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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Arsenal closing on Gervinho, Alvarez, Cahill

Since May Arsenal have inquired after a whole host of players. This may have been the result of the mistakes that were made last summer where we had a few stone wall targets – when we failed to bring them in we were left reliant on youth or forced into a panic buy. One of these was Sebastian Squillaci. He was well down the lists of center-backs Arsene Wenger wanted, he played like it too, consistently left high and dry with our high defensive line.
Both Cahill and Samba have been targeted this summer along with Phil Jones. Personally I feel that Arsene wanted to give him another year at Blackburn and felt he had to act quickly after realising that was never going to happen. The sum of money offered would have been a new transfer record for Arsenal. Before this, Arsenal had already spoken to Blackburn about Samba – a fee was agreed in principle, £9m rising with add-on’s. An issue arose – I guess it was due to clauses Blackburn agreed to when they signed the player about a percentage of the fee being paid to his previous club – their owners are so naive when it comes to football, they don’t have a clue. Samba still wants the move and Arsenal, rightly, won’t pay above what they offered. I get the feeling later in the summer some sort of compromise will be agreed though.
Arsenal are moving for Cahill though, the suggestion is at least one player will move in the opposite direction. Personally, I would like to see Vela go there for a season on loan, maybe with Lansbury too. I would rather take straight cash for Nicklas Bendtner or keep him – he can be a valuable asset to the club, despite what some sections of the support think.
The fee will be a sizable one but there is money in the bank, it would be a step in the right direction but the defensive problem is one one strictly reduced to the personnel on offer. It runs deeper and that must be sorted when the players report back next week for pre-season training.
A fair amount of time ago Arsene Wenger hinted at the ideal number of center-backs he likes in a squad.. last season we were still one short of that number – it is more than possible that we will see another defender arrive along with Cahill. We will probably have a look at the free agents on offer but it would not be at all surprising to see Samba arrive as I said earlier. Somebody like Bendtner could majorly pad out a deal like that, and Blackburn would have the funds to pay his hefty wages. Could his pride take that, I wonder?
Another, more exotic name, that has been linked with us closely recently is that of Ricky Alvarez. He is a player that nobody really knows much about – some self styled South American football pundits tend to think he is the real deal. If he is then that is great, it could well be the case that he takes up the squad position of somebody like Tomas Rosicky who I don’t expect to be an Arsenal player next season.
Various media sources have the deal at an advanced stage – some claim he has already signed. Apparently we are prepared to meet the fee demanded (from what I am told) and with the player seemingly delighted at the prospect of being an Arsenal player I can’t imagine anything holding it up. Transfers are complicated things though – lets see what occurs.
And Gervinho… did he have a medical yesterday – didn’t he have a medical yesterday? I was told at about 9am yesterday that a player was at Colney for a medical. Many mentioned Gervinho’s name as talk of that spread throughout the day – the suggestion is though that it may even have been Cahill at the training ground. The Gervinho deal is all but done though, it will be announced in due course.
A lot of people in the media – and in the blogosphere – have born the brunt of a lot of frustration at people who are privileged enough to have information that is not readily available. There are bad eggs out there, there are also genuine people. When I pass on information I do so in good faith – in other words I don’t make it up, what would I gain out of it? Website hits? Do me a favour. Why would I put my Samba news on Twitter about 24 hours before writing it up? In football things change rapidly – information can be outdated very quickly. A little understanding would make the online football world a lot more pleasant.
Anyway, that is my say over. I have just written this before a 5am start so I hope it made sense..

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Arsenal Chairman responds to Lady Nina's tweets

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has hit back in his war of words with former board member Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith.
Eyebrows were raised at the Emirates when Lady Bracewell-Smith launched a withered tirade in the direction of a board she labelled 'chauvinistic' and 'insecure'.
In what was a stinging appraisal of the club's hierarchy she called for sweeping changes under new owner American tycoon Stan Kroenke, whom she sold a 15.9 per cent stake to back in 2009 to end a family association with Arsenal that stretches back to the 1940s.
Hill-Wood was not amused and has issued a brusque summary of his own when summing up his thoughts on Lady Bracewell-Smith.
"I wouldn't pay any attention to it myself," Hill-Wood told the Daily Star. "I don't know why she is suddenly sounding off.
"She put something like £100million in her pocket and didn't earn a penny of it.
"She should keep herself quiet and not complain."
It was on Monday, via Twitter, that Lady Bracewell-Smith made her grievances public, calling for the heads of the existing boardroom members that reside in North London.
"I agree that the current board should all go," she said.
"They are passe. Have nothing to give to the club at all.
"They couldn't handle a woman with power on the board. Felt insecure. Male chauvinism."

Stekelenburg and Thaigo linked with Arsenal

A 28-year old experienced goalkeeper and “another” Barcelona youngster are today’s players linked with a possible move to Arsenal.
According to Goal.com, the agent of Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg confirmed that there is interest for the 28-year old who was heavily linked with the Gunners last summer when Arsene Wenger was supposedly searching for a new goalkeeper.
In all fairness, young Wojciech Szczęsny was impressive in goal after he took over from injured Lukasz Fabianski but there are still some who believe that the Gunners should sign an experienced goalkeeper during the summer transfer window.
In other news, The Daily Mail reports that Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal are all monitoring 20-year old Thiago Alcântara do Nascimento, of Barcelona. Always according to the article, it seems the Spanish giants want to include the youngster in an agreement that would see Cesc Fabregas moving in the opposite direction.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Mata move doubtfull


 
 Juan Mata’s transfer saga has may very well come to an end. Mata had this to say about his current future with Valencia to SuperDeporte:
“I want to win a trophy with Valencia next season, I’ve not planned anything different as I’ve a contract until 2015.”
I’m not too sure as to what Valencia’s reaction will be because of their financial situation. In the past season, they offloaded their two big stars, David Villa and David Silva and maybe cashing in on Juan Mata would be best for their club.

Ex Gunner wants to return back

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.”
“I have played six years at Hamburg and had a good time there but I feel the time is right for a new challenge,”
“Every player would like the opportunity to play in the Premier League where every weekend you play against top players and top teams and this is what I want. A lot of my Ivory Coast team-mates tell me how good it is play in the Premier League and it would be nice to play alongside them or against them.”
Demel is 6ft 2.5in and a regular Ivory Coast international and can play at right back or in midfield.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Arsenal to bid £13m for Bundesliga Star




According to reports Arsene Wenger is chasing  Bayer Leverkusen ace Arturo Vidal. He thinks that Vidal could fill the void left by either Fabregas or Nasri, who are both being linked with moves away from the Emirates this summer.
As ever, the 24-year-old captain is wanted by boyhood club Barcelona while Nasri, who is out of contract in a year, is wanted by Manchester United.
Vidal's star has risen rapidly since arriving at Leverkusen from Colo-Colo in 2007 but his club may need to sell him this summer or risk losing him for nothing this time next year when his contract expires.
AC Milan have already had a £9m bid rejected by the Bundesliga club, who are demanding at least £13m for the 24-year-old - just a third of what Arsenal will receive for selling Fabregas to Barca.

Arsenal to sell Cesc Fábregas to Barcelona if price is right

Arsenal are willing to sell their captain, Cesc Fábregas, to Barcelona if they can agree a fee, according to the BBC.
The 24-year-old World Cup winner has been continually linked with a move back to his boyhood club during recent transfer windows. Last summer Arsenal rejected a £30m offer for their inspirational skipper.
However, with Fábregas appearing more determined to rejoin the club he left as a teenager in 2003, Arsenal are said to be ready to allow the deal to go through, if Barcelona improve their £27m bid.
BBC Sport quote a senior Arsenal official as saying: "The offer was made formally in writing to our chief executive [Ivan Gazidis] and we said no straight away."
When asked if the club expected an improved offer this week, the source added: "Possibly yes and, if it's enough, then I expect we'll have to sell."
Last week the Barcelona president, Sandro Rosell, claimed the European champions would not break the bank for Fábregas, of whom he said: "It is clear that this year his value is less."
During the 2010 summer transfer window Arsenal released a statement confirming their captain was not for sale. However, so far there has been no official comment from the Premier League club following renewed speculation over Fábregas' future.

New signings to be unveiled on july first week


Arsenal will unveil their new signings by july first week according to the latest reports.
The Gunners are linked with Lille striker Gervinho, Southampton winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, West ham united playmaker Scott Parker, Argentenian Ricardo Alvarez, Blackburn defender Chris Samba and also are involved in a record deal with Valencia's U-21 midfielder Juan Mata.

Barcelona To Return With Improved £31m Offer For Arsenal Captain Cesc Fabregas - Report

Barcelona are preparing to make an improved offer of £31 million for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Spanish champions have reportedly already had an initial bid of £27m turned down for the midfielder and, although this second bid seemingly still falls well short of the Gunners’ reported valuation of the player, the Catalan club are hopeful of reaching a compromise.

Barca are keen to pay the fairest possible price to get their man, with president Sandro Rosell adamant the club’s outgoings on this summer's transfers will not exceed £40m, but the Telegraph suggests the La Liga champions are willing to stretch to £35m in order to seal the deal.

Arsene Wenger refused to entertain Barcelona’s interest in Fabregas last summer and has always maintained he would not consider selling his captain, but the need to raise funds for summer reinforcements combined with the Spaniard’s desire to link up with his boy-hood club could ultimately persuade the Arsenal boss to cash in on his prized asset.

The chances of any deal going through are believed to be dependent on the Gunners securing a replacement for their playmaker, with Velez Sarsfield’s Ricardo Alvarez reportedly top of the list of targets

Arsenal makes £18m bid for Valencia's Juan Mata


Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has made a club record £18m bid for Valencia midfielder Juan Mata, claims the Daily Mail. The paper says that we are now planning a summer spending spree, beginning with the capture of the Spanish Under 21 star.
 
It is reported that officials spoke to the 23-year-old’s agent and father and that Mata is now happy to discuss his future. Mata can play in central midfield or on the left wing and was also part of Spain’s 2010 World Cup winning squad.
Mata's eye for goal and assists are why AW is said to be willing to smash the club’s current transfer record -- £13m for Russian star Andrey Arshavin -- to bring the Spaniard to the Emirates.
Former Real Madrid youth player Mata was one of the stars of Spain’s victorious Under 21 side in Denmark, scoring two goals in the tournament, and has been identified by Wenger as the man to help ease the blow of Cesc Fabregas’ possible departure to Barcelona.
But, the paper says, AW  may have to act fast to head off Barcelona and Manchester City -- who are also vying with Chelsea to sign Udinese and Chile winger Alexis Sanchez  -- and Liverpool.
Many of the Arsenal fans are delighted after hearing this report that their team is chasing this 23year old for a record transfer fee.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Inter make Alvarez offer

Inter Milan are attempting to hijack Arsenal's move for Velez Sarsfield starlet Ricardo Alvarez with a €12million bid.
The highly-rated Argentine midfielder has been strongly linked with Arsene Wenger's side and, until now, Arsenal had been clear favourites for his signature.
The North Londoner's are believed to have tabled a bid worth €10million (£8.9million), with the 23-year-old destined for Europe this summer.
Argentine outfit Velez are holding out for around €15million, but will have been encouraged by Inter's offer, which propels the Italians to the front of the queue.
Alvarez's agent, Marcello Simonian, refuses to divulge which club is his client's preferred choice, but said: "I can only say that the footballer is prepared to play at a big European club."

Arsenal lead the North-London race to sign midfield veteran Parker


Sources from North London reveal that Arsenal are in the pole position to sign West Ham United’s Scott Parker. It should be confirmed by a bid from Arsene Wenger  by next week. Despite strong rumours, the newly appointed manager, Sam Allardyce  made it clear that no official bid has been received.

Scott Parker is the kind of player that we lack in our squad. Although West Ham are relegated now, his performance last season for the Hammers shows his winning mentality and leadership qualities which we lack here at Arsenal. With Parker’s presence at the midfield, Wilshire and Fabregas will get the freedom to attack.
Harry Redknapp revealed that his top priority is a striker to replace misfiring Defoe and Crouch at White Hart Lane.  Arsenal should get the signature of the English veteran for about  £5 million.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Formal bid for Gervinho rejected

It had been reported that Arsenal had a bid of around 10.6 million pounds, accepted by Lille. Well, according to Inside Futbol, that bid was rejected which is the reason for the delay in sealing the transfer. Lille want an offer closer to their 15 million pound valuation. The report also states that talks are still ongoing between the two clubs. I honestly don't blame for Lille demanding more money, as Gervinho is one of their star players, has been excellent for the past two seasons, and is highly rated by many. If the report is true, the Gunners need to pay up and hopefully Gervinho will soon become a Gunner.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Alvarez 'signs for Arsenal' - Zamparini

Ricardo Alvarez has signed for Arsenal, according to the Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini.
The 23-year-old Argentina midfielder has been a long-term target for the Italian side, but according to Zamparini, any chance of enticing him to Serie A is now over.

Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss in Italy, he said: "We were interested in Alvarez, we were very close to him in January.

"We lost him due to our mistake and I know that he has already signed for Arsenal."


Arsenal reject £27m bid from Barcelona for Cesc Fábregas

Arsenal have turned down an offer from Barcelona for their captain, Cesc Fábregas, according to reports last night. The bid is reported by the Sun and Telegraph to be worth £27m and is said to have been rejected out of hand.
The Spanish club had been expected to make a renewed attempt to sign Fábregas, who began his career at Camp Nou, after having offers rejected last summer. It is anticipated that they will return with an improved bid but they have stated that they will not pay more than £35m for the midfielder.
Their president, Sandro Rosell, spelt out the club's position and claimed this week that Fábregas was doing "all he can" to join Pep Guardiola's Spanish and European champions.
"Guardiola knows the values of players and Cesc's is less than €40m (£35.4m)," Rosell said. "Barcelona will offer less and, if they don't accept, then he won't come."

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Vela not leaving Arsenal



Arsenal will not sell Carlos Vela this summer, the Mexico international's agent has claimed.
The 22-year-old was loaned out to West Brom for the second half of last season, but failed to make a major impact, scoring just twice in eight Barclays Premier League appearances.
The pacy Mexican was expected to be one of several players allowed to leave as Arsene Wenger revamped his squad following another campaign which promised so much but failed to deliver.
However, Vela's agent Eduardo Hernandez maintains Vela is still very much part of Wenger's plans. He told ESPN Radioformula in Mexico: "I have had eight conversations with Arsenal, the most recent was last Friday, and Carlos is an Arsenal player, he will stay at Arsenal and is not for sale.
"The process with Carlos is a little bit slow.
"Arsene Wenger is an extremely demanding coach, he sent him on loan for six months to West Brom not with the results he wanted, but, nevertheless, everything is going very well."
Wenger may so far have added only promising young defender Carl Jenkinson from Charlton, but Arsenal are determined to do more business before the summer ends.
Deals for Blackburn defender Christopher Samba and Ivory Coast forward Gervinho are understood to be close to completion, while the arrival of Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to be confirmed at the start of July ahead of Arsenal's Far East tour. Everton's £15million-rated centre-half Phil Jagielka is another reported target.
Despite the claims of Vela's agent, there are set to be departures.
Full-back Gael Clichy, the last surviving member of Wenger's Invincibles squad from 2003/2004, is coming towards the final year of his contract, and is expected to leave, with both Liverpool and Roma offering a fresh start, while Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner is also likely to head for the Emirates Stadium exit door.
Speculation continues over whether France midfielder Samir Nasri will commit to a new deal or be sold, while the future of captain Cesc Fabregas once again is uncertain under renewed interest from boyhood club Barcelona - but not at the £30million offer they made last summer.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Wenger hopeful of landing Zenit striker with £12M plus player deal


Arsene Wenger  will begin a frantic period of transfer activity by purchasing Aleksandr Kerzhakov  from Zenit St. Petersburg. The transfer is unclear but it is thought to involve around £12 million and involve at least one Arsenal  player moving in the opposite direction.
There was some dispute as to whether it would be Andrey Arshavin  moving back to his old club as Zenit have revealed in the press lately, they would love to have their old star back in their midst.
However, it seems Wenger feels Kerzhakov – who struck up a four-year long fantastic partnership with Arshavin at Zenit – can bring the best out of the Russian playmaker.
Kerzhakov finished an injury-hit season with 13 goals and has scored 7 goals already this season. This signifies a decent return but, like with every other club he has played for, the total fails to match up to Kerzhakov’s impressive totals whilst playing alongside Arshavin at Zenit.
It seems more likely that Denilson  will be the player to leave Arsenal. After featuring in only 16 games this season – finishing without a goal or assist – and with reported problems with the young Brazilian’s attitude, Wenger has made up his mind to let the midfielder go.
It was reported this week that Denilson was also used as a makeweight in a deal to sign highly rated Shakhtar Donetsk winger Douglas Costa. The offer was rejected as the Ukranian giants favoured money.
Cash-rich Zenit however will be interested in adding players to their ranks as they aim to establish themselves as the best Russian team. Fans will expect a follow-up to last year’s league title and will demand Kerkhakov is replaced.
The move will mark the start of a hectic few weeks for Arsene Wenger. As many as eight Arsenal players may leave the club, with Wenger aiming to improve the replace them with better quality.
After indifferent seasons from Nicklas Bendter, Maruoane Chamakh and Carlos Vela, Arsenal relied heavily on the irrepressible Robin van Persie. The purchase of Kerzakhov represents a lifting of the burden from the Dutchman which will allow him to flourish.

West Brom reject Odemwingie talk

West Brom have said they are not considering the sale of striker Peter Odemwingie, despite reported interest from Arsenal.

Peter Odemwingie 

Odemwingie scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and piqued the interest of both Chelsea and Arsenal with his performances, with reports from Africa claiming that the Nigerian had agreed a move to the Emirates.
However, West Brom technical director Dan Ashworth maintained that no contact had been made over the star and that talks are still ongoing about him signing a new deal at the Hawthorns.
He told the Birmingham Mail: "Our aim is to retain our core players and try to strengthen our squad around them. I want to make it clear that Peter Odemwingie is not for sale and remains a key member of our squad.
"We have not received any offers for Peter and we have placed no valuation on his head."

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Reasons why Fabregas will not leave Arsenal this Summer......

Only a few days after Sandro Rosell made claims that the value of Cesc Fabregas has gone down over the past year, the Barcelona president insisted that the club will not offer more than 40 million euros to acquire his services.

According to Rosell, Fabregas is worth less than he was at this point last summer because of injuries that slightly hampered his season. However, I would like to point out that Cesc only played one game fewer in the 2010/11 season compared to 2009/10. It is also worth noting that although he did not score as many goals, he still provided an astounding 17 assists last season; He currently sits 3rd in the all-time Premier League Assists table.
“If last summer we offered 40m euros (£35.1m) for Cesc, since then there has been wear and tear, now he’s worth less. I don’t know what will happen, but in the case that we were interested, we won’t go mad and pay over the top.
“I don’t think he will got to another Spanish club. Cesc is of Barca, and if I were the president of another club I wouldn’t sign a player who holds dear the colours of another team.”

Fabregas has made 303 appearances since he joined the club in 2003 (Ronnie Macdonald/Flickr)
Speaking to the media yesterday Rosell yesterday confirmed that if Arsenal reject the bid (of less than €40m) then Fabregas will not be moving back to his childhood club:
“Guardiola knows the values of players and Cesc’s is less than €40m (£35.4m). Barcelona will offer less and if they [Arsenal] don’t accept, then he won’t come. Pep knows the club is not well-off in terms of money.”

In my opinion, this is the final confirmation needed to convince me that Fabregas is staying at Arsenal for next season. There are 6 reasons which make me more than confident that Cesc won’t leave Arsenal this summer:

  1. It would seem that everybody, except for Barcelona, know that 40 million euros for Cesc Fabregas is ridiculous. Rosell’s valuation is well below what I would deem acceptable for arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League.
  2. If what Rosell said is right, Cesc won’t sign for another Spanish club (ruling out Real Madrid).
  3. Arsène Wenger has already said that he refuses to sell Cesc to another Premier League club
  4. A.C Milan (the other major European club linked with Fabregas) have already revealed that they cannot afford him.
  5. Only last week Fabregas made it clear that he is happy at Arsenal, and that the final decision regarding his move lies solely with Arsène Wenger.
  6. Wenger cannot afford to lose both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.
We should be more worried about Samir Nasri leaving the club. Nasri has been the focus of much media attention over the last few weeks and is hardly making it easy on himself with strange and ambiguous comments. The good news is that ss far as I am concerned, Cesc Fabregas is and will remain an Arsenal player.

Arsenal, Chelsea & Man Utd On Red Alert After £25m Everton ace


Marouane Fellaini has stunned Everton by saying he wants to play for a club winning trophies and playing Champions League football.
Everton face a battle to keep hold of their Belgian international after the 23-year old said he wants to play for a team challenging for the title and playing at the very top level. Fuzzy-haired Fellaini said:
"One thing is certain, I want to play in a team that wins trophies and play in the Champions League.
"But Everton is a team below the top level."
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been linked with the former Standard Liège midfielder previously and will be on red alert after Fellaini hinted at a possible move this summers reports the News Of The World.
The £25m rated ace was a recording signing for Everton back in 2008, when the club paid out £15m for the tough-tackling midfielder.

Arsenal set to sell Clichy

Arsene Wenger has seemingly given Gael Clichy the green light to complete his move from Arsenal to Roma for £7million, claims the Daily Mirror this morning. The paper says a deal is about to be thrashed out between the Arsenal hierarchy and Roma bod Walter Sabatini, who is heading to London for talks.
The paper adds that Clichy may be sold because he has yet to extend his contract and that Sabatini hopes to knock the Gunners down from their current £10 million asking price.
Elsewhere it is widely reported that Arsenal's second biggest shareholder Alisher Usmanov has increased his stake in the Premier club to beyond 29 per cent. Uzbek billionaire Usmanov's stake in the Gunners still leaves him trailing behind majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, whose holding has increased to 66.1% amid a takeover bid.
Usmanov's Red and White Holdings company announced in a statement: "Red & White Securities Limited today announces that it now holds a stake of over 29% in Arsenal Holdings plc." Kroenke had made his initial takeover move for Arsenal back in April and boosted his stake by buying shares from former directors Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith and the state of the late Danny Fiszman.
The Premier League has approved the club's change of ownership and, last month, Kroenke gave the club's remaining shareholders 14 days' notice on his unconditional offer to own 100 per cent of the club. As we know, Usmanov has insisted he will not sell to Kroenke, as have the Arsenal Supporters' Trust, who own a small number of the shares.
It is reported that when Kroenke passed the 62% threshold, Arsenal were valued at £731million, but an outright takeover is looking unlikely following Usmanov's decision to increase his stake.
decision to increase his stake.

Barratt seals £128m development deal at Emirates stadium



Barratt Homes announced today that it has exchanged contracts on a £128 million deal to build 375 new luxury private homes next door to Arsenal football club’s Emirates Stadium in north London.
“The development will comprise three residential towers with units ranging from studios to 1,000 sq ft penthouses priced at more than £500,000,” Barratt told OPP.
Alastair Baird, Regional Managing Director of Barratt London, told OPP that the new homes “will be situated literally yards from the stadium and we expect them to become as sought after by Gunners fans as the properties at Chelsea Village are by Chelsea supporters.”
And, according to Arsenal FC Director Ken Friar, the new project is “the last piece of the jigsaw in our new stadium project which has delivered huge regeneration to the Borough of Islington. 2,500 new homes and 2,500 new jobs have been created over the past six years.”
The first units at the development, designed by CZWG architects, will go on sale in September of next year. The scheme will also comprise 440 sq m of commercial space and the build programme is expected to take three years in total.
Barratt is the only major national housebuilder with a significant presence in London. Its landbank of more than 7,000 units in the capital comprises 30 sites located in 16 London boroughs.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Arsenal should pay £12m for Samba

samba
Arsene Wenger will have to stump up over the odds to take Christopher Samba from Blackburn to Arsenal, it is reported. The Mail claims that Samba's former club Hertha Berlin will get 15 per cent of any fee for his services.
The paper says that Blackburn are reluctant to sell the centre back, 27, but seem certain to insist on at least £12million after agreeing to the clause when they signed him from Hertha for £450,000 in 2007.
The Sun reckons Samba has told Rovers he wants to join Arsenal. Anuradha Desai, the chairperson of Rovers' owners Venkys, admitted Samba ss keen on a move to north London. Desai said: "We don't want to let Chris go. I'm confident that we can keep him and I hope he'll stay. I know he has an ambition to play for Arsenal but I hope we can keep him for another year at least and prove our own ambition."
The Mail also reports that Arsenal remain hopeful of finalising a £12m deal for Lille striker Gervinho this week and are chasing Southampton's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17. It adds that Arsenal are awaiting a formal bid from Barcelona for Cesc Fabregas. Some reports suggest that Barcelona are considering selling striker David Villa to Chelsea in order to fund the purchase of Fabregas.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Arsenal star Samir Nasri: I want to be more than just a one season wonder

Samir Nasri wants to prove he is more than a one-season wonder - despite his Arsenal future being far from secure.
The France midfielder, who turns 24 later this month, has still to agree a contract extension with the Gunners - a situation which Manchester United are said to be monitoring closely.
Regardless of the summer speculation, Nasri believes he cannot afford to rest on his laurels after an impressive 2010/2011 campaign which saw him included in the shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year.
He accepts he was "less efficient" following his return from a mid-season hamstring injury and vowed to improve again.
Nasri said: "As a player, it is hard to stay at the top of your game.
"I don't want last season to be just a one-off. I want to continue playing at my best and be consistent at the level I was at the start of last season.
"This is the difference between a good player and a great player - and I know the expectations will be higher on me too."
Nasri has yet to publicly commit himself to the Gunners cause long term following his move to Emirates Stadium from Marseille during the summer of 2008.
However, he stressed - at the time of his latest official club interview - that nothing had been decided either way.
"There is not much to say apart from don't listen to all the rumours and everything that is written or said," added Nasri, who would be free to leave on a Bosman transfer in 12 months.
"Earlier in the season I spoke with the boss and we said we would talk during the summer, which is what we are going to do."
samir nasri Image 2
Whether Nasri or indeed captain Cesc Fabregas, a perennial target for boyhood club Barcelona, will be integral to Arsene Wenger's plans again next season remains to be decided.
However, Nasri feels Arsenal are close to ending their quest for silverware following a sixth barren campaign - and he insists they can rival league champions United for quality.
He added: "At some point, we so want to win, our desire is so big that we rush things and make mistakes. But it is not because we are scared, but because we want to win so badly and we don't think enough.
"As a team, we all realise now what we need to do to win a trophy.
"We had everything to be champions, but if you look at it, every time we played to go top of the league, we never did.
"In terms of talent, I feel we had the best squad of the whole league. We played the best football.
"We were the best team, even if Manchester United had a good season too."
Nasri added: "We have improved so much.
"If the boss adds some good players, I really believes a trophy will be won."
Arsenal have signed promising young defender Carl Jenkinson from Charlton, and look set to further bolster the squad with Blackburn defender Christopher Samba and Ivory Coast forward Gervinho in an £11million deal from Lille.
However, movement will also be two ways this summer, with Nicklas Bendtner one of several fringe players set to leave, although Sporting Lisbon general director Carlos Freitas maintains there has been no formal offer for the Denmark striker.
Arsenal also confirmed youngsters Mark Randall, Thomas Cruise and Roarie Deacon have been released at the end of their contracts.
Wenger will break with his traditional pre-season when he takes the squad on a lucrative tour of the Far East in mid-July, before hosting the Emirates Cup and a final warm-up game at Benfica ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which starts at Newcastle.
The Gunners, who faded badly to finish fourth, will face a Champions League play-off in between testing fixtures against Liverpool at home and then United away on August 27.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Arsenal linked with Shock move for Newcastle Star



Arsenal have been linked with a shock move for Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton.
The Scouter made his thoughts clear yesterday about the exit of Newcastle captain Kevin Nolan and the former Manchester City man seemed to hint that he would be next.
“Devastated to see him [Nolan] SOLD! #mejose[Enrique]andjonas[Gutierrez]next,” tweeted Barton.
Bookmakers SkyBet have cut Barton’s odds on joining Arsenal considerably with Arsene Wenger considering the tough-tackling midfielder to add some steel to his side.
Arsenal and Newcastle United face each other in the first game of the 2011/12 Premier League campaign in a repeat of the epic 4-4 draw from last season.

Arsenal have a nightmare start to 2011/12 EPL Campaign

We start the season with Newcastle (A), followed by Liverpool (H) and then Man Utd (A). From last season, I’d say those three fixtures were the most depressing results, apart from the 2-3 defeat to Spurs at the Emirates.
The Liverpool match was also a soul-destroying game, where Arsenal controlled proceedings until the last two minutes. And no one really remembers the away game at Old Trafford. It was boring, we lost. Park scored a lucky goal. Sounds like most Arsenal-Utd meetings.
Arsenal face both Spurs and Chelsea away from home in October, along with home games against Sunderland and Stoke. Emirates season ticket holders will be treated to only three games in January and February, but matches against Man Utd, Blackburn and Spurs at home are sure to whet the appetite.
Arsenal also have a tricky run in, with City and Chelsea at home in April, along with a typically tough away trip to Stoke.
However, we finish the season with Norwich (H) and West Brom (A), which should prove slightly easier fixtures than those at the start of the season. Then again, these two teams may have Premier League survival to play for, so we cannot assume that the Gunners will win these games automatically! Nothing is ever simple when it comes to the Arsenal…

Arsenal bid for Brazilian star confirmed (And it’s not Willian!)

For the last few weeks Arsenal have been constantly linked with a move for the Shakhtar winger Willian, but according to the agent of his Brazilian team-mate Douglas Costa it is his client who has been the subject of a bid.
Costa is a Brazilian U20 international and was hugely impressive for Shakhtar in their run to the Quarter-Finals of this years Champions League, and was previously linked with a move to Man Utd in January, but Costa’s agent, Cesar Bottega, reckons that it was Arsenal that have made the first offer.
Bottega said: “The Gunners have offered the club Denilson in exchange for Douglas but Shakhtar said no. They are not interested in Denilson and would want only money.”
Arsenal fans were hoping to kill two birds with one stone by making a swap deal with the Ukranian Champions by off-loading the wantaway Denilson in exchange for Willian, but now they are going to have to look further afield for a buyer. Costa certainly would be a fantastic replacement for his fellow Brazilian….

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Inter Milan star opens doors to Arsenal move


Inter Milan striker and rumoured long term target of Arsenal Samuel Eto’o has opened the doors to a Premier League switch suggesting he has proven himself in Italy and Spain and would like to test himself in the Premiership.
The 30 year old join Inter Milan from Barcelona and has won the Champions League twice, once with each side. He has been linked with a move to Arsenal on more than one occasion and now believes the time could be right to move on giving himself a month to decide what will be best for him.
Talking to Il Corriere dello Sport the striker said:
“I am currently considering my options. I have one month to decide as to whether I want to stay put or choose to move to the Premier League. I’m now thirty years old and it is very important for me to think about my future before I sign what could be my last contract.”
Eto’o aded
“I have already shown that I have what it takes to play in Italy and I now have the idea of proving myself in England.”

Cesc Fábregas worth less this summer, says Barcelona president

Cesc Fábregas

Barcelona believe Cesc Fábregas's value has dropped since last summer.
The Barcelona president Sandro Rosell says he believes the Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fábregas is now worth less than he was at this time last summer.
Barcelona were prepared to pay €40m (£36m) in 2010, but Rosell said that if the club goes ahead with a new bid this summer, Arsenal can expect a lower offer.
"If last summer we offered €40m for Cesc, and since then there has been wear and tear, now he's worth less," Rosell said. "In the case that we were interested, our offer would be reasonable. We would not go overboard."
Fábregas said on Wednesday that he has left any decision on his future to Arsenal, admitting his frustration after another trophyless season.
The 24-year-old said: "Barcelona are the best team in the world and going there guarantees titles. Any player who says he is not frustrated at not winning titles is lying. I am ambitious. But I owe myself to Arsenal. I have not spoken to the manager – he is the boss, he takes decisions and I don't know if they want to sell me or not."

Lille offer Gervinho new deal in bid to stop Arsenal move

Arsene Wenger looked set to loosen his purse strings with a £12million bid for the Ivory Coast star but the Ligue 1 champions will not be losing their main man without a fight.
Lille general manager Frederic Paquet - who earlier this week revealed talks between the two clubs over the 23-year-old were at an "advanced stage" said: "We are in negotiations with Arsenal over Gervinho.
"We received an offer from London and although our intention is to offer a new contract to our striker we will talk to Arsenal."
Gervinho played an instrumental role in Lille's double-winning campaign, scoring 18 goals and providing 10 assists in all competitions but his exit could help secure the services of the highly coveted Eden Hazard.

Szczesny breaks both arms before joining Arsenal first team

When Szczesny was just a twinkle in the Arsenal first team's eye, the Polish goalkeeper had a rather unfortunate accident in the gym. He describes it best himself: "I was in the gym doing squats when I lost my balance and the weight fell on my hands and broke both of them. It was a little bit bizarre. There was actually a few people in the gym at the same time and they said they were about to laugh before they realised my arms were not quite straight." As you'd imagine, two broken arms for a goalkeeper is pretty significant and he was out for four months. A year later Szczesny made his first team debut for Arsenal, keeping a clean sheet against West Brom in the Carling Cup before impressing on his loan to Brentford and finding a regular spot for the Gunners in the 2010 / 2011 season.

Arsenal interested in Keisuke Honda

This report and headline comes from the Daily Mirror, as they report that Honda wants to leave the club and that both the Gunners and Liverpool are interested in signature. Keisuke Honda has long been linked with a move to the Gunners and Wenger is a known admirer of the Japanese international. I believe Honda is a talented and quality player and would be good addition to the squad, he will reportedly cost around 15 million pounds.

It’s Chris Samba or Gary Cahill For Arsenal – Or Is It?

I  It is the general consensus at Arsenal that the team needs a strong, forceful centre back to add to the spine of the team and help them to some much needed trophies. It is also the general feeling among the gossip columns that Arsene Wenger will choose between either Blackburn's Chris Samba, or Bolton's Gary Cahill to fill that gap in his squad. But which one will it be? In truth, both seem increasingly unlikely for various reasons, so lets evaluate why.
Lets start with Chris Samba. At 27 years-old and a good 5 years with Blackburn, Samba has plenty of experience that the Arsenal team is often said to be lacking in. He stands at a towering 6 foot 4 inches, and is a force to be reckoned with defending set pieces, with his large frame able to reach above the attacking opponents to clear the danger. He would slot nicely into the defence alongside the combative Thomas Vermaelen, who was missed terribly last season for Arsenal.
Samba revealed last season that he was close to joining Arsenal in the January transfer market, which shows that Arsenal are clearly interested in the player, which is good news, as it shows Wenger's intent to add experience and power to his defence. However, Arsenal's £10 million bid was not enough to persuade Blackburn part with their captain, but it is thought that £12 million would be the price in which Blackburn would be willing to let Samba go.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, recent transfer events have transpired against them. In fact, it may be arch rivals Manchester United's fault that Arsenal miss out on Samba - not because United are themselves interested in Samba, but because Sir Alex Ferguson has recently stolen Samba's young defensive partner Phil Jones away from Ewood Park. Would Blackburn be willing to let both halves of their defensive backbone leave the club in one transfer window?
That doesn't seem likely unless Arsenal tie up a deal for Samba quickly, as that way, Blackburn will have both the time in the market and the money from the sales of the pair to find some replacements and back-up. Last season Samba and Jones were vital players in the sides survival, and so losing them both would not help the club one bit - the club surely understand this, and however swiftly a deal for Samba could be done would still be very reluctant in letting him go.
Next, and to Gary Cahill. He, like Samba is a strong, fearless defender, and having played in the Premier League since 2004, has the experience needed at Arsenal. At 25 years-old, he has more of a long term future than Samba, and has more time for improvement, though some may argue potential is not what Arsenal need at the moment.
The gossip columns have been all over this story, with Cahill said to be wanted by Manchester City as well as Arsenal, and will cost at least £17 million to match the players release clause in his Bolton contract.
Should I stop there? Wenger probably would want to after hearing £17 million. That amount would be the immediate detractor for Arsenal, whilst being absolutely no obstacle for City. The Daily Mail have come up with a clever little solution of sorts for Wenger, as they claim that Arsenal may offer their young 19 year-old Spanish centre back Ignasi Miquel on loan to Bolton as well as cash to persuade them to part with Cahill.
Of course, a player plus cash deal seems attractive for Bolton, but with Miquel's inexperience in the Premier League, it seems a big risk for them and a young experiment for Arsenal to see how their youth player does at the Reebok. Bolton are no stranger to Arsenal's loans, with a very useful one in Jack Wilshere occurring just two season ago in which the 19 year-old came of age and subsequently broke into the Arsenal first team, but this one may be less attractive.
If it is money Bolton are looking for, then City would win a bidding war with Arsenal immediately. So, if Wenger does make one of these players his priority for the summer, then it looks more likely to be Chris Samba, due simply because he is the cheaper option and it would avoid a huge bidding war with big spender Manchester City. Contrary to some reports then, it will be either Samba or Cahill rather than Samba and Cahill who may join recent £1 million signing Carl Jenkinson at Arsenal.
Tell me what you think!

It used to be an honour to play for Arsenal…

I have been an Arsenal fan for the last 8 years and i am just 21 now, so yes my childhood, adulthood and rest of my life team has always been Arsenal. I just wanted to write to you and express a few things as to how it feels to be a Gooner in a far off land.
Gone are the days when Arsenal were the dominating club along with Man United in England, gone are the days when teams feared us, and gone definitely are the days when players used to feel playing for Arsenal is the ultimate feeling. Its tough for fans like me who have seen this team achieve glorious feats for a long time and now suddenly we hear snide remarks from other team followers who taunt us by saying what have you done now? Where is your team heading to?
This doesnt mean i am giving up on the team. I understand the nuances of running a successful club which has rich tradition steeped in it. For all those who crave for big signings and mega stars, i can tell you that it aint that easy it seems. It is not just about money. Remember this is a team which has had very few issues internally, we dont need superstars who are more news on the back pages or page 3 than in the sports pages. We also need to remember “the bigger the star, the bigger the ego”, even though i am not saying everyone is like that.
Arsenal need players who are proud to play for Arsenal. When we say all our legends names, the likes of Liam Brady to David Rocastle, Dennis Bergkamp to the Henry’s, the Viera’s to the Pires, it was just not talent which made them greats, it was their passion, attitude and commitment. I have my doubts if we have players in this present team who realize what an honour it is to play for Arsenal. When i hear Cesc wanting to leave us for his hometown club, i feel like telling him ‘mate you are the captain of Arsenal FC and do you realize what that means?’
I dont know who we will buy or not, i just want my team to be filled with players who are proud to wear the Arsenal jersey and remember that when they play there are millions of Gooners across the world who look at them with hope. Arsenal is not just a football team it is a way of life for me and for lot many more.

Gervinho set to join Arsenal by this weekend

Reports from North London claim that Lille’s Gervinho has agreed personal terms with Arsenal all that is pending is a paper to pen approval for a four-year contract. £10.6million is said to be the price that paved way for the deal to be completed.




Gervinho’s peformance last season caught the eyes of top European clubs. He was pivotal in Lille’s Double winning season, scoring 18 goals and making 10 assists. Arsenal move was imminent from the very moment when the French club rejected the bid from PSG a week ago. Gervinho himself  had declared that he wanted a move to England.
The arrival of Gervinho confirms the exit of Arsenal’s Nicklas Bendtner , who has admitted publicly that he wants to quit Arsenal for  first-team action. This should be a very big signing as Wenger can use Gervinho both as striker and a wing-forward, something which Bendtner was not comfortable with. He will be a readymade piece on Wenger’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Juventus and Inter Milan offering top talent in exchange for Arsenal playmaker

Serie A giants Juventus and Inter Milan are ready to up the ante with regards to a move for “contract stalling” Samir Nasri but for Arsenal fans it will not seem too bad. Nasri’s agent confirmed today that talks with Arsene Wenger will go ahead but that talks with other teams could be possible.
Juventus are interested in the Frenchman but will not be able to offer Champions League football, in addition to cash they are preparing to include Brazilian defensive midfielder Felipe Melo into the mix in the hope the experienced 27 year old will fancy a switch to London for a taste of Premiership action. The world cup star has also been linked with a move to the Emirates on previous occasions in the past too.
Inter Milan on the other hand are preparing to receive offers for Wesley Sneijder and will look into the prospect of using Nasri to fill his boots to a certain extent should Manchester United prove successful in their bid to land the Dutchman. With regards to an exchange our source was not specific but did suggest a striker would be involved.
This could be one of five. Samuel Eto’o is the obvious one, a player likely to be favoured by the Arsenal faithful, Milito is another but his age will effect any decision negatively, the same goes for David Suazo who is 32 later this year. Pandev is an interesting option at 27 but his goals to games ratio matches that of Martin Keown whilst suspended. The last striker is 26 year old Italian Giampaolo Pazzini but he only joined the side from Sampdoria this January making any swap deal unlikely.
With just a glimpse at those five it would seem that Eto’o is the obvious choice, certainly one that fans and even maybe Arsene Wenger himself would have in exchange for Nasri. Would Inter be prepared to allow one of their top hitmen depart for England for a Frenchman that has only just started to show off his true potential? We shall know soon enough.

Is this man slowly becoming Wenger’s number one summer target?

Arsene Wenger  reportedly failed in January with a bid for Blackburn Rovers‘ centre back Christopher Samba , and that failure proved to be extremely costly with ‘s defence being the main culprits in Arsenal ’s demise after the Carling Cup final.
With the fans’ and board running out of patience with Le Prossfeur it’s expected that finally, he will abandon his usual transfer policy and spend big in the transfer market and the media are expecting Wenger to go back in for Samba as he is what Arsenal need; for once I actually agree with the Fleet Street bigwigs.
’s indifferent season has proven how hard it is to adjust to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League but Samba has established himself as a strong and physical player at the heart of the Rovers defence, all attributes Arsenal have lacked this season. The Premier League is arguably the best in the world and over his four full seasons for Rover’s the Congo international has continually proven his ability to play consistently at the highest level.
Thomas Vermaelen  is arguably Arsenal’s best defender but despite this, the Belgium defender lacks that physical presence that a centre half should have. Samba would give Arsenal that much needed bit of brute force in the middle, which in turn would enable them to compete with the most physical of sides such as Stoke City, where the Gunners have dropped ‘silly’ points of the season due to them being ‘bullied’ off the park.
Set pieces should bring anticipation or reassurances depending on whether your team is attacking or defending one. This season the Gunners’ faithful have rarely got excited at a set piece because they know that their side lack the hunger or aerial prowess to win the ball, something which Samba has in abundance with the majority of his Blackburn goals’ coming via set pieces. When it comes to defending a set piece the Arsenal fans’ are a bag of nerves not knowing if their keeper will flap at the ball or Johan Djourou  will take it upon himself to score for the opposing team. Samba has shown his composure when under pressure while playing for Blackburn and will give Arsenal the attribute they have lacked for so long, the ability to clear the ball quickly and cleanly or even just a good ol’ fashioned ‘hoof’ up field.
Recent big money transfer involving Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones have proven how costly buying Premier League experience is, and Samba has plenty. The real bonus in signing the former Hertha Berlin player is he shouldn’t cost more than £10 million, an absolute steal when you see the money being touted for another Arsenal target Gary Cahill .
Samba is a must for Wenger this summer as he begins his seventh attempt at ending Arsenal’s barren spell, which may well be his last chance.

Super-rich Russian side to bid for Andrei Arshavin

Not many Arsenal fans will have heard of the Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, who came 10th in the Russian Premier League last season, but since being taken over by the billionare Suleyman Kerimov in January this year, they have become contenders for the title.
It is being reported by Sport-Express today that Kerimov has decided that he wants the Arsenal striker Andrei Arshavin to join them, to help the club close the three-point gap on the League leaders CSKA Moscow.
The billionaire is doing a Manchester City in Russia with massive investment in the team. He has already brought in Roberto Carlos to captain the side along with three other promising Brazilians, and the crazy Italian Gennaro Gattuso has turned Kerimov down when he made a bid last week.
But Anzhi did manage to secure the signing of the PSV Eindhoven winger Balazs Dzsudzsak, who has been reported as a target by many Premiership sides includoing Liverpool in the past, and the Hungarian international seriously believes that Kerimov will give take the club to the very top.
Dzudzsak said this week: ”The club has clear aims – they want to be a decisive factor in the Champions League,”
”We’re now second in the table and the first three teams qualify to the Champions League.”
If he can also secure Arshavin from Arsenal then even more people may start to take notice of the little team from the capital city of Dagestan……

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Cesc Fabregas Responds And Says He Is Happy At Arsenal

Everyone has been saying that Cesc Fabregas is heading to Barcelona this summer, but the Arsenal captain today threw some cold water on that idea.
Fabregas says he has no intention of leaving Arsenal saying:
“I am an Arsenal player. I won’t step forward and say I want to join Barca. After eight years at Arsenal, I won’t harm the club. That’s not my way of being. I have been very happy for eight years and I am very happy.”
When asked about the latest speculation linking him with a move back to Barca, he added:
“I am not thinking about football right now, just about my holidays. There have been no decisions. The truth is that it doesn’t always depend on the player and at the moment I don’t know anything. Arsene Wenger is the boss, the one who makes the decisions. You should ask him. I was injured at the end of the season and I haven’t seen him for about six weeks. I am very happy where I am. Anything else would be speculation that is untrue.”
So good new for Gunners fan today. What do you think of Fabregas’s comments?