Latest Arsenal Rumours

Arsenal need to offload several fringe players to help fund a new contract for Robin van Persie.

The Daily Mail says manager Arsene Wenger will embark on a summer sale auction in a bid to give the club more room to manoeuvre in terms of wages for Van Persie.

Failing to shift the likes of Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela, Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson this summer would have damaging consequences on how much the Gunners can offer Van Persie.

Arsenal face disappointment as they attempt to sell Nicklas Bendtner to Sunderland.

The Dane is currently on-loan at Sunderland.

But the Daily Mail says Martin O'Neill feels the money to fund a move for Bendtner - who has scored four goals in 19 games - would be better utilised elsewhere.

Hannover 96 are showing an interest in the Denmark international - who still has two years to run on his deal - and Arsenal hope the German club follow up early overtures in the summer.

RealGunner wrote:u are back!!

Ex-Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has told talkSPORT he’s not sure if Lukas Podolski has what it takes to make it at Arsenal.

The German striker is rumoured to be close to a £10.9million transfer to the Emirates after a great season in the Bundesliga with Köln.

But former Germany international Hamann, who appeared 59 times for his country, believes it could be a risky move by Arsene Wenger after Podolski flopped at Bayern Munich, earlier in his career.

He told Kick Off: “Podolski is obviously a very good player because he has shown it for a number of years in the [German] national team. He’s scored a lot of goals for them but the only thing is that most of his form, or all of his best form, is in the national team.

“He went to Bayern Munich a few years ago, he couldn’t really make a breakthrough there, and obviously he’s back in his home town of Köln where he is loved, where he’s their main player and he blossoms.

“He’s scored a lot of goals this year but again, the one time he played for a big club, at Bayern, he didn’t really cut it.

“It’s always different to play at a big club because you’re one of many and at Köln he’s their main player. He’s scored more goals this season than the rest of the team [combined].

So he is in tremendous form this year but then again I always feel scoring goals for Köln, where he takes every free-kick and every penalty, is very different to scoring goals for Bayern Munich or Arsenal if he does come.

“He’s a level-headed kid. He’s not a bad person, I’ve not got any worries about him in that respect but then again if you come to a foreign country and don’t know the language, sometimes that has other challenges.

“I just thought that with his failure to make an impact at Bayern Munich, I wasn’t sure whether he was the right player for Arsenal.
“Obviously Arsene Wenger would have scouted him over the last few months or years. He is undoubtedly a very good player but whether he fits into Arsenal – I’m not sure.

“I think [£10million] is a lot of money for a player who has not made it at a big club with the one chance he has had. He’s very similar to [Robin] van Persie.

“He’s a left-footed player who likes to play in and around the box. I don’t know what the thinking or the reason around it was but I’m not sure whether he will be a success. I’d be a bit worried.”

Samuelj29060 wrote:Arsenal linked with Gotze

Arsene Wenger is determined to sign Mario Götze this summer, and will offer £25m for the Borussia Dortmund playmaker.

Wenger is convinced adding Götze to the arrival of Lukas Podolski will convince Robin Van Persie to stay at Arsenal this summer.

Arsenal will offload Bendtner, Denilson, Squillaci, Vela, Chamakh, Park & Arshavin this summer to raise extra funds.

Should Alex Song leave the club this summer, Arsenal will attempt to sign Rennes' Yann M'Vila as his replacement. (Daily Mail)

ernie_schwarz wrote:

OMG! How many of these players are actually flops...?

P.S.Never knew SAF was the editor of TalkSport as well...

Koln striker Lukas Podolski has played down suggestions he has agreed to join Arsenal in the summer.

Reports on Wednesday had claimed the 26-year-old was on his way to the Emirates Stadium after a fee and personal terms had been successfully negotiated, but the forward insists such a move is not yet complete after choosing to clarify his position.

"Contrary to reports from the past few days, nothing has been decided yet," Podolski told LIGA Total!. "If there is something to report, then I'll do it."

Podolski's sentiments were also echoed by former Koln sporting director Volker Finke, who did not deny talks had occurred over a potential transfer, but opted to stay coy when quizzed on the details of the deal itself.

"The final die is not yet cast," Finke stated.

"It's part of the business and so it is generally agreed that only when the die is cast and everything is signed - when it comes to a transfer, as it is being discussed in the newspapers - only then can the parties involved make comments.

"It is still not settled and therefore we have no comment."

Shortly after these statements, Finke left the club by mutual agreement following a difference of opinion over the club's targets and ambitions.

Meanwhile, Podolski faces a possible three-match ban after being shown a red card during Koln's 1-0 win against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.