Just Arsenal News

There is an air of desperation in the media’s Arsenal transfer rumours today, especially when they make the main link Jan Vertonghen. The ex-team-mate of Thomas Vermaelen quite clearly said in his interview that he wouldn’t consider leaving Ajax for another year at least, but the papers have turned it into a come-and-get-me plea.

Okay, I agree that Wenger may well bring him in one day (Ajax are Arsenal’s feeder team after all!), but it certainly won’t be this summer. I will personally guarantee that okay? .......Read the full article here

Well it looks like Arsene Wenger is sticking to his guns, and bringing more youngsters through rather than buying ready-made replacements, but the Arsenal manager will be certainly heartened by the reduction in last seasons big injury list.

Robin Van Persie missed most of the year, and he has now played through to the World Cup Final with his country, so looks fully recovered from his ankle problem. .......Read the full article here

The German international midfielder Mesut Ozil was one of the stars of the World Cup this summer, and is likely to be very sought after as soon as he comes on the market. Werder Bremen have been trying desperately to get him to sign a contract extension, but risk letting him go on a free next summer if he refuses.

According to todays Times, Arsene Wenger is considering offering Werder £10m to test the waters, with Man Utd watching developments closely. His market value is thought to be in excess of £20m but Werder may panic if they think they won’t get anything in a years time. .......Read the full article here

The Russian international goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev thinks he is ready for a move to the Premiership, and after talking to his mate Andrei Arshavin, he is especially keen on moving to Arsenal and London, with Man Utd being his second choice.

The CSKA Moscow star believes that if a good offer came in for him the Russian giants would be happy to let him leave, despite still having two years left on his contract.

Akinfeev said: “Arsenal and Manchester United are two of the very best clubs in the world. .......Read the full article here

The England goalkeeper David James is preparing to go to Scotland for talks with the Celtic manager Neil Lennon about a possible free transfer, and the Mail has revealed that the ex-Portsmouth stopper was offered to Arsenal as the solution to their keeper crisis, but Wenger declined the offer.

This to me only confirms that Arsenal will not be taking on any “short-term” goalkeeping options (like Mark Schwarzer), because why would Wenger be anxious to pay a few million pounds for the Australian keeper, but not accept another 39 year-old, that is just as good as Schwarzer, if not better, on a free transfer. .......Read the full article here

At last it seems that the Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has told his mates from Spain and Barcelona to stop the high-pressure tapping up, and to start helping him rebuild his relationship with the Arsenal fans before the new season starts.

The Barca star Andres Iniesta, who score the winner for Spain in the World Cup Final, reckons that Fabregas will be Arsenal’s Lionel Messi, and could win the title for Arsenal on his own!

But of course he couldn’t stop himself saying that Cesc will still join Barcelona next summer! “Cesc wants to be with us, but he told me how close the Arsenal fans are to his heart,” he said. .......Read the full article here

All the latest Arsenal transfer news seems to be concentrating on the much-needed centre-back, and it is now being reported that Arsene Wenger has given up hope of persuading Everton to let Phil Jagielka leave at a reasonable price, and he has now turned his attention to the German defender Per Mertsacker.

The big 27 year-old still has two years left on his contract at Werder Bremen so he probably won’t come much cheaper than Jagielka, but Wenger is hoping to pay just £10m for him according to reports. I know that some Arsenal fans were raving about him during the World Cup, but is he good enough for the top level of the Premier League? .......Read the full article here

It was blindingly obvious to everyone last season (including Arsene Wenger) that Arsenal were just three class players away from being World-Beaters.

Wenger also repeatedly told the fans that the problems were mainly in defence, and “something had to be done”, so with Senderos, Silvestre and Gallas leaving, Arsenal fans expected to see a couple of big, experienced defenders brought in, and of course a goalkeeper. .......Read the full article here

There is a report this morning saying that Arsenal are still trying to find a Spanish club to take Manuel Almunia off their hands to make room for Mark Schwarzer in the squad.

The Goon Blog says this morning that Arsenal were in talks with the Spanish La Liga side Osasuna, but they have a stumbling block in the size of Almunia’s wage packet, which is said to be £50,000 a week. It seems that the only way to get past it is if Arsenal allow Almunia to leave on a virtual free transfer to give Osasuna more money to pay the 32 year-old’s wages. .......Read the full article here

The Arsenal midfielder Andrei Arshavin has been speaking to the press today, and he seems to be pretty certain that Arsene Wenger will not be signing another goalkeeper this summer, as he already has four of them in the squad.

“They say that the signings haven’t finished.” said Arshavin. “We have four goalkeepers and we conceded none the two matches played so far.

“But, seriously, if we’re talking about Schwarzer, it looks like that is off the agenda.’ .......Read the full article here