5 Midfielders Arsenal Might Sign In January

When Arsenal sold both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri in the summer it looked like Jack Wilshere would be the man to lead their midfield this season. However, he suffered an injury before the season even began, and he won't be back until some time in the new year.

Mikael Arteta and Yossi Benayoun both arrived just before the transfer window closed, and Arteta has settled into the team very well since then. Benayoun hasn't had too many chances to play, and when he has it has been in a wide attacking role. He looks capable of playing a role behind Robin van Persie if he's needed there, but the chances are Arsenal will add to their midfield options in January.

It would be a big risk for Arsenal to pin their hopes for the second half of the season on Wilshere returning from injury. They will have a tough battle to finish in the top four of the Premier League, as well as playing in the FA Cup and the knockout stages of the Champions League. Wilshere's return is by no means certain, and there are some very good players who might make a difference to the Arsenal team.

If the reports are to believed, Borussia Dortmund and Germany playmaker Mario Gotze has hinted that he would like to play for Arsenal. Despite being only 19 years old, Gotze has already shown himself to be one of the best playmakers in world football. He has established a place in both his club and national sides, and he looks like he will be a real star of world football in the very near future.

There are very few players in the world who would be capable of directly replacing Cesc in the Arsenal team, but Gotze is one of them in my opinion. His club look destined to miss out on the knockout stages of the Champions League which could possibly leave the door open for him to move in January. I would imagine that Dortmund would want to hold onto him for as long as possible, as his value is sure to rise very quickly.

He has the ability to pick a pass and score goals, as well as good pace and excellent technical ability too. He would fit perfectly into the Arsenal team, and possibly help their fans to forget about the departed Cesc. The biggest stumbling block for Arsenal could be the involvement of other clubs who will pay more than them in any potential transfer negotiations.

Marvin Martin has had a quick rise to fame in the French league and internationally for France too. Despite his recent admission that he would like to play in Spain, he is still a possible target for Arsenal in the January transfer window. He is another player who looks like he might have the ability to take the place of the departed Cesc in the Arsenal team.

Like Gotze he has excellent technical ability and he has the ability to pick a pass, but he doesn't score as many goals as Gotze. He will turn 24 in January which means he is approaching his peak, and that makes him an attractive target for Arsenal too. He was the most creative player in the French league last season with his club Sochaux, and he has made his way into the French national team too.

Arsene Wenger has had a great record with French signings in the past, and he could be the man to help Martin become one of the best playmakers in the world. He might also be available at a price which would be more to Arsenal's liking.

Sebastian Giovinco is an Italian midfielder who plays in Italy for Parma and the Italian national team too. Like both Gotze and Martin he is a midfield playmaker, and Arsenal are in need of some creativity in their midfield. He has an eye for goal as well as the ability to pick out a  pass, and score from free kicks too.

Giovinco has had a very good start to this season with Parma, and they would be unwilling to let him go unless Arsenal make them an offer they cannot refuse. Arsenal have plenty of money left over from their summer transfer dealings, and he would be within their price range if they were to chase his signature.

Like both Gotze and Martin, he has the ability to make an impact in the Premier League with Arsenal if they can make him the fulcrum of their team.

Arsenal were reported to have failed in a late bid to sign French international midfielder Yann M'Vila in the summer, but he is now reported to want to leave his club. He's a 21-year-old defensive midfielder who plays in France for Rennes and for the French national team too. Alex Song currently plays in his position for Arsenal, but his addition would certainly give them more options.

However, Arsenal also have both Francis Coquelin and Emmanuel Frimpong looking to make a breakthrough into the team in that position. Wenger will probably consider his team strong enough in defensive midfield already, and the chances are he won't be looking to sign M'Vila again.

If he does decide to move for him it could possibly show he intends to revert to a 4-4-2 formation with M'Vila to play alongside Song. I can't see him changing back from the 4-3-3 which has become so popular in the last few years though.

Arsene Wenger has long been an admirer of Eden Hazard, but the latest reports suggest he will cost an awful lot more than Arsenal will be willing to pay. Despite the money available to Wenger I cannot see him smashing the club transfer record to sign Hazard. He will turn 21 during the transfer window, and his future could depend on whether his club make it through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

If Lille win their final game at home to Trabzonspor they will make the last 16, and surely they will decide to hold onto their prize asset for those games. If they are knocked out, there could be a bidding war for Hazard with Manchester City being the most likely winners due to the limitless funds available to them.

Hazard would be an ideal player for Arsenal to sign, as he has a real eye for goal as well as great technical ability and fantastic pace. At this stage in his career Arsenal might be the perfect club for Hazard to sign with, but it looks like he will end up elsewhere.

Conclusion

Arsenal have money to spend in the January transfer window, and despite his denials Wenger is likely to add to his squad. The fans would like to see a direct replacement for Cesc added to the team, but there are other positions that need addressing too. It's up to Wenger where he chooses to spend his money, and I think the five midfielders I have listed are all good enough to make a real difference to the team.
That's it for today.

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Arsenal Finally Spring Into Transfer Action.

The transfer window closes at 11pm tonight BST, and Arsenal have finally sprung into action. Arsene Wenger had said all summer long that he would spend the money available to him if players were available to improve Arsenal's squad. He had said he was looking for players of "super quality", but it seems he has finally decided Arsenal simply needed players of ability and experience.

When Gael Clichy was sold to Manchester City he said that no replacement would be bought, as Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traore would both be capable of playing there. However, Gibbs is yet again on the treatment table and Traore was sold to Queens Park Rangers yesterday. Arsenal appear to have a deal set up to sign Andre Santos from Fenerbache in Turkey to play at left back.

He's a 28 year old Brazilian left back who has played 22 times for his country, and he looks like he could be a very valuable addition to the squad. He has a few career goals to his name, and he looks likely to offer more going forward than Clichy ever did. Hopefully he can add some of the defensive stability Arsenal were so badly lacking against Manchester United last Sunday.

He's not the only defensive addition Arsenal will be making, as up to two central defenders look likely to be on their way too. In a very busy day for the club yesterday Per Mertesacker apparently arrived at the club for a medical and will be revealed as an Arsenal player today. Mertesacker has been a long time target for Arsenal and he also looks like he could be a very good buy.

He's the club captain at Werder Bremen and he has played 75 times for Germany as a central defender. His 6'6" tall, and his height and experience could be of real benefit to the Arsenal defence. It will make a pleasant change for an Arsenal defender to be towering over his opponents at set pieces.

There's still a possibility of either Gary Cahill or Christopher Samba arriving before the day is out, and the future looks bleak for Sebastien Squillaci at Arsenal. The arrival of Mertesacker will make him fifth choice at best, and if another central defender arrives there will probably be no place in the Arsenal squad for him. It remains to be seen if Arsenal will attempt to offload him before the day is out.

The only player Arsenal have actually confirmed the signature of is Park Chu Young from Monaco. He's a 26 year old striker who is the current captain of South Korea and he has been signed on a two and a half year contract apparently. He arrived for a very reasonable price, but that could be because he has his Korean military service to do when his contract is up.

His arrival could mean the long protracted sale of Nicklas Bendtner will eventually go through today, but there's no indication of where he might go yet. It looks like Stoke City could be a possible destination for him, but they're a long way from the top European clubs he claimed were interested in him. At least he will get to play in the Europa League if he signs for them.

There are plenty of other rumours of potential arrivals at Arsenal, as the need for a creative midfielder must surely be foremost in Wenger's mind. Both Mario Gotze of Borussia Dortmund and Marvin Martin of Sochaux were heavily linked to the club yesterday. Eden Hazard has been a target for Arsenal for quite a while now, and the rumours also persist of his imminent arrival. It's anybody's guess which of those players might arrive, but hopefully one of them will.

It should be a fascinating day for Arsenal fans, as they are glued to their TVs or computers waiting for the latest news. The 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford last Sunday may or may not have been the catalyst  for Wenger's splurge, but I would hope he knew how much his squad needed strengthening before that game. Surely it took more than one game for him to realise how threadbare his squad was, and all of this transfer action was lined up anyway.

The biggest disappointment of the summer for me was the loss of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, but almost equally disappointing was Arsenal's inability to get their transfer deals completed much earlier. There three Premier League games in August were sacrificed due to the transfer inactivity, and hopefully it wouldn't have too serious an effect on their final league position.

UPDATE:
Arsenal have just announced the signature of Andre Santos on a long term contract from Fenerbache. Hopefully there will be more to follow.
UPDATE NO 2:
Arsenal have confirmed the signature of Mertesacker.

That's it for today.

Here's a little look at what Arsenal's new striker can do.

See You Tomorrow.

Seven Midfielders Arsene Wenger Could Consider Signing For Arsenal.

With the future of Arsenal's star midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri still far from certain Arsene Wenger has to consider what players might replace them if they leave. In my opinion there are very few players in the world capable of matching Cesc at his best, but if he leaves Arsenal will need a playmaker. Nasri is a different matter, as he is a good player, but he still has a lot to prove before he can be considered Cesc's equal.

The best case for Arsenal is if both players stay at the club, but it is conceiveable that Arsenal will lose the services of both of them. If that were to happen I'm sure Arsenal could command joint transfer fees of at least €60 million, and that should give them the funds they need to attempt to replace both players. I'll attempt to name a few of the players who could help to fill that huge void, but I hope it doesn't come to both players leaving.

Juan Mata:
Valencia have already stated that Juan Mata is not for sale, but their financial problems continue and the right bid could possibly secure his services. He plays most of his football on the left wing and that's where Nasri played on numerous occasions last season for Arsenal. Mata is quite versatile and he could just as easily play off a central striker which would make him a very valuable purchase for any team.

He's only 23 years old which means he won't reach his peak for a few more years, but he has already shown enough to suggest he will be a real star of he game over the next five years at least. He has a real eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he is very comfortable in possession. He has managed to make over 10 appearances for World and European champions Spain despite the huge array of talent available to them.

Arsenal would have to break their transfer record to capture Mata, but if either Cesc or Nasri leave he should be one of the first priorities to replace them. 

Diego Ribas da Cunha:
Diego Ribas da Cunha is commonly known as Diego, and he is a 26 year old central midfielder who plays for Wolfsburg and has played for Brazil too. He plays in a very similar position to Cesc, and when he puts his mind to his game he is a very good player. He has had disciplinary problems with various clubs, and his spell at Juventus prior to Wolfsburg didn't work out.

When Arsene Wenger came to Arsenal first he made some very good purchases of players who had loads of potential, but were failing to live up to it at their clubs. Both Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry had their careers resurrected at Arsenal, and it could be the move Diego needs to get his career back on track. I was a huge admirer of him when he was a Werder Bremen player a couple of years ago, and with the right stage to perform on he could possibly do it again.

Diego had problems at Wolfsburg last season, and as a result he could possibly be captured for a fee of approximately €15 million. It would be a risk for Arsenal to sign him, but it's a risk they might have to take if Cesc leaves. Diego is one of the few players with the ability to replace Cesc, and desperate times can sometimes call for desperate measures.

Eden Hazard:
Eden Hazard is a 20 year old attacking midfielder who won the double with Lille in France last season. Arsenal have already signed Gervinho from that Lille team, but Hazard is seen as probably the better prospect in the long term. Gervinho had better statistics for Lille last season, but Hazard seems to have that little bit extra in my opinion.

Hazard can play in a wide left role and he could replace Nasri if he were to leave. At only 20 years of age he has already played over 150 games between his club and his country, and he is far from inexperienced. He has an eye for goal, he can pick a pass, and he can take players on and beat them.

If Arsenal need to replace Nasri they could do a lot worse than Hazard, and he would probably be available for around €20 million if Lille could be talked into selling him. They have qualified for next season's Champions League though, and he still has much to learn which probably means he will stay with them for one more season at least.

Wesley Sneijder:
Wesley Sneijder is a play who could step straight into the Arsenal team and replace Cesc if Arsenal's captain was to join Barcelona. He turned 27 last month and he is at his footballing peak, with an eye for a pass and the ability to score too. He likes to play in an advanced midfield role or just behind the main striker, and he is perfectly suited to both roles.

He would probably cost a little less than Cesc will cost Barcelona if they ever manage to persuade Arsenal to sell him. If that were the case Arsenal could certainly afford the transfer fee, but they would probably have to break their wage structure to afford him. Even if Arsenal were to decide to offer Sneijder the wages he would expect the chances are that Inter Milan would be more than unwilling to sell him.

In an ideal world Arsenal would put in an offer for Sneijder that Inter could not refuse if Cesc were to leave, but I just can't see that happening. I cannot see Arsenal paying wages which would probably be twice those of their highest earner, and breaking the club record transfer fee as well. 

Willian Borges da Silva:
Willian Borges da Silva is better known as Willian, and he's a 22 year old winger currently playing for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He would certainly fit the bill as a replacement for Nasri if the Frenchman were to leave Arsenal, but he doesn't score as many goals as Nasri. He has plenty of potential and a lot of skill to go with it too, but his transfer fee might be a hindrance for Arsenal.

The chances are Arsenal would have to spend in excess of €20 million for Willian if they were to have any chance of persuading Shakhtar to sell. It's an awful lot of money, but if Nasri leaves he has to be replaced by a player who is at least his equal, and Willian could possibly be that man.  I would be surprised to see him sign for Arsenal, but it's certainly not beyond the bounds of possibility.

Luís Carlos Almeida da Cunha (Nani):
When Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid a couple of seasons ago Nani was seen as the man to fill his boots. He's still only 24 years old and it would appear his face may no longer fit in at Old Trafford. He fell out of favour towards the end of last season on many occasions despite being the player most responsible for keeping them in the title hunt earlier in the season.

His style is similar to that of Ronaldo, but he doesn't have the same goalscoring prowess as his his countryman. However he does set his team mates up far more often than Ronaldo ever did, and he is more than capable of scoring from distance too. He can be a very tricky wide player, but he is criticised for his lack of work at times which is why he is possibly seen as surplus to requirements at United.

I would imagine Nani would cost an awful lot more than Arsenal would be willing to pay, but if United are anxious to offload him they might have a chance of capturing him. His wages would also be prohibitive, but he would certainly add a creative element to Arsenal's wing play as well as the ability to score from distance. 

Scott Parker:
Scott Parker will be 31 years old later this year, and he is available for purchase after West Ham United were relegated last season. He was voted the best player in the Premier League last season, but his efforts weren't enough to help West Ham survive the dreaded drop. His experience would certainly be an advantage to Arsenal, but he has never  actually played regularly at the very top level in football.

At the very least he would offer a genuine alternative to Alex Song in a defensive midfield role for Arsenal, and he could play alongside Song in certain games as well. The major hindrance to signing Parker for me would be his stature, as I think Arsenal need a player with the height and strength of their former captain Patrick Vieira. Parker would certainly be an asset to the squad, but at his age he would probably want to join a team where he would be guaranteed to play.

He has made his way into the England team recently and he needs to keep playing weekly for a club to ensure he keeps his place. He might not get that chance too often at Arsenal, and that would probably be the biggest factor in him not joining Arsenal.

The majority of the players I have profiled are probably beyond the limit of Arsenal's budget in terms of transfer fees and wages too, but the possible sales of Cesc and Nasri might change that. It would make a pleasant change for Arsenal supporters to see their club chasing some of the best players in the world rather than foraging through the bargain basements of France. I doubt very much if Arsene Wenger or Arsenal will spend anywhere in excess of €20 million on any player, but if club policy does change these players are all possibilities.

I hope Cesc stays at the club for another couple of seasons at least, but the draw of his hometown club is a very big one. Nasri should be sold if he refuses to sign a new contract, but it appears that Wenger is determined to keep him even if it means he leaves on a free transfer next summer. That may not be in the best interest of the club in the long term, but in the short term it suits their needs.

That's it for today.

Here's the goals from Arsenal's first pre season friendly with thanks as always to 101great goals.

See You Tomorrow.