Wenger Ready To Let Ade Leave - Report

The Guardian contends that manager Arsene Wenger has grown tired of the striker's ongoing uncertainty and inconsistency regarding his future and will be ready to sell as soon as a replacement can be acquired.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta will be eager to seal the signing of a striker as soon as possible, as he is under pressure at the club and a new signing before the imminent elections may do enough to appease his opposition, with Samuel Eto'o resigned to leaving Camp Nou this summer.

Arsenal have long been linked with Martins, but manager Arsene Wenger has so far refused to budge from his ₤11million evaluation of the former Internazionale star.

However, the Frenchman may well give up an extra ₤2million as his squad will look desperately low on firepower if he does not make some key purchases this summer.

The Gunners will be without Eduardo da Silva for at least the first few months of next season, while Robin van Persie is yet to prove he can string more than two games together and Emmanuel Adebayor appears increasingly certain to leave the Emirates.

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Senna earned wholesale praise for his unerringly consistent performances during EURO 2008, anchoring a talent-flooded midfield as Spain claimed their first major title in 44 years.

The Brazil-born battler’s success in Austria and Switzerland capped an excellent season that saw him star all term long as Villarreal finished second in La Liga.

And rumour has it that Arsenal have entered the race for the former Corinthians man, and are willing to pay ₤6million for his services.

The Gunners are in desperate need of a defensive midfielder following the departures of both Mathieu Flamini and Lassana Diarra this year, and Arsene Wenger may be keen to team Senna up with his international colleague Cesc Fabregas at the Emirates.

Such a move would effectively silence many of Wenger's critics, who claim he is overly focused on youth recruits and needs to draft in more proven performers.

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It was revealed earlier this week that Adebayor is demanding a whopping 400 per cent pay-rise, which would see his weekly wage increase from ₤30,000 to ₤120,000.

The Togolese striker has rejected the Gunners’ ₤60,000 compromise and appears to be edging ever close to an Emirates exit this summer, as the higher-ups are losing patience.

The 24-year-old believes he deserves to be paid as much as former team-mate Henry was, insisting it is a logical quandary as much as anything.

“People ask if I’m asking for the same salary as Henry,” he told News of the World. “That is not necessarily the question.

“But I am being considered a worthy replacement for Henry while not deserving his salary. The question lies on this level.

“Either Arsenal give me what I want and I stay or they don’t and I leave.”

Walcott To Inherit Henry's No. 14

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Arsenal earlier released details of their squad numbers for 2008-09, and Walcott was allocated the number 32 jersey he has woen for the last two seasons.

But in a change announced on the club's offivial website, Arsenal have confirmed that from the start of the 2008-09 season, Walcott will be wearing 14 jersey.

It is an iconic shirt at Arsenal because 14 was the number worn by the Gunners' all-time leading goalscorer, Thierry Henry, who left the club a year ago for Barcelona.

The change of shirt for Walcott is the only one following the original announcement on squad numbers. New signing Aaron Ramsey from Cardiff has been handed the No. 16 shirt, while Mexican striker Carlos Vela takes the No. 12.

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The Portuguese international's agent Paulo Barbosa claims that Arsenal have let their interest be known as well.

"Actually, we did not have normal contact from the Arsenal board, but from a member of the technical staff at the club," Barbosa told Portuguese reporters.

eboue can play as backup to sagna in case he gets injured (choy)

but its better to be safe than sorry. at least eboue is better than hoyte

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Earlier today Roma manager Luciano Spalletti and Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri had declared their interest in signing the 22-year-old Frenchman, but Clichy has put an end to all speculation by committing himself to The Gunners for the foreseeable future.

The length of the contract for Clichy, who joined the club from Cannes in 2003, has only been announced as “long-term”, and therefore it is as yet unclear as to whether or not the contract is similar to team-mate Cesc Fabregas’ eight-year deal that was signed in 2006.

Originally posted by bryanw:

lam pa players u want? as expected of wenger want lam pa ji players cos cheap though they r like fuck then want to try n groom them. as usual.

did u watch poland matches in the euro? he was impressive. as expected of you just keep on grumbling and stirring up trouble. cheap does not mean lousy players. as usual

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Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is a long-time admirer of Martins and has been linked consistently with a move for the Nigerian international over the past two seasons.

The time could not be riper for the Frenchman to seal a deal, as his squad would be alarmingly bereft of firepower should Emmanuel Adebayor succumb to the advances of AC Milan.

But The Sun reports Magpies are demanding ₤15million for the 23-year-old – a price Wenger is not prepared to match.

Meanwhile, the former Internazionale hitman has grown weary of the constant speculation surrounding his future, having also been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Barcelona.

Marseille Confirm Nasri's Arsenal Deal

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The BBC broke the news yesterday that Nasri has agreed a four-year deal with Arsenal, and now all that is needed is the confirmation that he has passed the medical for the £13million transfer to be formalised.

"There is an agreement between Arsenal and Marseille but Nasri is not officially an Arsenal player," confirmed Pape Diouf.

"He must first complete the medical."

There has been no announcement as of yet as to how much the player dubbed as the 'new Zidane' will be earning at the Emirates.

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Podolski, 23, has scored all three of Germany's goals in their two games in Euro 2008 so far, and will no doubt be looking to add some more against Austria this evening in a game the Mannschaft must not lose if they are to qualify for the quarterfinals to face Portugal.

The young forward has made his discontent with his situation at Bayern Munich fairly clear, though he has maintained he will not discuss his future until after Euro 2008.

He has, however, revealed that he has held talk with incoming Bayern boss Jürgen Klinsmann which were initially positive, but should he continue to be on the fringes behind the indomitable Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose, he may well be seeking a summer exit.

The goals will have without doubt caught the attention of some of Europe's bigger clubs, and with Arsenal still having something of a void due to Eduardo da Silva's injury, Podolski may slot in quite comfortably into the Arsenal set-up. Wenger has been in Switzerland and, in a recent interview, alluded to scouting for players; Podolski may well be one of them.

However, with Eduardo poised for an early return, the signing of Podolski may be used by Wenger to fill a slot at left-wing that may well be left by Alexander Hleb, who continues to be linked with a move away from the Emirates' Stadium.

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Wenger has alluded to scouting for talents at this summer's championship in previous interviews and as such, it is almost expected that he will engage in some transfer activity as we near the tournament's end.

Two targets who have been singled out are Arda Turan, who scored the first of three goals in a tremendous Turkish comeback yesterday evening to put them in the quarterfinals at the expense of the Czech Republic, and Spain's versatile midfielder David Silva.

Arda, the lesser known but so far more impressive of the two, also scored the winner against co-hosts Switzerland last Wednesday, and Galatasaray are unlikely to let go of their most promising youngster without a fight, with rumours of a £10 million asking price for the man once linked with Newcastle United.

Silva, meanwhile, has been recognised on the international stage for almost two years, with some classy performances in the Champions League for Valencia. However, following their flop this season, many of their star players have been rumoured to be unsettled and seeking an exit.

Barça Ready To Pull Out Of Hleb Move

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The Belorussian has made it clear that he is keen to leave the Emirates this summer and the Blaugrana looked to be favourites to secure his services, but the prolonged chase could be called off.

Arsenal are reportedly holding out for €20m and Barça are refusing to go to that amount because they do not feel that the former Stuttgart playmaker is worth that.

Hleb has also not been seen to do enough to help persuade the Gunners to let him go to Camp Nou and the Catalan outfit may well take their search elsewhere.

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The Nerazzurri are looking to the Premier League market as Massimo Moratti tries to strengthen his squad for new coach Jose Mourinho.

Van Persie is the Nerazzurri's next target and Moratti is preparing a mega bid to try and swoop for the player. The Corriere Dello Sport claims that the Holland striker wants to leave the Emirates and that Mourinho is considering the player as a possible alternative for Mancini and Quaresma as he plans to use Van Persie on the wing as well as in a striker's role if he lands him.

Mourinho is currently looking to clear out dead wood over the summer and the Arsenal star is just one of the many targets on his transfer wish list.

However, Arsenal won't let him go cheaply but the Nerazzurri are preparing a €19m bid to try and convince the chiefs at the Emirates to part company with their star.

Inter would be able to double Van Persie's current income which he recieves at Arsenal and it is highly likely that he will be tempted to leave.

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The 19-year-old caught the eye of the Wenger during last year’s under-19 European Championships and was subject to Arsenal interest in the winter.

Wenger is thought to be prepared to spend £11 million on bringing the Castilla star to the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal have previously succeeded in enticing notable young talent away from their original clubs, most obviously in the case of Cesc Fabregas.

Originally posted by redDUST:

i think if one want to cut and paste, you shld at least quote the source for credibility. otherwise, it is all crap.

ok..i'll try

Arsenal To Barca: Include Yaya In Your Hleb Bid

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Having lost Mathieu Flamini to AC Milan, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is looking to bring in a new top-class holding midfielder - and sees Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure, brother of Gunner Kolo Toure, as the ideal replacement for Flamini.

According to some reports, Barcekona have already agreed terms with Hleb's agent regarding his side of the proposed transfer - but the Catalan giants appear reluctant to include Toure as part of the deal.

"Nothing has been decided as yet," said Begiristain.

"But we want Yaya to stay with us and he is not on the market.

"[Barca's new manager Josep] Guardiola considers him to be an important player in his new project."

Toure has previously said he would love to be playing in the same club side as his elder brother Kolo, and it seems Arsenal, irritated by the public courting of some of their players by Spanish and Italian clubs, are prepared to play hardball and only agree transfers that offer them something as well.

this saga's gonna last for at least a month

Adebayor Demands Milan Move

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Milan are well known to be in the market for a top class centre forward, and a few weeks ago Coach Carlo Ancelotti announced that the club would be signing one out of Samuel Eto’o, Didier Drogba, Adebayor or Amauri.

While Amauri has since joined Juventus, Milan have continued their pursuit of the other three targets, and over the past week or so there have been reports in the media that Adebayor has already agreed personal terms with the Rossoneri, and that all that is required to complete the move is for a transfer fee to be agreed with The Gunners.

Arsenal are determined not to sell Adebayor, having already lost Mathieu Flamini to Milan, and with Aliaksandr Hleb set to follow him out of the exit door, possibly to Barcelona.

However Adebayor has his heart set on a move to Milan, and has told his agent Stephane Courbis to demand to Arsenal that he be sold. Adebayor contract at the Emirates runs until 2010, but his demands for an increase to his £2m-per-year wages have been ignored.

The 24-year-old impressed against Milan in the Champions League tie last season, scoring for Arsenal in the 2-0 win at San Siro.

Originally posted by 798:

i have a feeling he MIGHT score 40 next season provide we sign a pair of quality wingers beside our two good left n right back. :)

but we should not over depend on him. our midfielders n other strikers should learn to contribute goals too instead of trying to provide him goals in unfavourable position.

van persie and eduardo can definitely contribute but im afraid v.persie would find it hard to escape from serious injuries and im also afraid that eduardo would not be as fast as before, look at michael owen now..

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The news is especially encouraging regarding Eduardo, as the Brazilian-born Croatia striker had suffered what could easily have been a career-ending injury and up until recently had been expected to be out of commission until the end of the calendar year at the earliest.

"Hopefully, he will be back doing training during pre-season. We are setting no timescales for Eduardo because we don't want to put him under pressure, but we are confident he will make a full recovery," said long-time Arsenal phsyio Gary Lewin, who will be leaving the Gunners after 25 years to become head of physiotherapy for the English national team.

Lewin went on to reveal that Czech ace Tomas Rosicky was also ahead of schedule in terms of his recovery.  Rosicky has not played since aggravating his problem knee during a FA Cup match against Newcastle in January, but now also looks a good bet to feature from the start of next season.

"Tomas has had surgery on his knee and we expect him to be flying by pre-season," Lewin added.

"We have had some real nasty injuries and I think that is part and parcel of the game.

"Look back at the years, we have been successful and we have had luck with injuries and not picked up many nasty injuries. Hopefully that will be the case next season."

Ramsey: Arsenal Right For My Future

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The Welshman caught the eye of the big guns earlier this season and has been linked with a move to the Premier League for the past two months.

Despite Cardiff doing their utmost to hold onto their young star, they eventually accepted three bids of £5 million: first from Manchester United, then from Arsenal and Everton.

From then on, there was a battle to agree personal terms between the three clubs that many assumed double winners Manchester United were going to emerge victorious from. The outside bet was that Everton, a smaller club, would offer him more playing time and that he would choose them for that reason.

However, he went inbetween, to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, explaining that he believes the offer is best for his future, which may have been swayed by Arsene Wenger's decision to meet with him personally, whereas it was alleged that when Ramsey and his family wanted to meet with United's directors they were not afforded the opportunity.

"It is an honour to be wanted by massive clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton," Ramsey said in the Western Mail.

"In the end I had to make the decision I felt was right for my future."

"Cardiff City gave me my start in professional football and I won't forget that. It doesn't seem that long ago when I first joined as a schoolboy.

"I have come a fair way since then, but there is still a lot of hard work ahead."

Meanwhile, Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale has explained the club's stance on the negotiations: "I believe we handled the situation as well as it could be handled.

"I spoke to David Gill, Manchester United's chief executive, yesterday and they are disappointed, but there is no problem with Cardiff City whatsoever.

"We had a detailed chat and there is no bad vibe, none whatsoever. I kept Manchester United informed at every moment.

"They were the first to make a £5million offer, but I told them at the time that if any other clubs came in at an identical level, they would also be given permission for talks with Aaron.

"Arsenal have sent me an email thanking Cardiff City for the way the transfer negotiations were handled."

Galliani: Arsenal Didn’t Even Bother Replying About Adebayor

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Milan have made the signing of a top class striker as their priority between now and the end of the transfer window, and it is no secret that the Rossoneri have targeted Eto'o, Drogba and Adebayor.

Last night it was reported by Sky Italia that Adebayor had agreed personal terms with Milan after Galliani had met with the player's agent Stephane Courbis. If true this would mean that the Rossoneri would now just require to agree a transfer fee with Arsenal.

Although this has not been confirmed, Galliani has revealed that they enquired about Adebayor's availability, only to not even receive a reply from The Gunners.

“We wrote to Arsenal to ask about Emmanuel Adebayor, but we didn’t get a reply,” the transfer guru explained on the Milan Channel.

“We are waiting to see whether Chelsea let us know the price tag they have put on Didier Drogba over the next few days.

“As for Samuel Eto’o, we have spoken to the player and opened negotiations, but the figure is high at the moment.

“Dimitar Berbatov and Mario Gomez? Our interest in those two has declined and I think if a great striker arrives he will be one of the first three I mentioned.

“It absolutely won’t be Andriy Shevchenko given that he is not for sale, while Ronaldinho is very difficult,” he concluded.

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With Arsenal seeking a replacement in midfield for AC Milan-bound Mathieu Flamini, Germany star Torsten Frings is on manager Arsene Wenger’s list of transfer targets for this summer, according to The Sun.

The newspaper says that although at 31, Frings is older than Wenger’s usual transfer targets, the midfielder's experience and style of play could be invaluable to a young Arsenal side seeking their first trophy - an the club's first since 2005.

It adds that Frings is seen as a versatile midfielder with the toughness and tenacity and to stand up to the rigours of the Premier League.

Frings is currently on Bundlesliga side Werder Bremen's books, but The Sun reckons he would be available for around £4million.