to make contact with Real Madrid for wantaway striker Gonzalo Higuain – and warns that it could take more than £25million to prize him away from the Bernabeu. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, a reported summer transfer window target for Arsenal, has insisted his intention is to remain with Italian champions Juventus for next season and beyond. Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Clement Grenier says he is currently uncertain of his future, with Arsenal monitoring the situation carefully. Grenier has reportedly turned down a new contract extension from Lyon. The Daily Mail claims that Spanish striker Michu is high up Wenger's list of attacking targets and given the uncertainty about the future of Swansea City boss Michael Laudrup there is perhaps a decent chance the Gunners could lure the former Rayo Vallecano marksman to the Emirates Stadium. The 27 year old had an excellent first season in the English top tier, scoring 22 goals and more than delivering on the £1.6m the South Wales side invested in his services.
Re: Silly Season 2013 AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has refused to rule out the potential sale of forward Stephan El Shaarawy this summer. The Italy international has been heavily linked to Manchester City of late and remains a long-time target for Arsenal. The 20-year-old recently played down speculation regarding a move away from the Rossoneri but Galliani has now stated he could be sold in this transfer window. First up and Sky Sports are carrying quotes from the agent of Benfica defender Lorenzo Melgarejo that claim that Arsenal and Fenerbache have made enquiries for the Paraguayan. Arsenal’s third-choice stopper Vito Mannone could return to Italy as Serie A clubs Genoa and Parma are showing a strong interest in the 25 year-old, according to the Daily Star. Arsenal's bid for Gonzalo Higuain may be dependent on Real Madrid landing Luis Suarez. Arsenal and Liverpool will have to increase their bids to land Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Rui Patricio, according to Portuguese newspaper Diario De Noticias. Portuguese winger Nani looks like he is on his way out of Old Trafford and the Gunners are an intriguing 7/1 to sign him after odds-on favourites Galatasaray withdrew their interest. Supposedly Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha was rejected by Arsenal before signing for Manchester United. Brazil keeper Julio Cesar looks certain to walk out on QPR to sign for Arsenal. Most bookmakers have stopped taking bets on Cesar moving to the Emirates, while BetVictor are offering a price of 1/33 on the move happening.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Etienne Capoue’s agent Mino Raiola has spoken today on RMC with regards to his client’s future and has indicated he is still being followed by clubs in England. The Toulouse midfielder was linked with a move to Arsenal when Arsene Wenger tried to sign him in the last transfer window and Raiola has hinted he could still be heading for the Premier League. Odil Ahmedov has claimed that Arsenal scouts have watched the Anzhi Makhachkala midfielder in action throughout the season. The Uzbekistan international has been linked with a move away from Russia in recent months, with Italian sides Juventus and Genoa both reportedly interested in the 25-year-old.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini fancies a move to London but Arsenal are unwilling to pay his full £23m release clause. Chelsea are also thought to be interested as well as former manager David Moyes at Manchester United. Arsenal are expected to place a bid for Swansea defender Ashley Williams. New Toffees boss Roberto Martinez would like to be reunited with the player. Eintracht Frankfurt are eyeing Gunners striker Nicklas Bendtner for a loan deal that could become a permanent move. Arsenal have enquired about the possibility of signing Lorenzo Melgarejo. Paraguayan Melgarejo, 22, helped Benfica reach the Europa League final this season and is valued at around £5m. Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone is wanted by Cagliari, according to reports in Italy. Arsenal and Chelsea midfield target Gilbert Imbula wants a move to the Premier League, according to reports. The Daily Mirror claims the £8million-rated French U21 international is eager to swap Guingamp for England, and has been watched by a number of top clubs.
Re: Silly Season 2013 Arsenal are ready to hijack Barcelona’s move for Chelsea striker Fernando Torres. The La Liga champions had lined up a £17 million bid for the Blues frontman – who scored 22 goals in all competitions last season. But SportsDirect News has learned the Gunners are ready to rival their Catalan counterparts and make an offer of their own. Emirates boss Arsene Wenger is a huge admirer of the 29-year-old, and believes he could help him recapture the form that made him one of the most feared strikers in the world at Liverpool.
Arsenal have completed the signing of Swedish striker Jamaal Raage from IF Brommapojkarna, according to the player’s agency. Raage, who turned 16 in January and has scored two goals in four appearances for the Sweden U15 side, was one of several players who trialled with the club midway through last season and, after making a strong initial impression, was invited back to London Colney for further assessment. Clement Grenier is continuing to keep his biggest fan Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger guessing as he contemplates whether or not to leave the comforts of home this season, or enjoy one last hurrah in Lyon before making a move to North London.
Arsenal forward Gervinho is the subject of loan interest from Marseille, the French club's assistant coach has confirmed. Nicklas Bendtner is set to leave the Emirates within the next fortnight after Arsenal received a number of bids for the striker. The 25-year-old, who arrived in North London eight years ago, turned down a move to Hamburg in January, but Arsenal are understood to have lowered their asking price to around £3m for the Dane. Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and Besiktas are thought to be among the teams to have agreed terms with Arsenal for the forward. Benfica stalwart Nicolas Gaitan may be a hot topic on the transfer market, but has not been approached for a move to Premier League giants Arsenal contrary to reports, according to the player’s agent. Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will honour his current contract at Camp Nou, despite attracting transfer interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, reports Sky Sports. Arsenal's hopes of signing Valdes and David Villa have been dashed after Barcelona ruled out selling either player this summer. After clearing out the youth academy of 15 players, Arsenal are actively looking to bolster the ranks and it is being reported that they have signed 16 year old Jamaal Raage, described by the Swedish press as a ‘super talent’. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hoping to tie up a deal for French under-21 ace Gilbert Imbula of Guingamp this summer, according to the Mirror. Wenger has been a known fan of the 20-year-old for some time and considered making a move for him in the January transfer window but a move failed to materialise. The rumour mill has been in overdrive as newspapers look to fill their column inches without much in the way of game-time, and one of the more surprising stories that has appeared in The Metro has been that linking David Alaba to Arsenal. The Austrian full-back was one of those players that stood out in Bayern Munich’s run to a historic treble, with his performances in the 7-0 aggregate defeat of Barcelona in the Champions’ League particularly catching the eye. So reasons that he would be keen to exit the Allianz Arena would seem few and far between. But it seems Alaba only saw his move to the left-back role as a temporary one, seeing himself as more of a midfielder than defender. And one could say that Alaba has a point. In fewer appearances and mainly featuring in the full-back role, he completed more passes than Javi Martinez for Bayern, with a greater degree of accuracy, completing 89% of his attempted passes. Chelsea are preparing a move to sign Arsenal striker target Gonzalo Higuain. Tutto Mercato Web believes the Europa League champions will look to steal the Argentina international from under the noses of both the Gunners and Serie A champions Juventus. Arsenal and Barcelona face a summer battle for Inter Milan goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, according to talkSPORT. The Catalans have reportedly made a £19.5m bid for the Slovenian international. Arsenal starlet defender Isaac Hayden has admitted that he is open to loan spells with other clubs if he gets a chance to feature in the first team. The 18-year-old centre-back, who can also play as a midfielder, joined the Gunners from Southend United, and made his mark with the England Under-17 side in the 2011/12 season. Sky Sports sources understand former Arsenal midfielder Denilson has signed a permanent deal at Sao Paulo after being released by the Gunners.
Arsenal have been targeting Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini for some time now, but with reports from the Mirror that the fuzzy-haired Belgian wants to force through a move to the capital the transfer could be completed sooner rather than later. The only snag in the move is the Gunners reluctance to pay the £23m that the Toffees value him at.
Liverpool look to have won the race to sign Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet – and he could complete a £10m move to Anfield within days. Arsenal are prepared to break their club transfer record in the process of signing Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain according to The Guardian. Arsenal have triggered the £22million release clause of Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini, according to CaughtOffside.com.
Catalan paper Sport have claimed this Saturday evening that Barcelona have contacted Arsenal over the signing of Laurent Koscielny. Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their bid to sign Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba this summer, after the young midfielder has publicly committed his future to the Serie A champions.
The gunners are ready to offer 30M€ in a single payment for Gonzalo Higuaín, according to Marca journalist and Higuaín's biographer Ulises Sánchez-Flor. Arsenal is reportedly interested in adding a striker to the squad after a complicated first season without Robin Van Persie. As always, Real Madrid is waiting for Carlo Ancelotti to sign before making any decisions. Arsenal are now the surprise favourites to sign Man United winger Nani according to the Daily Star. The 26 year old Portuguese international played a limited role in Man United’s Premier League title winning campaign, making just seven starts, and will perhaps be chiefly remembered in 2012/13 for the harsh red card he was handed during the club’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport link Juventus with a move for Carlos Tevez on the front page of their pink paper on Monday. According to Gazzetta, the Bianconeri have now prioritised signing Tevez from Manchester City ahead of Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain. Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny is reportedly a target for European giants Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The £15million-rated Frenchman still has four years left on his contract at the Emirates but has already expressed doubts over his future. And his agent has fuelled speculation that the 27-year-old will look elsewhere to fulfil his dream of winning major trophies. Arsenal are planning a swoop for Lille winger Dimitri Payet in the summer as they look to prepare a squad to challenge for the Premier league trophy next season, according to the Daily Mail. The France international has scored 12 goals and assisted 13 in the league in the recently concluded season and is being keenly watched by Arsene Wenger for a prospective move in the summer. The winger is likely to be brought in as a replacement for Gervinho who has been linked with a move to Marseille and Lyon. Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to turn down advances from the likes of Arsenal and Real Madrid this summer to stay at Signal Iduna Park. Udinese are understood to have rejected an £8million bid from an unnamed Premier League club for Matej Vydra. Vydra impressed during a loan spell at Watford last season, scoring 22 goals for Gianfranco Zola's men. Arsenal is thought to have been interested. The shrewd policies of Wenger still are apparent, but he is trying to sign Marseille’s Ghanaian winger come striker Dédé (Andre Ayew), with Wenger still trying to fill that Thierry Henry shaped hole since 2007. Gervinho, the man who was meant to fill that hole, will apparently be a part of that deal, lucky Marseille. Arsenal are also trying to sign Maxime Gonalons, but Lyon are digging their heels in. Over the weekend, Roberto Soldado confirmed he will consider his options this summer and wouldn’t rule out a move to the Premier League. The Valencia forward, who is currently taking part in the Confederations Cup in Brazil with Spain, has been heavily linked with a move away from the Mestalla, with a number of English clubs, including Arsenal, eyeing up the 28-year-old this summer.
Arsenal want West Brom wonder kid Yan Dhanda - the teenage starlet called up for England Under-16 duty. The Gunners are keen to swoop for attacking ace Dhanda, who will be the youngest player in his international group at just 14. Dhanda was snapped up by the Baggies as a kid after being spotted in an Asian Soccer Star talent competition and his skills are already an internet sensation.
