Wenger's Transfer Shopping List. Hopefully.
The season is now in full swing, leaving memories of an anguished, torturous Arsenal hiatus firmly behind us. With Arsenal in regular action, you would think that the spurious talk, contrived links and general fabrication would cease to be as we all settle down to watch our beloved pit their wits against obstacles put in place to detract us from glory.
No.
It would seem to be that if anything, the button marked "FASTER" on the merry-go-round of transfer bullsh!t has been pressed. The horses on the attraction whirling ever faster until they all blow their haystacks. It doesn't matter if the player in question has a contract until Armageddon, the guy at my local Asda is friend's with the agent's cousin, who insists they want to play for us.
I think the golden rule of the transfer window is to only believe the hype when it appears on Arsenal.com. Much like my good self then. However, it is more than easy to be attracted like a brainless moth to a flame, being hypnotised by the twirling lights and the shiny equine nature of the merry-go-round and jump on to see what the fuss is about. I have done this and now I've chundered. In amongst my leavings though, I will attempt to portray to you what we need, what we will probably end up with and what we should go for. I am not #ITK, just a rather short, balding man attempting to use common sense to assemble a transfer plan that we could put in place. No doubt Wenger has his already and was biding his time until we booked our place in the Champions League group stages for the 17th consecutive year before laying his well concealed cards on the table.
First and foremost, is the holding midfielder position. In my humble opinion, Arteta can still do an ample job in this slot, but only in certain types of matches, such as the methodical, tactical battles in Europe or when we are playing on the break. A full-pelt, gung-ho, orgy of attack will leave our admirable skipper wanting. Flamini is a welcome influence on the pitch but is rather on the rash, homicidal side. We need a brute of a man. We are holding out for a hero. A player who, hopefully, can fit in to central defence if the need arises. Here are our options:
WILLIAM CARVALHO
This player ticks boxes. Strong, quick, and could be a bargain, seeing as Sporting Lisbon have less money than Kerri Katona in Vegas. His current wages are a snip as well. He can also play in the centre of defence. So what are we waiting for? Well, he picked up 8 bookings last season, which could be construed as above average, and Chelsea, despite having Matic in this role, are sniffing around. This is in Sporting's best interests as it will spark a bidding war, one that the Oligarch-funded Blues will be sure to win, if it comes down to money. If it doesn't turn out to be like the last 30secs of an Ebay item, I think he will be 1st choice for Wenger.
SAMI KHEDIRA
I have written a whole blog about the hirsute German, his attributes and his weaknesses, so I won't wax lyrical, but he isn't primarily a defensive player. He is a box-to-box player, which wouldn't pose a problem to be fair such is the tactical nous his prospective midfield partners possess. He is significantly older than Carvalho, and demands a far fatter paypacket as well. His relationship with our current Germans though, cannot be underestimated, nor his class on the field, which made Ancelotti rush him back from injury to put him straight into the team which played Atletico in the Champions League final. Could be huge for us.
Honourable mentions go to Luis Gustavo, Rabiot and the Bender Bros. I don't think either Bender will arrive at our club, which is a pity as they are supremely talented, but the price tag they would command would be hefty, such is the reputation they already have. Gustavo was scouted last season and wasn't touched by Wenger, despite his availability, leaving him free to go to a struggling Wolfsburg - an outside shot. Rabiot on paper looks to be a stereotypical Wenger signing but rumours PSG want big bucks for a player with less than a year on his contract may end that link. Either way though, a central midfielder has to be purchased, even more so now with our captain out.
A position that needs strengthening despite the promising Calum Chambers arrival is centre-back. In an ideal world, the central midfielder we hopefully sign will be able to be called upon as our 4th centre-back, but if not, then there are a few options that will please bargain-hunter Wenger:
SOKRATIS PAPASTATHOPOULOUS
Rumoured to be subject of a £12m bid from Arsenal with Borussia Dortmund holding out for closer to £20m. He's an accomplished defender who impressed in Dortmund last season as preferred centre-backs Subotic and Hummels struggled with injuries. With those two coming back to fitness he may find his first team opportunities limited but after just a year at Dortmund he may not want to jump from bench to bench just yet. After Arsenal were drawn with BVB once again in the Champions League group stages it's hard to see them selling to what is now a direct competitor, especially at a competitive price. Had Arsenal drawn a different team then negotiations for Sokratis might have been quite straightforward but now the safe money is on Arsenal being priced out of this deal.
BENEDIKT HÖWEDES
This fella has the ability to play in a variety of positions across the backline, impressively shown in his displays at left-back in Germany's victorious World Cup campaign. More disconcerting though, is last seasons domestic form. He made only 19apps in the Bundesliga, yet still managed to be sent off twice. Despite having a weather-beaten complexion and a sage mind he is only 26 - he would certainly be a fine acquisition bringing a raft of experience and versatility. The preferred choice for me. The position must be strengthened by hook or by crook.
Read on for strikers....
