Could it be that Senderos goes to Bordeaux with Chamakh in return; Eboue to Fiorentina with Melo the other way and Adebayor to Milan with Flamini returning. Or is it just St.Etienne’s Blaise Matudi as Sky Sports are saying.
The Sun reports that Juventus have paid £17m for Melo plus Marco Marchionni and will be revealed as a Juve player later today, counter to wire and broadsheet reports, and that Wenger has now turned his attentions to St Etienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi, 22, said: “Playing for Arsenal would be fantastic but I can’t say anything about that yet. Everyone knows their wonderful style of football.”
What is evident in this summer window – and ANR has been tracking summer transfers for 14 years, that Arsenal are in the second tier of links – out of the stratospheric league of Real, Man U and Man City.
Still the stories emerge that other clubs are trying to pick off the best players – Real and Barca for Fabregas, for example. Notice how Chelsea come out with statement the day after big rumours about Man City, emphatically saying: Terry is not for Sale. Is there a lesson here.? It puts fans’ minds at rest.
There are a lot of coded statements of I want to stay but I may go – note Melo’s; “‘My intention is to return to Florence the moment my summer holiday is over. I am very happy there. I can say that only God knows what my future holds, if the club decides to sell me elsewhere.’ – interpreted by the Evening Standard as Melo rejects Arsenal.
The Guardian reckons Melo’s release clause doesn’t kick in until next month – and suggest Arsenal, Fiorentina and Juventus are about to enter a game of brinkmanship.
And another strange quote from Fiorentina’s sporting director, Pantaleo Corvino: “Wenger wants to talk to me. I have no objection also because Eboué seems a valid swap.” That could be read as Eboue being worth £21.5m.
AFP puts another angle on it: “Arsenal have made an offer for Melo and (Arsene) Wenger wants to speak with me again. I’ve not excluded anything because we could also obtain an interesting exchange on a technical level, so I’m not ruling anything out.” Sounds like some sort youth swap deal, put that way.
If Arsenal’s transfer budget is £15m as some broadsheets are suggesting, with two thirds already spent of Vermaelen, then the sums for Melo don’t add up.
And he has played for six clubs in six years. Not exactly a model of stability.
Meanwhile one tabloid suggests Udinese rate Gokhan Inler at £15m, but will accept a compromise deal – with the player keen to quit the modest Serie A club.
Andrei Arshavin is acting as an unofficial Public Relations Officer for Russian players. Speaking about his compatriot Zhirkov to RIA Novosti, who is joining Chelsea: “He needs to try to start speaking English as quickly as possible. The press and the fans love that here.
“It’s a good idea to get on good terms with the media straight away. After all, they are the ones who create your image. In order to do that, you have to only talk about what you like, not about problems. You also have to be careful with interviews that you give anywhere, including in Russia. Anything you say will be instantly reread in England.”
He added: “I just don’t want things to work out for him in the games against Arsenal.” Helping to re-assure anyone worried about a Barcelona bid suggested by one tabloid.
If Andrei Arshavin is acting as a consultant in one form then William Gallas is another: Wolves new signing Ronald Zubar has revealed that he consulted Gallas over his move to Molineux.
And olde boys are getting in on the act. You can’t imaging Frank Stapleton acting as a business consultant – but that’s what he’s doing, lecturing at Prof Sondhi’s Elite Performance Leadership Academy, in Nottingham. He’s talking about how psychology in sport can help business people achieve success.
Frank discussed how businesses, like football clubs, ought to be investing in people in times of economic difficulty and not cutting budgets. Errrr, get real mate!
And still on the theme of old boys, former Brazilian midfielder Edu is back with Corinthians, the Brazilian club where he began his professional career. More proof that very few players prosper when they leave Arsenal.