Just Arsenal News

Fulham’s outstanding player and top scorer, 29-year old Clint Dempsey, is not the sort of player normally associated with Arsenal, but I think he could add something to the Gunners strike force. His tough, combative style, versatility and proven goalscoring in the Premier league could provide Arsene Wenger with an alternative when the passing game is not getting results.

Dempsey has put out feelers to the top clubs by telling Sports Illustrated “I am grateful for everything Fulham have done for me…but the fact remains that I want to play in the Champion’s league. I want to play at the highest level possible.” Paris Saint- Germain are interested but I think he would prefer to stay in England and he would not even need to move if he joined the Gunners. .......Read the full article here

The Ivory Coast defender Guy Demel was at Arsenal briefly as a 20 year-old, but couldn’t settle in London and was very quickly allowed to move on to Germany, playing for ten years in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund and Hamburg.

But now, according to ESPN, he is now available on a free transfer and is desperate for a return to the Premiership before he retires.

He said yesterday: “I used to play at Arsenal but that was a long time ago and I am ready to go back. I am more experienced now and my desire is to return to England.” .......Read the full article here

The Everton boss David Moyes has been speaking ahead of Everton’s match against Arsenal, and he revealed that Arsene Wenger indeed made a bid for Phil Jagielka last summer, but he didn’t come anywhere close to his own valuation of the England international.

“It is true that we received an offer from Arsenal for Phil during the summer, but we were never tempted,” Moyes said.

“It wasn’t a lot of money, not for a player like him. I had a word with him the day before we left for our pre-season trip to Australia and told him that, whatever level of interest there may be, it would take a lot more money than had been offered. .......Read the full article here

It was reported during the summer that the Everton and South African international midfielder Steven Pienaar is keen to join Arsenal on a free transfer next summer. the 28 year-old has refused to sign a new contract with the Toffees but has decided to cash in with one last big move while he can.

There are rumours flying about that Man City, Chelsea, Tottenham, and even Juventus are ready to make Pienaar lucrative contracts, but FanFc reports a “source” as saying: “Steven was very flattered by Arsene Wenger’s complimentary remarks last summer and has made up his mind that he wants to play for him.” .......Read the full article here

I wonder if the Cesc Fabregas tapping-up saga has led to an outbreak of war between Arsenal and Barcelona, as it has been reported in the Spanish footy paper, Sport, today that Arsenal are keeping tabs on another young Barcelona midfielder.

The 18 year-old Oriol Romeu was extremely promising last season for Barcelona’s reserve team, and after making his debut for Barca in the Super Cup match against Sevilla, it was thought that the defensive midfielder would be moved up to the first team this year.

Alas the signing of Javier Mascherano from Liverpool has completely scuppered any chance of first team action, and Sport says that Arsenal are waiting in the wings to pounce if the youngster refuses to negotiate a new contract at the Nou Camp. .......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

Sky Sports revealed yesterday that the Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh was in London to finalise his move to the Emirates on a free transfer, but the Bordeaux President Jean-Louis Triaud wasn’t even aware that his player was in England.

“That is unique in the history of recruiting in football,” he said when told about the reports.

“It was written that he wasn’t recognised at fair-value here in Girondins, which forced me to think.

“They joked that he was underpaid, if at any time he wanted, he could have improved his earnings situation. But he has never complained,”

“We have proposed extensions to Marouane. Our first proposal was on January 1, 2009,” he said. .......Read the full article here

It was probably the worst kept secret of the year that the Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida had made an arrangement with Atletico Madrid to sign for them at the end of his Arsenal contract, and today El Mundo Deportivo have made an official announcement.

Their article said: Fran Mérida, el primero! El Atlético ya se ha hecho con los servicios del centrocampista que abre la nómina de fichajes de la 2010-11. El jugador llegará gratis al Vicente Calderón, acaba contrato con el Arsenal el próximo 30 de junio. .......Read the full article here