Transfer Balls: Arsenal want Defoe from Spurs, Benzema from Real, Manchester City’s Richards and three goalkeepers
TRANSFER Balls: Having told its readers that Arsenal had bought striker Gonzalo Higuain, the Sun was soon proved wrong as the Argentine signed for Napoli. That scoop remains live on the paper’s website. It’s not easy, of course, to identity an Arsenal signing before it happens. This is because Arsenal play their cards close to their chest and seem to have a short list of targets that runs into the low hundreds. A look at this week’s press delivers some scoops.
Before the names, here’s Arsene Wenger:
“Yes, I’m confident that we’ll make the signings we need because of the desire of the players to join us.”
Luis Suarez never did hand in a transfer request at Liverpool.
“There’s also the fact that while we maybe don’t have as much money as everybody writes, we have some funds available to do transfers. We’ve worked on it very hard but it hasn’t come off as quickly and as well as we wanted. You’d be surprised how early we acted. In our job, you can spend a lot of time, not going on holiday and work on things without it coming off. In football, you have to deal with any situation and be patient. As long as the window is open, anything can happen until the last minute.”
THE STRIKERS:
The Sun:
“They also require a natural striker, like Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe.”
Defoe’s strike rate is inferior to Arsenal’s current main goal getter Olivier Giroud.
The Guardian: “Real Madrid ponder Luis Suárez bid if Karim Benzema joins Arsenal”
CrunchSports: “Juventus FC insist Arsenal FC target Paul Pogba is not for sale”
CaughtOffside: “Arsenal are reportedly interested in Udinese’s Colombian striker Luis Muriel“
The Mirror: “Arsenal face £25million Michu transfer fee if they want to buy Swansea star”
THE DEFENDERS
GiveMeSport: “Arsenal linked with summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards“
Daily Star says Swansea skipper Ashley Williams is on his way to Arsenal.
THE ‘KEEPERS:
Fanatix: “…the club are touting Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla”
CaughtOffside: “Arsenal have been linked with a move for Palermo goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano“
This is Staffordshire: “The Mirror say ‘there is a determination’ from Arsenal to ‘make one last push’ for Stoke’s 26-year-old number one” Asmir Begovic
THE MIDFIELDERS
Daily Mail: “Pardew watched his side mauled 4-0 at Manchester City on Monday night a matter of hours after Arsenal tabled an unwelcome and ‘derisory’ £10million offer for star French midfielder Yohan Cabaye“
BBC: “Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger also wants Argentina left-winger Di Maria, 25″
Daily Express: “Arsenal ready to battle Liverpool for Diego Capel“
Irish Times: “Mathieu Flamini set for Arsenal return”
So. In today’s press that’s a first XI with two subs. Arsenal fans might laugh.
Posted: 23rd, August 2013 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
