Re: The Official Winter Transfer Rumours Thread

[Lex]

I bet there was a jar of Nutella in every single room at the Emirates when Draxler visited

[Chumlum]

Amy Lawrence on Walcott's injury and how that may or may not affect Arsenal's transfer dealings:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jan/07/arsenal-injuries-theo-walcott-arsene-wenger

7amkickoff on Draxler & dribbling: http://www.7amkickoff.com/2014/how-draxlers-dribbles-would-be-the-perfect-fit-for-arsenal/

And an ESPN FC article on Batshuayi from about a month ago that I either missed or forgot about. It makes a real case for him.
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/espnfcunited/id/10824?cc=5901

Batshuayi is taking the Belgian Pro League by storm this season, scoring no less than 12 goals in 17 games, already equalling his total from last term which was achieved over 34 matches. However, in order to fully understand his talents, we have to go back to January when Standard recorded a routine 2-0 win over Kortrijk.

The forward scored the opener in brilliant fashion, his first touch at the edge of the box absolutely perfect to fool his marker. Six minutes later, though, the youngster produced a much more stunning move. Batshuayi went back to help his team in defence, stole the ball and burst down the right flank using his lightning speed and sheer athletic force, before releasing a wonderful through ball to left-back Jelle van Damme. YouTube captures the moment (ahead of the comedy celebration), and it is exactly the style of transition football Wenger and his Arsenal faithful dream of.

As you can see, we are talking about an extremely versatile player. While Christian Benteke, who made such a name for himself at Aston Villa, is a rather one-dimensional traditional centre-forward, Batshuayi is capable of playing everywhere across the front line. He is very good in the box, while his athletic body and jumping abilities make him a huge nuisance to defenders. Equally comfortable on both wings, it is clear he can outrun any defender on his way to the penalty area and his dribbling skills at speed are phenomenal.

I'm not saying this 20-year-old is necessarily the answer to our January problems. I don't watch the Belgian league. But it does seem like the dude is building up some momentum as a player to watch. And as a pacey, positionally versatile forward, he sort of ticks off the boxes we're looking for.

I know most of us want someone like Costa and want him signed NOW but I just don't think that's going to happen.

[RealGunner]

Some quality articles Chum.

I won't mind Batshuayi tbh. I am not sold on Costa (still) but despite Batshuayi being inferior in every way( signing wise, not necessarily talent), the phrase where his first touch is brilliant caught me along with this through ball bit. It's always a gamble signing these kind of players and I think Arsene himself will be vary because it takes time for players as young as him to adapt and he may not be someone who can make an immediate impact. Someone like Costa can or Lavezzi.

[EL Patron]

I wouldn't be surprised if we signed him then loaned him, then again I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Yanited signed him then 3 years later Wenger goes " we were close to signing him before "

[MJ]

Btw, I just read this and wasn't sure if everyone knew: Draxler said it himself that his release clause only becomes effective this summer so January is ruled out, not that I thought we'd go for him now anyway.

[El Gunner]

Shit. Well then we just get him in the summer then. We're really clutching at straws now, aren't we? :/

[Jay29]

Turkish press saying we're looking at Burak Yilmaz. Granted, the report itself reads more like something out of a gossip column that an actual story: http://m.spor24.eu/haber/4459-buraka-arsenal-kancasi

[RealGunner]

Might have to turn my PS3 on with so many players linked.

[EL Patron]

I have a feeling Draxler will be a pipe dream like Hazard

[RealGunner]

Can be. Since we are so used to disappointments (mostly our own creating)

but the difference now is that we have money to buy Draxler unlike 2 years ago with Hazard.

[MJ]

I would have said that before Özil, too. I think we're looking at an entirely new market that's open to Arsenal now.

[Jay29]

Arsenal exploring short-term signings to cover for Walcott according to this:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/07/arsenal-arsene-wenger-transfer-window-theo-walcott?CMP=twt_gu

Names Morata and Kalou () as options.

Also mentions the possibility that as January's fixtures aren't that tough, we may just tough it out until Bendtner returns, and that we're looking at one of Diego Costa, Jackson Martinez, Karim Benzema and Mario Mandzukic as potential summer signings.

[SamuelJayC]

Kalou? FML

[SamuelJayC]

Arsenal will make an immediate move for Pedro, should the club receive any word that the #FCB man wants to leave: http://bit.ly/1bOM52b

[Jay29]

David Ornstein just tweeted that Chuba Akpom's loan to Brentford has been postponed due to our injuries. Apparently we want to keep him until the Coventry game and then let him go.

[Lex]

I can imagine Rosell lying in front of the car taking Pedro to the airport just to stop him from coming here

[Jay29]

Seems like Sanabria, the young Barcelona B striker we were heavily linked with recently, is joining Roma.

[MJ]

Ah, to replace the outgoing Gervainaldo who's to join Madrid, then?

[Sina]

Sagna contract hold up is a money issue

Posted by: arseblog

Out of contract in June, and able to talk freely to other clubs since January 1st, Bacary Sagna’s contract issue is one that will be vexing many Arsenal fans.

The right back has come back into form after some struggles, much of which were down to him having his leg broken twice in one season, and Arseblog News is aware that he does want to stay at the club.

There’s a two year deal on offer but at the same salary as he’s currently on. Given his experience, consistency and reliability, he’s looking for an improved offer from the club before putting pen to paper.

It remains to be seen if the club are willing to negotiate further, but one would hope that the lessons of squad stability are being learned, and to keep one of the key components of the best defence we’ve had in years would a very good thing.

It has been suggested to us that a decision could be made inside the next two weeks, but it remains to be seen if that’s definitive.

Sign him up, Arsenal.
ffs  

[Lex]

The one person who deserves a pay rise and we're being tight Pay the man you inbeciles

[VendettaRed07]

unbelievable...

How much did we clear off of wages this past summer? give the man more money .. Double them ffs! we can do it easily!

[Raptorgunner]

Not renewing Sagna contract would be a huge failure, Wenger has to put his ego aside and pay the man what he is worth. Any other club would die for a player like Sagna, he must stay and become an Arsenal legend.

[Jay29]

Signing a striker in January "unlikely", according to this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/10559638/Arsenal-unlikely-to-sign-new-striker-in-January-transfer-window.html

Says that attempts to sign Morata aren't going well, and that key targets such as Costa and Martinez have release clauses that are only valid in the summer, not January.

I suspected this would be the case. The number of options are severely limited, and I think I'd prefer us to just tough it out instead of bringing in someone who's "just" good enough for the sake of short term cover.

[El Gunner]

Arsenal exploring short-term signings to cover for Walcott according to this:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/07/arsenal-arsene-wenger-transfer-window-theo-walcott?CMP=twt_gu

Names Morata and Kalou () as options.

Also mentions the possibility that as January's fixtures aren't that tough, we may just tough it out until Bendtner returns, and that we're looking at one of Diego Costa, Jackson Martinez, Karim Benzema and Mario Mandzukic as potential summer signings.

Kalou..
Don't worry guys we're annually linked to him.

[VendettaRed07]

How about kris commons from Celtic? Works for me in FIFA.

[VendettaRed07]

But seriously I say we go around serie a and flash around a bunch of money and get the best possible striker. Someone is bound to give us someone pretty good

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