Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis meets with Bolton counterpart Phil Gartside to discuss Cahill transfer, as north Londoners also close in on Blackburn centre-back Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Gary Cahill and Christopher Samba as Arsene Wenger attempts to plug the holes in his leaky defence. The manager has identified central defence as his teamâs main weak point and accepts that Premier League nous is required to give his side greater steel next season. After losing out on Sambaâs former Blackburn Rovers team-mate Phil Jones, Wenger is keeping his options open by moving for two centre-halves simultaneously. Sources have indicated that he is even prepared to buy both players in this window in a shock double swoop that could cost £24 million. Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis had a private lunch with his Bolton Wanderers counterpart, chairman Phil Gartside, in Doncaster last Thursday during the two-day Premier League AGM and it is understood they held âamicableâ discussions about Cahill moving to Emirates Stadium. Bolton revealed in their last set of financial accounts they have debts of £93m and Gartside is ready to cash in on Cahill, who has a £17m release clause in his contract. Arsenal are reluctant to smash their transfer record to land the England international but know that Manchester City and Chelsea are also monitoring developments. Nevertheless, Wenger is confident he will not have to pay more than £15m to get Cahill given Boltonâs financial problems and the playerâs willingness to move to a Champions League club. Arsenal are also in negotiations to sign Samba from Blackburn, who want £12m for their 27-year-old club captain. The Gunners are confident a deal can be agreed for between £8.5m and £9m after they came close to signing the Congolese defender in the January window. Targeting two similar players at the same time is not an unusual tactic, given the possibility that either deal could fall through. Arsenal did the same when they signed Samir Nasri from Marseille in 2008, but had also lined up a deal for Lyonâs Hatem Ben Arfa. Nasriâs French colleague eventually moved to Marseille 10 days before Nasriâs move to London was completed. Arsenal sources say there is a possibility that Wenger could sign Cahill and Samba, which would mean the club would have six senior central defenders in total, although the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for Sebastien Squillaci. It is has been mooted that first-choice centre-half Thomas Vermaelen could be used regularly at left-back next season, especially if Gael Clichy leaves the club, as he is expected to do. Vermaelen often filled in on the left side of defence at former club Ajax before his move to Arsenal two summers ago. Wenger has given up on the chance of signing highly rated French defender Mamadou Sakho, who is set to stay at Paris Saint-Germain for another year. Good new right? source below http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exc...dvanced-talks-to-sign-gary-cahill-christopher
Goal is the ultimate useless transfer info website. The person writing this is only using guess work.
Its true goal is almost as bad as the Dailymail. However, would be nice. Despite playing for a very poor team i think Cahill is top Class.
good news from www.goal.com lol until it's logged on Arsenal.com - i wouldn't even waste my time...don't build up any expectation especially when you start seeing quotes that contradict what wengers all about...signing defenders...wait...for £24m...wait the two of them not one and then your like oh the source is from Goal... KMT wenger will sign NO-ONE..or at least NO-ONE we want...watch the Q&A from arsenal.com and you'll get a jist of the gap of thinking between the phat cats (including wenger) and the loyal fans is!! dream article - but NO Truth - and that is the truth
Would we need a holding DM with that back 4? It seems a more disciplined defence, so less need for someone to just sit. A more of an all-rounder to play alongside Jack would be more suitable?
Would expect Gervinho to play on one of the wings. His pace and directness will be important, hopefully he can prove me wrong and show a bit of class on the ball. ----------Szczesny---------- Sagna---Cahill-Samba--Vermaelen -------Wilshere--Ramsey----- ------------Cesc------------ -----Nasri------------Gervinho ------------RvP------------- With Fabianski, Mannone, Eboue, Koscielny, Djourou, Pedro Botelho, Gibbs, Song, Coquelin, Frimpong, Lansbury, Arshavin, Chamakh, Walcott (and a few others who I have probably forgotten) also fighting for places we wouldn't need much more. Anything else would be a bonus, anything less would be painful.
----------Szczesny---------- Sagna---Cahill-Samba--Vermaelen -------Wilshere--Ramsey----- ------------Cesc------------ -----Nasri------------Gervinho ------------RvP-------------
Having a decent First XI is fine, but Arsenal's main downfall is the pure mediocrity of their squad. Also, many of your First XI get injured and cannot be replaced for large parts of the season.
Yeah, would be nice but I doubt Wenger will sign Gervinho and a striker (unless Samir, Cesc or Arshavin go). Would expect Theo to be used more centrally with Nasri, Gervinho, Arshavin and Botelho being the wide men more often than not. If we do sign a striker will it be a first choice (and thus expensive), experienced striker or a youngster who will be 3rd choice behind RvP and MC. (of course I have not mentioned Vela and the possibilty that someone like Afobe or JET will make massive step forward pre-season and force their way into the squad.)
I rate Djourou and Vermaelen as a much better CB pairing than Samba and Cahill. I still think that an experienced DM is the answer to our defensive problems rather than another CB.
With that first XI (just an XI based on signings we are being linked strongly with today, not my ideal) we would have Koscielny and Djourou as back up CBs, Song, Arshavin, Walcott, Chamakh, Eboue, Diaby all players who played important roles in our squad last season. Decent back up- As long as we don't have to rely on them too much, as you say something that has been a problem.
Leave Ethel the tea lady out of this, she's got 4 years left on her contract and if anyone tries to tap her up I will report them to the FA or maybe the PG (tips)
Song is an excellent Defensive midfielder. Gets FAR too much stick. He's excellent when we play a 4-3-3 (not so good in a 4-2-3-1) Also I rate Cahill highly. He's powerful, hardworking and technically better than Samba. He would be a better partner for Vermalen than Djourou or Koscielney.
