Hugo Rodallega again linked to Arsenal – Would the £15 million be worth it?
The Gunners may have been linked with some unrealistically high-profile targets over the course of the past season but one that should be equally improbable – for the opposite reason – is Wigan’s Hugo Rodallega.
The Colombian international started his time in the Premier League in mediocre fashion, netting three goals in his first half-season, but the following campaign of 2009/10 saw him reach double figures with ten. He played in every game over that season and impressed, but his form since then has been less spectacular. He registered nine goals in 2010/11 but only one of them was against a top four team (Liverpool). The remaining eight came in games Spurs, Wolves, Bolton, Fulham, Blackburn, Blackpool and Stoke, of which only Spurs and Stoke can now be considered top seven teams.
However, one has to consider Wigan’s difficulties in staying in the Premier League over the past few seasons and the fact that Rodallega saved the club from relegation last season with the winner at Stoke needs to be acknowledged. There is also always the argument that Rodallega is simply playing in a team that isn’t good enough for him, and the way that his form has dropped since the departures of Antonio Valencia and Charles N’Zogbia does indeed point to this being the case.
On the other hand, though, there is also the conflicting claim that he only comes across as a talented footballer because of the poorer players alongside him at the DW Stadium, of which many could be described as not quite Premiership standard. It is surprising that the player has had considerable interest from the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal considering his very average showings this campaign, with less than a quarter of his shots going on target this campaign. As well as looking uninterested and lazy, he has scored no goals in his ten appearances this season, managing only an assist. Certainly, the Colombian’s £15 million price tag seems unreasonable, regardless of the potential he was once showing, now only witnessed in infinitesimal glimpses.
With Bendtner again promising that he is “not going back to Arsenal” and Chamakh’s time at the Emirates most probably coming to a close, another striker’s arrival is inevitable to ensure that Van Persie has adequate back-up. However, would Hugo Rodallega’s £15 million signature – the same price as Arshavin and Oxlade-Chamberlain as the club’s record signings – be the right way to accomplish this?
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Podolski would be better. Too expensive for a lazy player, but we understand circumstances.
Top Gooner!. Agree or not?:
18 
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not at all…for 15 million we can get a better player…GO ARSENAL!!!
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To me he would be a better fit than Podolski. he is very strong has the BPL experience, good in the air, pacey, more direct and a good shot
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Not a chance better players warming the Arsenal bench thank you,if we do buy get somebody who is a proven goalscorer!
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6 
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for 15 million luke de jong is a better option
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5 
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We have Joel Campbell
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4 
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Even at 1m, we don’t need such a lazy player at arsenal,he is not near the type of quality players we need.I pray it is a mere rumour as others.Bentner and Chamak are far better than him so what is he coming to do? In the absence of others,Podoski is better but we need the likes of Sow at LIlle,Pato,Hazad,M’Vila,Vagras,M Matins,Gotze.
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5 
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No, he’s not good enough to play for arsenal…did u see his miss against wolves? He’s good enough for wigan but not arsenal. If we do decide to spend £15m on a striker then spend it on podolski. He’s quality and will take off some of the pressure of RVP!
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3 
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He’s not d striker we r looking for…we need name dat make defenders shiver…
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4 
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Hugo has been rubbish this season !!! There are people better than him in BPL like Stephen Fletcher, Jamie O’Hara etc ! If it happens….we are throwing 15 million down the drain !
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5 
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everybody these days is a target of arsenal! i hope not, lets be realistic. arsenal cannot pay more than 120k. fabregas was the highest maybe. people want money, arsenal pay peanuts. all those connections highlighted, are just speculations and keeping the media busy. but for one thing i know about Wenger, is that he cannot buy a player above 15 thousand that’s unless manchester keeps coming with 8 more donations. its when wenger and Gazidis can sign the cheque. for now, what we are seeing is stealing attention from arsenal fans. lets wait and see.
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0 
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Seriously?
The guy has been playing against the PL defenders for quite a few years now and his goal tally rarely goes into double figures.
Are we really that desperate?
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2 
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15M FU*K NO…..just keep chamakh til the summer n see wat happens with bendtner, park, campbell n Vela at least 1 will pull through…….rodalega has been sh*t this season we need a sow or soldado not a rodalega but let’s give chamakh 1 more try B4 we throw him out he was soooo good when he came n remember wat they say form is temporary but class is permanent C,MON CHAMAKH get ur head in.
GO GUNNERZ
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4 
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Podolski is alsways the better option.
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4 
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No way we are spending 15m in this guy. You want to spend some money? Look at james rodriguez, he should be available for 15m and he is a really talented winger.
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2 
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In short, NO!
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1 
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Arsene bulks at paying big money for talented players let alone mediocre ones . Stupid rumour never gonna happen . Up the arsenal
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1 
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r u kidding?? $15 4 rodalega???hahaaaa…add another $5 n buy podolski!!
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1 
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crap article….pls if u dnt av anything to write den write nothin..its beta u fill us in on aw arsenal players ar doing for thier countries rite nw..heard van der vart is injured van persie wuld b rested agains germany..(thank god) and chuyoung scored again
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0 
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Marco Reus or Lukas Podolski are much better uses of 15M
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2 
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he’s been poor this season, just couldn’t finish… 15m for that, no thanks…
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No like
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1 
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Y waste money on him when walcott is dying to play there.let’s sign villa,I hear he’s available.pato or giovinco,he’ll strike a 1derful partnership wit walcott 4 a long time
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i would like arsenal to get him but this story makes no sense as rodallega 7 months left on his contract so it would probably be about 2-3 million if wigan want money or if they want goals they will keep him for the rest of his contract. either way arsenal will get him cheaper than 15m especially with our manager.
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1 
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15m for Rodallega? no way, I’d prefer Podolski, Reus, Jovetic or Farfan. Not all of them are out and out strikers but are players that can play anywhere along the forward line which is really useful.
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This writter must be stupid for coming up with this mess. Hugo is having some 7 months left on his contract and if wenger is looking at his direction, common sense should tell you that wenger is waiting on him for free transfer. Simple.
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1 
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15 Million are you kidding? More like 5 Million-type-of-player.
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0 
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poor player to be linked how whether many
goals he scored last season.
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Even for 1m he is not an Arsenal material. Park is much better he just need games to fit into the prem proper. That is obvious from his international tally which he does easily cos he knows his team mates well enough. He will do well with us. Apart from him Chamakh is better and we have other young strikers. If we are getting a striker we need one with a 20 league goals/season average
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No
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0 
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Podolski is a much more intellegent striker.
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What the hell is arsene thinking buying that lazy player why don’t we go for someone that have class like podolski or pato he has lost his mind
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