Transfer targets in January

[Cripps_orig]

Arsene Wenger badly needs reinforcements at centre-forward, full-back and in central midfield, despite the advanced rehabilitations of long-term absentees Jack Wilshere and Bacary Sagna.

But the Frenchman’s famed prudence combined with his faith in the players he has nurtured means the £50 million kitty at his disposal could remain untouched.

Arsenal have made enquiries about the availability of a cluster of players this month, with rumours suggesting a potential move for Koln's Lukas Podolski may be in the offing.

However, the most likely recruit they will add to the capture of on-loan Thierry Henry is a player half the Frenchman’s age - highly rated Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, who is being talked of at St Mary’s in the same breath as another esteemed Academy graduate, Gareth Bale.

Ins: Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls, loan)
Outs: Emmanuel Frimpong (Wolves, loan), Vito Mannone (Hull City, loan)
Targets: Luke Shaw, Nathaniel Clyne, Yann M’Vila, Yoan Gourcuff, Jan Vertonghen
Possible departures: Manuel Almunia, Marouane Chamakh, Tomas Rosicky, Ryo Miyaichi (loan), Theo Walcott

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/...-coming-who-is

yay

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Just sign anybody, Akeibiyi if needs be. I find it really odd that the one time there isn't really much activity going on that we don't attempt to buy players. Not sure where Goal plucked £50 million from though.

[Cripps_orig]

Money we got from Nasri and Cesc i assume

[Marc Overmars]

Same tentative shite we see every transfer window. Don't know why I bother getting my hopes up really.

[Boss]

Thought for sure we'd splurge given that 4th place is in danger (like we did last time with Arshavin and then before that with Ade/Theo/Diaby) but doesn't even look like that will happen

Assume that Wenger & the board are uncertain that we'll get 4th no matter who we sign and so have decided to sign no one and save that money for next season.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I hope we're not planning to ditch Arshavin and Rosicky without replacing them. Think how stupidly short we're going to be if either of these leave. They aren't world beaters but at least they ensure we field a full eleven.

As for Chamakh, he shouldn't be allowed to take the piss for one day longer. He can go without replacement because he doesn't play anyway and on the few occasions he's come on he's been invisible. So no loss whatsoever if he goes. But of course we're keeping him. Lunacy.

why would he want to leave when he is on good wages all that matters to him, no point going back to france where he will be paid peanuts

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Thought for sure we'd splurge given that 4th place is in danger (like we did last time with Arshavin and then before that with Ade/Theo/Diaby) but doesn't even look like that will happen

Assume that Wenger & the board are uncertain that we'll get 4th no matter who we sign and so have decided to sign no one and save that money for next season. :banghead:

Yep thats seems to be it, no point spending big if al those players will want to leave in months when we don't make 4th. AW knows we won't and the board do too hence the rubbish about us being ok not being in the cl.

we don't even seem to have ambition to finsish 4th.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Serie A outfit Lazio claim they have no plans to make a move for Arsenal playmaker Andrey Arshavin during the January transfer window.

The Italian title hopefuls admit they would welcome the addition of such a quality player to their ranks, but feel there is little chance of them being able to do so.

As a result, they have moved to play down speculation suggesting an approach is imminent.

Arshavin is no longer considered to be a key figure at Arsenal, having struggled for consistency, but the Gunners would be reluctant to part with an experienced performer mid-season.

Never spoken
Lazio accept as much and insist they have made no attempt to open negotiations for the Russia international.

"Arshavin is a great player and I think everyone would like to have him in their squad," sporting director Igil Tare told calcionews24.com.

"But I don't think there is any chance of seeing him in a Lazio shirt.

"There are a number of reasons why it would be difficult. First of all, we have never spoken with Arsenal and secondly, perhaps more importantly, I don't think the Gunners would want to part with a top player.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...-Arshavin-move

[Niall_Quinn]

Papers are full of this Chamakh guy vowing to stay. This is worse than our continuing failure to sign the players we need. We're not even linked with players these days, never mind in serious talks. Wenger has said nobody is coming in. The board is silent. We are one RvP injury away from being unable to score and the potential plunge down the table that would provoke. But we're keeping the disastrous Chamakh, the one player who most conclusively fails to provide us with what we need most urgently, a goal scorer.

This is negligence surely?

We have Wilshere, Sagna, Vermaelen, Santos, Gibbs and Diaby to come back. Gibbs and Diaby for sure and probably Vermaelen will be injured again shortly after their return, if trends continue to hold up. It'll be great to have Jack back but how long will it take him to get back to the level he was performing at before exhaustion set in last year? It'll be good to get Sagna and Santos back too. But which of them is going to score the goals we need?

What goes on behind the scenes that somehow convinces Wenger and the board we don't need a striker? I can't think of a single aspect of our season so far they could be latching onto to justify their inaction. Can anyone explain it?

It's literally unbelievable. Almost as if the aim is to slide down the table.

Less than a couple of weeks to go to act to save our season. And by save the season I don't mean grabbing 4th, I mean avoiding a slide to mid-table. If the executives at the club don't take steps within this time it would be right and proper for them all (that's all of them) to resign. And if Kroenke can't be bothered to run this club properly then he should hand over to Usmanov who is chomping at the bit to get involved. Yes he's a criminal, like Abramovich and the Arabs in Manchester, but he's the only viable option. Because wilful negligence on the part of the current crowd could not be tolerated, surely? The debate used to be who is most fit to run the club, the American or the Russian. Well if the American proves himself 100% unfit to do the job then there's only one option left, regardless of how unsavoury that option might be.

What the fuck is going on at this club?

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Papers are full of this Chamakh guy vowing to stay. This is worse than our continuing failure to sign the players we need. We're not even linked with players these days, never mind in serious talks. Wenger has said nobody is coming in. The board is silent. We are one RvP injury away from being unable to score and the potential plunge down the table that would provoke. But we're keeping the disastrous Chamakh, the one player who most conclusively fails to provide us with what we need most urgently, a goal scorer.

This is negligence surely?

We have Wilshere, Sagna, Vermaelen, Santos, Gibbs and Diaby to come back. Gibbs and Diaby for sure and probably Vermaelen will be injured again shortly after their return, if trends continue to hold up. It'll be great to have Jack back but how long will it take him to get back to the level he was performing at before exhaustion set in last year? It'll be good to get Sagna and Santos back too. But which of them is going to score the goals we need?

What goes on behind the scenes that somehow convinces Wenger and the board we don't need a striker? I can't think of a single aspect of our season so far they could be latching onto to justify their inaction. Can anyone explain it?

It's literally unbelievable. Almost as if the aim is to slide down the table.

Less than a couple of weeks to go to act to save our season. And by save the season I don't mean grabbing 4th, I mean avoiding a slide to mid-table. If the executives at the club don't take steps within this time it would be right and proper for them all (that's all of them) to resign. And if Kroenke can't be bothered to run this club properly then he should hand over to Usmanov who is chomping at the bit to get involved. Yes he's a criminal, like Abramovich and the Arabs in Manchester, but he's the only viable option. Because wilful negligence on the part of the current crowd could not be tolerated, surely? The debate used to be who is most fit to run the club, the American or the Russian. Well if the American proves himself 100% unfit to do the job then there's only one option left, regardless of how unsavoury that option might be.

What the fuck is going on at this club?

Arsene knows