It’s Christmas*, so you know what that means… transfer speculation!

By: Brenton | December 28th, 2011

* Due to a scheduling error, this piece will be published several days after Christmas.

Merry Christmas, everyone! Happy Hanukkah, everyone! Happy Kwanza, everyone! Joyous pagan ritual, everyone! To help us celebrate, here are all 20 goals Robin van Persie has scored this season:

On this lovely wet Christmas in Vancouver I find my mind wandering, as I think of times past and times future (that works grammatically, right?). The holidays for me aren’t really about Christmas, they’re more about spending time with family, friends and Bailey’s. And Arsenal, because in the UK the holidays mean extra football.

Speaking of times past, has everyone had a chance to read the two mid-season recaps? Great work by Darren and Homey there.

In the first, Darren goes over our season game by game, event by event. Encyclopedic.

And in the second, Homey argues with himself about what kind of season we’ve had so far, making compelling arguments for both a very positive and a very negative outlook. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

After the reminiscing comes the speculation about what’s to come. It’s a very seasonal thing to do, now that (here in the northern hemisphere, anyway) we’ve past the shortest day of the year and are looking to the future with some optimism and an eye to new growth. Or something. I threw that in for the pagans amongst us.

For us in the soccer world that means looking ahead to the January transfer window, which is always maddening.

Transfer speculation time!

Wenger may be shopping for a striker, and he’s looking for a fullback, though probably only on loan. We are dangerously reliant on Robin van Persie for goals from the front, with neither Chamakh nor Park contributing much of anything. And our fullback injuries are well-known, with all four of our first-teamers out until the new year at the earliest.

Here then, are some current rumours and ideas about what Wenger may do in January; the likelihood of each transfer is bolded and italicized. My money’s on someone we haven’t thought of.

Mario Götze, Eden Hazard, Gary Cahill – The three players that we were linked most strongly with in the summer haven’t gone anywhere yet, though Bolton just said that Chelsea have approached them. We don’t need another centre back, and we can’t afford either Götze or Hazard, so let’s forget about these three. Not going to happen.

Amazingly, we are being linked with a surprise loan move for Thierry Henry, who has been training at the Emirates. He would be a sentimental favourite, but has lost a step and hasn’t been playing at the level we need. And his return might unbalance the squad chemistry, something that is so important for us. I’ll give this one an unlikely, though Wenger could surprise us.

The same report says Wenger is considering a loan move for really out-of-favour left back Wayne Bridge. Bridge has been collecting £95k/week for City while featuring just once so far this season, in a Carling Cup game. His loan spell at West Ham last season was an utter failure, and he is in a fight with City manager Roberto Mancini about his lack of playing time/desire to play. I really, really hope Wenger is smart enough not to sign Bridge, but he’s made a few questionable defensive signings in the past. Still, nearly impossible.

Sidenote: I know it’s sexier to write transfer bullshit about strikers, but I have to say I’m surprised that Bridge is the only fullback we’ve been linked to.

Marco Reus is making big waves in the Bundesliga right now, has broken into the German team, and that means Bayern are going to buy him. And that big English clubs are linked to him, including us. He has a buy-out clause of £15m, which is affordable, and while his team (Borussia Monchengladbach) is doing well because of his stellar play, they just escaped relegation last season and he has to be looking elsewhere.
Reus is a young pacy winger/striker, with bags of talent and an eye for goal. And check out this nice assist. He’s got everything needed to succeed at Arsenal, and apparently Wenger has offered to buy. The price is certainly right, and he would add to our woeful second-string of attack. Perhaps slightly more likely than Podolski (see below). So just quite unlikely.

Lucas Podolski – Here’s a fun exercise: first, guess how old Podolski is, then think of when you first became aware of his play. It seems like he’s been around for a long time, and he’s still just 26, which I find so surprising. However, his big coming out party was World Cup 2006, even though he did feature once as a sub in Euro 2004. He was voted “Best Young Player” at WC2006, ahead of both Messi and Ronaldo.

We have been linked with him for a while now, with a report saying Wenger sent someone to scout him in November. We were briefly linked with him last spring as well.

Podolski is a prolific striker at times, but can blow hot and cold. He has been on fire this season, though, scoring 14 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances for FC Köln. At times a poacher, he also has phenomenal power on his shot and can play off the wing with speed.

My sense is that he would like to play at a bigger club, having gone through a difficult and unsuccessful spell at Bayern Munich. Reports have him valued at £10-15m, an amount we could afford. And I think he would fit in well in our squad, as he’s quick, has a deft touch, and is comfortable playing up front or on the wing. However, this is his second spell at FC Köln, it’s his hometeam, and he loves playing there. I would say it’s highly unlikely that we sign him.

In some interesting news, apparently we’re looking at a pair of Brazilian youngsters: box-to-box midfielder Casemiro (£10m) and attacking mid Lucas Rodrigues (£21m). Both are young, talented mids who will likely make a move to Europe soon. 19-year-old Lucas, a full Brazil international, is a scoring midfielder who will be highly sought-after. Every major team in Europe has been linked with him, and the price is right, so I would rate the likelihood of a move as near certain. Wait, no, I mean not going to happen.

Casemiro, also 19, is a versatile, hard-tackling mid who can pass and pop up with the occasional goal, and has featured once with the senior Brazilian team. £10m is a lot closer to our price-range, but with Song, Coquelin and Frimpong in the team, I’m not sure why we would move for Casemiro, unless Wenger sees more potential in him and is looking for a better ball-mover. Song is world class, Coquelin is quite good, though Frimpong is erratic ~~and leaving for the African Cup of Nations~~. Signing Casemiro is far more likely than Lucas, but not really likely at all.

A more defensive player we’ve been linked to is Argentine and Anderlecht midfielder Lucas Biglia, though this sounds more like an agent trying to improve a pay packet than anything serious. Biglia showed some promise as a youngster, but hasn’t drawn much attention in recent years. At 25 he’s no longer a promising talent, though he seems to have matured later, and just broke into the Argentine national team this year. Same as above, though: we have three DMs and far more pressing needs. Not going to happen.

Randomly, we were recently linked with Brazilian wunderstriker Alexandre Pato (just Pato to his friends). Wenger is apparently ready to splash £23m for him, and he’s looking to leave Milan as he’s slipped down the pecking order, scoring just once and featuring in only eght of Milan’s Serie A games so far. Pato’s a world-class talent that any club would be stupid to let go. Of course, I could insert any number of players that have been sold into that sentence. Still, I can’t see Milan moving him, and if they do it wouldn’t be to Arsenal. I’ll rate this one ludicrously unlikely.

The Yoann Gourcuff to Arsenal rumours have started again, and again Wenger denies any interest. This move could have happened last year when Wenger was looking for a Cesc replacement, but Gourcuff’s star has fallen over the past two years following a move to Lyon from Bordeaux. He’s an amazing talent who really should do more. He seemed like the ideal replacement for Kaka at AC Milan, but for whatever reason (ego? attitude?) he wasn’t kept on. Not going to happen.

I can’t be bothered to read the original story, but someone says Wenger is thinking of signing Bobby Zamora. Because Arsenal are looking for 30-year-olds who can’t find time in Fulham’s first team… Fuck off.

Speaking of strikers who are struggling, we’re also in for Wigan sub-star Hugo Rodallega, which would be the equivalent of signing Christopher Samba. Yah, no.

And finally, in non-January transfer news, the chickens have come home to roost. Or something. I’m uncertain as to which platitude fits here, but here’s the situation: Cesc Fabregas, who you may remember as a former Arsenal midfielder, has said he would return to Arsenal if he ever left Barcelona. Because he has Arsenal DNA, maybe. Dear Cesc: a) fuck off; b) we’ve moved on, so should you; and c) we’d take you in a second.

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Top of the group, baby! Arsenal 2-1 Dortmund

Category: Arsenal News, Arsene Wenger, Transfer News and Player Movement, Transfers

« Arsenal 1 – Wolves 1: I Have No Idea How We Just Dropped Two Points | Home | Midseason Q&A with Martin! »

Perry S.

Henry will be signing in the next 48 hours.
brenton

Glad to be wrong on that one.
Rico

You say "we can’t afford either Götze or Hazard", we can afford them... perhaps both! but the issue remains that the purse strings are as tight as a ducks arse.
£35M for Cesc plus £26M for Na$ri is a fair amount. Not to mention the rise in ticket prices and a full stadium almost every home game! Our player wage cap etc etc
brenton

Yah, by can't afford I meant won't choose to spend the money.
Shan

Park might contribute if wenger lets him play more ..
kwaym

frimpong going off to the nations cup is lazy journalism.....he aint going nowhere
brenton

Good point, though I would argue that I am neither a journalist nor lazy, just busy as hell and an unpaid writer. I thought Frimpong had been called up for the Ghana squad but he has just pledged his future to Ghana.
soji

we won't miss him unless he improves his passing
brenton

No, but he's a reason Wenger won't sign another DM for a couple years.
Sami09

The Wolverhampton match was a tin can-game. More on that later when we come to the analyzing part. First unpleasant thing was the absence of Walcott. I know some fans don’t appreciate him and say he is a waste of place. I disagree on this. I feel with his pace up front we always have something extra. Even if he has a not that good game he frightens his opponents and other can capitalize on this. Benayoun took his place and he did fine but he surely lacks the speed of Walcott and so the Wolves defenders didn’t have to take care of that part of the game.
Ramsey got a rest and Rosicky came in and had a decent game. Song came back from suspension and he had to adapt a bit I felt. I do think he is one of those players who benefits from each game he can get and from a run of games. Djourou came back at right back.
We started bright and with lots of possession and we took our first real chance. Gervinho ran in to space and the pass from Benayoun was inch perfect. Gervinho stayed calm turned around the goal keeper and put the ball in the net. I then had the impression that we thought the game was won. Wolves never looked threatening our goal in the first half, come to think of it in the entire game I think.
The one thing we lacked was a spark to go for the second goal. We just tried to control the game without going deep enough. We still had a few chances and then it was clear to see that their goal keeper was having a splendid day. A low shot from Van Persie to the near post was turned in corner with a brilliant reflex safe low to the ground.
While we fell asleep Wolves got a corner and when the ball was headed away, the second ball came to a Wolves player on the edge of the penalty area who took a shot that got deflected of the onrushing defenders and fell on the head of Fletcher who to his surprise saw the ball ending up in the back of the Arsenal goal. The way the goal came out of nothing really should have rung the alarm bells for the “one of those days” games. We all have seen such games before and well we probably will see some more in our lives. We woke up and doubled our effort but Wolves at that moment had gone for the parking the big bus in front of their goal.
The second half was (without having seen the details back) a game of the ref who started losing control of the game a bit. Some strange decisions at times (come to think of it also happened in the first half in fact). Low point for me was the shambles between Song and Henry. Henry lunging in with his studs showing at the stomach of Song and the ref not giving a foul, Song was so angry he also took a few shots at the Wolves players that surrounded him and this time the ref blew the foul. In my live match report I said at that time that the ref was losing the game and that accidents could happen.
They almost did when Milijas came in with a stud showing tackle and an outstretched leg against Arteta. I think the ref won some points in the ref review with finally giving a red card.
For the rest it was at times a game of Arsenal V Hennessey. With the keeper always on the right place and with amazing stops on the line. We did all we could to win the game but Wolves keeper Hennessey was just amazing. With superb reflexes he just kept the ball out of his goal. Looking at the other results a frustrating result. But football is won by goals and not by shots and chances. You must convert them into goals and in this department we failed on the day.
So all that is left for us today is to open a whole lot of tin cans from which we can take all the clichés or stereotypes we can find. I just opened a can with : “it wasn’t our day” and added ”It just didn’t happen”. In another tin can I found: “the goal keeper had a wonder game” and “ that is what he is being paid for”. A third can had the following in it: “If you don’t score, you can’t win” and “You got to take your chances to win the game”.
And so I can find a few other tin cans filled with such stereotypes. The disappointing thing is that we didn’t get the 3 points we deserved. But this is football and those things happen in football. Time for the team to put this right in the next home game on new year’s eve. The good thing is that the team really worked hard and gave it all. And this is all I can ask as a Gooner. That the players do their best and well if things don’t work out we can’t really blame them for their lack of effort. They showed passion and effort today. Sometimes it just isn’t our day (just opened another can – oh now it was the same can)
Time for the team to show that they can lift themselves after this disappointing result and one thing is for sure: I’m sure the team can put this right. They have come back from worse in the past. Come one you Gunners.
goooner

No seriously why is everyone posting their own private blog in the comments section? Go apply to bleacher report or apply to be another writer here, or if you already do just link us. just dont post your blog on top of another blog. especially when this blog already covered that subject
Patoux21

Cesc has so much Arsenal DNA that he asked the club to sell him for a bargain ie 35m instead of c50m because the so poor Barca team wouldn't meet the market price so fuck off and never kiss the badge again. I was hoping you would mentioned rumours about players likely to be sold such as Arsh going back to Zenith for 16m LOOOL it's a deal (steal) we can't afford to skip
brenton

Yah, just ran out of steam here, didn't have the energy to go into transfers out.
Patoux21

No pb it was a good and detailed article. I just think Wenger's options will greatly improve pending the successful sale of Arsh for this amount
Tfyoung

Wolves game showed we're in dire need of a No.10 or failing that a true No. 9 that will let RVP play No. 10
Darren_V

So... Nothing is gonna happen.
brenton

I dunno. What do you think?
Darren_V

I thought Cesc would stay.

That says it all on how reliable I am, no?
brenton

Might as well join Martin as a Spurs fan.
soji

Martin is a spurs fan now? And thanks for the list for young players that are really good players that arsenal will never sign. :( But lets hope something happens, anything, we need quality.
Gigi_man

Martin has always been , secretly in principle, a spurs fan.
(No just kidding, it is a long time house joke...I hope hahahaah)
Homey_Mills

I wouldn't dismiss the Henry rumors so quickly. It's just like the Sol Campbell situation a couple years ago. Cheap, sentimental, short-term, fan-friendly. Wenger should love it.
Rico

I like the idea of Henry being there, not as a forward backup but more of a mentor...... and maybe a backup for our backup. I think he would be good for the side's morale and he's been in the game for as long there is plenty he can share/educate. Also he is a HUGE gunner!
Gunnerson

Agreed, and apparently hes been kicking ass in practice. I'm actually quite certain Wenger wants to sign him just that the player insurance that comes attached might be a bit pricey. Regardless, the likeliest rumour in the mill I would say.
Kas123

I love Henry like the next Arsenal fan, but not a good move at all.
brenton

I'll upgrade him to an "unlikely", then.
Sean P

Agree. I think the Henry deal is likely to happen. Seems to make sense for Arsenal side. Reviews from practice are apparently that he looks sharp and you have already heard players like Song saying he would like to see him back.
Gigi_man

Great piece.
We havent been linked with Abgonlahor?
Well, I have my wish (real not dream wish) list, a late Xmas present or a New Years one.
Doumbia. Any guy that scores 23 goals in a league where Etoo (even if older and slower) has scored 8, is fine by me.
Baba. Scoring 9 goals in the Portuguese league isnt bad. He is relatively unknown. If my research is right, his age and nationality make him likeable by Wenger.
On the defence side I am a bit clueless, but I'd take anyone on loan.
Henry, I'd take him as a spirit lifter, but not as to rely on his scoring.
Will

I would love to see Doumbia in an Arsenal shirt... My dream signing (of the ones that are mildly realistic). Though it seems like If we'd love to sign someone it automatically becomes less likely.. What with paying off the stadium and keeping the board happy, etc, etc, I'm sure Brenton's right about signing someone we haven't thought of. But it's testament to Wenger's talent that 60% of the time that pays off eventually: Walcott, Ramsey, [woulda, shoulda] Cesc, AOC expectedly.
Gigi_man

haha u r right, let's not wish him so he becomes reality. I hope and pray for a new signing inside that 60%, a "matador"
Sean P

So in this article you seem to be saying that any January moves are unlikely. Is that what you think?

Seems to me Wenger will at least be making 1 or 2 moves this window. Needs to reinforce to secure a top 4 finish which is so critical to any Arsenal long-term plans.
brenton

I think we'll pick up a fullback on loan, maybe an attacking mid/striker, but it probably won't be the players we're linked with. Did anyone guess we'd sign Park? Or Santos?