Arsenal Rumours Archive January 11 2012

11 Jan 2012 21:46:06
Shaqiri 80% sure off to Galatasaray, it's said, although we could use him. Interesting to see if anyone hijacks this.

Newcastle after Junior Hoilett, a player we have been linked with, top class. Samba is nearly at Spurs.

Cahill is nearly certain off to Chelsea, hope this ends more speculation that we're after an average player at best

Wigan after the Ox on loan but Wenger doesn't see it as a viable option because there are still FA cup matches for him to play and as wing cover over the ACN period.

Finally, I hear we're still trying to get under SAF's skin and poach Pogba over the summer, apparently he's not happy at United (although I rate Coq over him and Song's already miles ahead)

If this is true then I can't for the life of me understand why were not in for him - he's exactly the sort of player we need

Shame...im a big fan, and youre right, we could do with him. and even though im half turkish and have many gala fans on my dads side, i think he could do much better then them! one thing that may attract him most is that they pay massive wages.
fats

Paul Pogba? Lol he will most likely go to AC Milan or City - two clubs who have been showing interest in the lad for more than a year!

They won't go cheap either because United need midfielders and if they are leaving then they will need to be replaced.

Why we need any more midfielders I don't know, what we really need is a striker or creative mid not just more of the same non-goalscoring tat.

You can see, I don't rate Pogba that highly and Morrison is a troublemaker. Hopefully we won't touch either!

CS

I dont rate hoilett at all, dont need cahill, ox could do with a loan move like wilshere needed it and as for peeing off alex ferguson im all for that.

bs18

Pogba is out of contract in the summer and rejected an extension from SAF, hence why I said we're trying to grab him. But yes, we face competition from other big clubs.

11 Jan 2012 16:13:03
Arsenal were interested in Maxwell, but were too late as the player will move to PSG. According to his agent: "That is normally with Arsenal, they are normally always late."

They do it on purpose because they don't like bidding against other clubs and making a big fuss.

They always deal in the same way, and always will. if they want a player they only show real interest when the player only wants to join them, and their agent fends off other clubs so they don't have to.

Makes sense financially, and in theory ensures loyalty from the player at least initially.

CS

Cheapos thats what we are. Gunners.

Ash

Speak for yourself, I pay fortunes to watch them play, fortunes for a shirt, fortunes in the pub after we play :) I am a high class gooner.

And i'm not in the slightest bit bothered how much we pay for stuff really otherwise i'd be off to support City!

CS

We buy cheap but those cheap players turn out to be world class!

unlike others who buy big and end up being flops.
Carroll? henderson? torres?

I'd rather buy quality cheap players.

realistic gunner

The error with you thinking is that thanks to clubs like mancity , psg, chelsea who pay ridiculous amount to sign player inflate the prices so their aren't any cheap players available and by the way i think arsenal can afford big signing

11 Jan 2012 13:56:45
I can confirm (cant reveal how I know, you'll just have to trust me) that Arsenal have completed the signing of Eic Abidal from Barcelona for a fee of £1.5 millon.

Wenger has broken his over 30's policy and handed the frenchman a two year deal.

Abidal is said to be keen to try is hand in the premier league before he retires and sees Arsenal as, ''his most viable and culturally suited option''.

I for one think this is a fantastic piece of business. Not only will he had experience but he will offer cover at centre back and left back.

Ive also been told that his arrival spells the end of squallaci's career at Arsenal with the frenchman poised to join Lyon.

Abidal and Henry's signings spell the end of Arsenals tranfer activity. Not, i'm sure, what you were all hoping for but I personally think there is now the required mix of youth and expeience in the squad.

Dan

Barca just got rid of Maxwell to PSG so this is very very doubtful

This will leave Barca without any recognised LBs...

Unless they are shifting to a 3-4-3. Although abidal would be useful there as well.

Dan...

This is a bit difficult, considering had it been completed it would have been on arse.com by now.

We missed out (at the moment) on Cissokho due to the fact AW only wants a loan and Lyon wouldn't do it, they wanted permanent sale.

Talks started around midday yesterday. IF there's even a shred of truth to this, I'll eat my hat...

=M.A.

Squillaci to Lyon? wow i thought Lyon could do 10 times better than that. well one things for sure and that is that he needs to go.

regarding the Abidal deal? would your source be SSN by any chance? lol is just that its already been reported on there and its quite easy to come up with your own valuation to make the story seem more reliable. if im wrong then I appologise and take my hat off to u. Abidal would be a good piece of business. unsure what we're going to do with 3 left back for 2 years though although im pretty certain Gibbs will see more of the medical team than a football pitch during his career.

Wozza

Dan i wouldn't want to reveal an imaginary source if I was you either, but good try!
Gunner14

Complete nonsense, as Arsenal have Gibbs & Santos to return, as well as Vermaelen & Miquel who can all play at LB. Why on earth would Wenger sign a plaer in his 33rd year, who would demand high wages.

I have to agree with M.A and others who are doubtful of this, sounds like it could be a smart bit of business although:

- I doubt Wenger would break his over30 rule
- I doubt Barca would sell Abidal
- I doubt he would want to come to the UK

Also the Granero rumour seems a bit shakey I wouldn't have thought so.

CS

Not a chance. whos gonna play left back for barca?

To be fair though CS

He broke that rule w/ Squillaci... The one time he did it & has probably felt like he's proven himself right as to why he DOESN'T do it!

=M.A.

Agree with the above doubts and also the pin that bursts the balloon here is why would Lyon want Squillaci?

GoonerDan

So we've completed the signing of Abidal? Funny how nothing confirming this has been reported anyway. Therefore there is no signing. Romford gunner.

What about the loan deals? we were in for Kieran Richardson and Wayne Bridge.. and then, somehow, the deals have stalled.. i wonder whether we would be having any LB by the end of January.

I thought Squillacci was part of another deal, where we had to take him to get the other player but I can't remember who.

Pretty sure he was never going to perform, from his first belated "performance" you could tell he was a useless lump!

Awful player...

CS

11 Jan 2012 13:45:04
can someone explain to me why there hasnt been one transfer yet? not only for arsenal but all over...i thought teams were just dying for january to go bananas. @selahgunners on twitter

We signed Henry.

There's not much money out there thats why, except for the likes of PSG, Malaga and Man City altho even they are being cautious due to the Financial Fair Play. we'll see more transfer activity when clubs realise that football needs to adapt to the economical climate surrounding them and no longer asks for £20m for a player that a few years ago would have cost £5m.

Wozza

Usually you see all the big money transfer get shuffled out first, then that money get's reinvested.

So we can expect to see a few big names move first before the real transfers begin.

Personally I think Liverpool are mental to have paid so much for Caroll and should definitely be looking to either move him on and cut their losses, or get in some wingers who can cross. They also need a loan striker to cover the absense of 'the closet racist' Suarez, and if they were smart would get rid of Carragher and buy a better midfielder because frankly, Charlie Adam is terrible.

United need about 6 players, 3 in defence and 3 in midfield. Giggs and Scholes aren't likely to be too useful outside the dressing room, Rio and Jones are not really a good pairing, whereas Vidic is injured and Evra is distracted.

Chelsea is anyones guess they have the most options but need to buy because at the moment they look like a cut-n-shut job of team separate teams. Lampard should go to United he suits them better and they need goals from the mid.

Spurs just need to make sure they keep what they have, and maybe sign another defender and get rid of Defoe. They could do worse than signing up another midfielder as I think Modric will be off in the next 12 months for sure.

Newcastle of course, just need to keep Ba and get a few loan defenders as they have been crushed by injuries though they seem to be handling it pretty well.

And Arsenal, well we all know what Arsenal need! I won't repeat :)

CS

11 Jan 2012 00:25:41
Hearing out of various camps that Fiorentina want Marouane Chamakh. Initially his 70-75k PW wages were a stumbling block... But now it appears as though a £5m figure is being touted.

IF and I stress IF this is true... Could pave way for the ever-so-continuously discussed Kalou signing, perhaps?

=M.A.

Please, if theres a god! take squid with him too please.
fats

Although im not too sure about kalou personally. but would i rather have kalou then chamakh? hell yes.
fats

Would rather try for a swap deal and bring in cerci than kalou tbh would be better for arsenal and cheaper wages I'd imagine

And he's younger than kalou too think he's only 22. ^^^^ above post is from gunner14

Think Chamakh will go back to France. He hasn't settled here due to issues in his personal life and for the same reason I doubt he would want to go to Italy.

GoonerDan

Chamakh - 28 - 2 goals in over a year...funk yeah! anything over what the length of his contract is worth we just have to take (if interest truly offered) but kalou coming in is a slap in the face. he would move a lot more but it again it comes back to quality in the final 3rd/scoring. we need to improve in quality and not wasting our time and other players time with bulking the squad out with cheaper rough potentially diamond players. only a couple of quality players at best are needed for this squad to kick on.
colin

Given that Fiorentina are now bidding on Amauri - I doubt there will be interest in the summer.

Why Kalou? A squad player at best with £90k p/w to boot.
TopLondoner

Arsenal are not in for kalou. once upon a time maybe. we already have a chelsea reject with us....benayoun

wozza

If they want Chamakh, maybe we could get Vargas on a Money + Player basis...