Arsenal & Chelsea To Join Spurs In Race For Serie A Striker?
Arsenal and Chelsea are set to enter the race for Lazio striker Goran Pandev, according to reports in Italy, with the Macedonian International also understood to be a target for Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Reports last week linked 25-year-old Pandev with a switch from the Stadio Olimpico. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said to be keen on bringing the striker to White Hart Lane, with the former Portsmouth boss expected to have a massive shake up in the striker’s department at the North London club this summer.

Now it is believed that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is also keeping tabs on the Biancoceleste striker. The Frenchman seeing Pandev as a possible replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor, who is being heavily tipped to leave the Emirates Stadium in the close-season.

Chelsea are also tracking the situation at Lazio with Pandev, with the Blues still facing the possibility of losing Ivory Coast International Didier Drogba this summer. Pandev understood to be in line to replace the Ivorian, should Drogba leave Stamford Bridge.

Italian giants Juventus are also claimed to hold an interest in Pandev, who has just a year left to run on his present deal at Le Aquile and is valued in the region of £12million. Lazio reportedly needing to offload the striker, who has found the net 51 times in 134 Serie A appearances for the Rome side in order to cover some of the expected €20million outlay for Argentine Mauro Zarate.


Arsenal & Spurs Target Asks To Leave Bordeaux
Marouane Chamakh at Bordeaux has revealed that he has asked to be allowed to leave the Ligue 1 side this summer, with the striker a target for Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

25-year-old Chamakh has been in fine form for Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux side this campaign, with the Moroccan International heavily linked with a summer move to North London. Both the Gunners and Spurs understood to be keen on bringing Chamakh to the Premiership.

Despite Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger playing down the speculation recently linking Chamakh with a move to the Emirates Stadium. The Frenchman did reveal his admiration for the Moroccan striker and it is felt in the British press that a move to Arsenal is likely.

However, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is also keen to add Chamakh to his squad at White Hart Lane, with a major shake up of the frontline at Tottenham expected this summer. Chamakh stating recently that while a move to a club like Arsenal would be a miracle, the striker felt that a move to an up and coming team like Spurs would be more realistic.


Rennes Confirm That Arsenal & Everton Target Can Leave
Premier League clubs Arsenal and Everton will be on red alert after Pierre Dreossi, manager at Ligue 1 club Rennes confirmed that midfielder Stephane Mbia will be allowed to leave should a suitable offer arrive.

23-year-old Mbia had been heavily linked with a move to the Premiership last summer, with both the Gunners and the Toffees keen on the Cameroon International. However, Les Rouge et Noirs refused to let the midfield enforcer leave, but did agree that Mbia could leave this summer.

Indeed Mbia revealed the agreement last week, with it understood that the midfielder has an exit clause of £6million to allow him to leave the Route de Lorient.

Mbia said last week: “I had an agreement to leave at the end of the season if all parties are happy, so I can’t say yet what will happen.

“There are many good clubs linked according to the press so let’s wait and see. The season is almost finished.”

Dreossi confirmed that Mbia will be allowed to leave Rennes should a suitable bid arrive, but also stated that there had been no firm offers for the midfielder, who has been capped 12 times by Cameroon.

“Mbia is the only player we are willing to let leave if we get a suitable offer, which is not the case so far,” Rennes manager Pierre Dreossi told FranceFootball.

Under contract at Rennes until the summer of 2011, Mbia has played 124 Ligue 1 games for the French club since arriving as a teenager from the Kadji Sports Academy in 2003. The same academy, which produced Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o.


Arsenal To Turn Attention To Villa Target After Hangeland Pledges To Stay At Fulham?
Norwegian International Brede Hangeland has declared that he has no intention of leaving Fulham. After persistent speculation linking the central-defender with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal, which could see the Gunners move for Villa target Thomas Vermaelen.

27-year-old Hangeland is understood to be a main transfer target for Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, with the Frenchman keen to lure the giant defender to the Emirates Stadium. In order to add some steel to the heart of the defence at the North London side, which Wenger sees as the main cause of yet another trophy-less season at the Premiership club.

However, despite Arsenal believed to have made an offer of £8million for Hangeland, who cost Cottagers boss Roy Hodgson just £4million in January 2008. Hodgson is desperate to keep his star performer, with Hangeland revealing that he wants to agree a new deal at Fulham and stay at Craven Cottage for a long time.

“We have been going in the right direction from the time I came here in January last year,” Hangeland said.

“Hopefully we can agree a new contract, and then I’ll stay here for a long time.”

This will come as good news for Fulham fans, who are set to follow the Cottagers in the Europa Cup next season after their best ever effort in the top-flight, which saw Hodgson’s side finish seventh.

Wenger could test the commitment of the Arsenal board by asking them to make an improved offer for Hangeland, but it is felt that the Frenchman could now decide to make a swoop for Vermaelen at Ajax, who is believed to be on the radar of Villans manager Martin O'Neill.


Senegal International Set To Snub Arsenal
Senegal International Abdoulaye Faye has insisted that he sees his future at the Britannia Stadium with Stoke City. Despite recent reports linking Premier League giants Arsenal with the former Bolton Wanderers player.

31-year-old Faye emerged as a shock transfer target for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger last week, with the Frenchman understood to be keen to add the central defender to his squad at the Emirates. Wenger declaring recently that he only intends to add players, who are ready to play in the Premiership this summer, with Faye fitting the bill.

A £5million swoop had been mooted by the North London club for Faye, but the defender, who only arrived at the Potters last summer from Newcastle United has declared his love for Stoke and would not be interested in a summer switch to Wenger’s side.

“Arsenal is one of the flagship teams of The Premier League,” Faye told 24sn.

“They play very good football but they do not play physical and I am happy at Stoke City.

“I would stay for the rest of my career. I am very happy at Stoke, I adore the supporters and the coach is great. I want to stay here because I love Stoke City.”

Faye has featured in 34 of Stoke’s 37 games in the Potters debutante Premier League campaign, with manager Tony Pulis sure to be heartened to hear the comments of one of Stoke’s pivotal players in ensuring Premiership football at the Britannia next season.

SOS TIRAM


SPURS' SCOUT AND ARSENAL SCOUT BELAKANG ALL LEPAK MEMBER...it seem their target players all quite the same...hohoho

This post has been edited by slcroy: May 28 2009, 02:43 PM

i am proud and happy that titi finally won his cl.. just a little wistful.. wish he had won it with us =( ah well, grats to barca anyway, i didn;t want mu to win. just one bad thing abt barca winning... i forsee this happening soon:

reporter: so cesc, what do u think abt the barcelona team now that they won the treble?
cesc: oh, i think barcelona are a great team. they have a great manager and have exciting players...

headlines the next day: Arsenal skipper wants to move to barca!

cesc: wth... not again!

lol. i am not surprised out first segning is a 15 year old.. wat next? 12 year old?

eh? kaka91...u r back. the CEO of arsenal optimism club...hohoho.

nah, 12 years old is considered too old nowadays... 7 yo Mongolian kid.. That's more like it

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Added on May 28, 2009, 2:56 pmThey must have gone to high school together or something ....lol nowadays seems like we are being linked with every big sized central defender in the world


This post has been edited by overmars: May 28 2009, 02:56 PM

^ i dont see lorik cana anywhere tho in that list. have we moved on?

need wait another 4 months... do u guys think Wenger would never go for big name for another season..? Any guess on any important player would leaving?

wish we can get trophy next season

at least premier league cup

Pandev is good in FM2009 . Haven't seen much in Serie A, but I remember he looked good playing for a crappy Macedonia side. IINM, he's best position is playing 'in the hole' (I snicker everytime I see this line). At the moment, everyone from Arshavin, Nasri, Van Persie, Bendtner, Cesc wants to/can play there. Don't think it will happen.

Kinda disappointed to hear that about Hangeland. I feel he's the missing cog in our defence right now and we'd definitely address a lot of our concerns from this past season if we sign him. Its hard to tell if its agent talk to up his price, or the big guy is just loyal and repaying the debt he owes Fulham and Roy Hodgson. If its the latter, it makes it even more sad we can't get him because loyalty is not one of the traits associated with a lot of our players the past couple of years.

Faye? For 5 million?? This one a bit far fetched la I feel. We've already got Alex Song, who's much younger and has Champs League experience already this year. If we really are going to buy Def Mid, we should be looking at established Internationals and not ageing nomads.

Not too familiar with those other players though... But if I had a pick on who to sign, I'd be Hangeland and either Lorik Cana or Jeremy Toulalalalalalalalan. But of course, I'm not the manager so blergh...

I too am not too sure about Pandev. All I know each time I start a new career in FM 09 he ends up at Chelsea sooner or later lol.

I don't rate Toulalan at all to be honest.

As for Hangeland I'm not sure but he seems to have a bad game each time I see him play. Then again I've only watched a few games involving Fulham though....

toulalan is good. he is underated.

Player to leave:
1. Adebayor
2. RVP - Can't wait to see this happening
3. Fab if AW leaves
4. Gallas
5. Toure if he doesn't sign a new contract

Maybe wenger watches his 38 fulham matches..to see Hangeland potential. Sooo tiring for being Arsenal manager

Loric Cana seems to be ideal to add steal to our team. He plays the whole season without injuring himself with those massive tackles. Pure adatanium.

Since our budget is limited, we dont need another striker. Even if we sold Ade, we still have RVP, Vela, Bentner, Eduador. If we are opting for 4 -3 -3 or 4-5-1, still we have enough talents at midfield and it leaves the 4 forward to fight for 1-2 available slots.

If we are able to get a CB, we able to have an option to push toure as a DM. If we get Loric, his steel enable him to play as backup CB or competing a slot with Song. If we are playing 4 -3-3, Song might need to swap around with Denilson whereby Cesc and Steel Cana would be our regulars. Rosisky and Walcott will rotate with Arshavin and Nasri.

Too many IF. Thats wat happen when we have 4 months act like a manager. LOL

Stuart Pearce has won the battle for Theo Walcott.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger fears his winger will end up shattered if he plays for the Under-21s AND the full England team this summer.

Walcott, 20, had already made the senior squad for World Cup games with Kazakhstan and Andorra.

And Under-21 chief Pearce yesterday picked Walcott for the Euro Championship in Sweden along with Kieran Gibbs.

- Robin van Persie says he was delighted with his personal form at Arsenal this season.

The Holland international striker said: "I have done well. I have played 44 games, including 38 as a starting player. In a tough competition like the English one, this is very good. Moreover, I had more goals and assists then ever before.

"I was only missing a trophy."

- Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor says he will stay at the club if manager Arsene Wenger wants him to.

The Togo goal scorer has been linked with several clubs for a number of months but says he is happy at Emirates Stadium.

“I have always said that I feel good here,” he said.

“I have no idea of what Wenger has in mind. He is the one who takes decisions and for sure if he tells me that he does not count on me anymore, then I will search for a new team, but if he wants me to stay I will stay.”

- Arsenal are set to unveil their first signing of the summer after the club agreed a fee for Cheltenham's promising youngster Jamie Edge.

The 15-year-old midfielder has been on Arsene Wenger's radar for some time and recently returned from an under-16 tournament in Italy where he represented the Gunners against some of Europe's elite teams.

Cheltenham chairman Paul Baker said: "We have reached a financial agreement with Arsenal for the transfer of Jamie Edge.

"We believe it is an excellent deal for the club both in terms of the money we will receive this season and next and further payments that become due depending upon the progress Jamie makes at both club and international level.

"It is a particularly exciting opportunity for Jamie who now has to agree personal terms with Arsenal before the deal can be confirmed."

The north Londoners look set to further bolster their ranks with the signing of FC Zurich centre-half Martin Angha.

The defender watched from the stands as Arsenal thumped Stoke 4-1 in their final home game of the season.

He then featured for their Under-15's side in the win over Chelsea earlier this week.

A nominal fee will change hands between the two clubs which will allow the 15-year-old to go straight into the Under-16 squad for next season.

- Cheltenham youngster Jamie Edge is soon to become an Arsenal player.

The 15-year old has been watched by the Gunners for some time now and after representing the club in an U16 tournament in Italy, will make the move to Emirates Stadium.

"Cheltenham Town have reached a financial agreement with Arsenal for the transfer of Jamie Edge,” Cheltenham chairman Paul Baker told the club’s official website.

"We believe it is an excellent deal for the club both in terms of the money we will receive this season and next and further payments that become due depending upon the progress Jamie makes at both club and international level.

"It is a particularly exciting opportunity for Jamie who now has to agree personal terms with Arsenal before the deal can be confirmed."

- Arsenal are eyeing Crystal Palace fullback Nathaniel Clyne.

The Croydon Advertiser says Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has identified the 18-year-old as a possible summer target after having the teenager watched on numerous occasions at the back end of last season.

A bid in the region of £4million for one of the hottest properties outside the Premier League is likely to be enough to persuade Palace to part with the full-back.

- Arsenal youth boss Steve Bould hailed his young players after their FA Youth Cup second-leg victory at Liverpool this week.

Bould told arsenal.com: “For these kids it has topped a great, great year. We know we are not in a results environment when we set out at the start of the season, but the way they have performed all year, they have been head and shoulders above most of the other teams in the country. I think we've got excellent players and this is the icing on the cake.

“It wasn't anywhere near the level we reached on Friday but we showed our quality in a few little patches. I think we were always capable of stepping it up because Liverpool came back to 1-1 but we still got the result. It was difficult and we didn't perform at our greatest level but it didn't really matter tonight. They all tried. They did switch off a little bit but like I say it was a great result and has capped a fine season.”

- Arsenal superkid Jack Wilshere was thrilled to win the FA Youth Cup this week.

“If you think about it, we’ve been together since we were nine and we’ve wanted to win things together ever since then,” Wilshere told Arsenal.com on the Anfield turf. “Now we have gone and won the Youth Cup – it’s unbelievable.

“We knew we had the strength in depth in this team to do it and it’s just great really to win them both. We always had belief we could do it. We just carried on showing what we could do and the cups came.

“It’s great, this is basically what we’ve been working for all season. It’s just an amazing feeling.”

- Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh has revealed he could be on his way to Arsenal this summer.

The £8 million-rated forward said: "Yes, I'll go. I hope the leaders will show understanding.

"It is important that both parties get a fair deal for me to leave calmly. I have several contacts, particularly in England.

"There is also something with Arsenal, but there is nothing concrete."[/B]

Source: The Arsenal 49ers myspace bulletin

Source

read the bold part...to whom does King Henry refer this statement?

I'm actually happy with what we currently have at the moment and assuming everyone starts next season fit with no long term injuries we do not need to buy anyone at all apart from a defender, which is only because we are going to lose Eboue, Song, Toure and Ade to the African Cup Of Nations'. Losing Eboue, Toure and Song who can play as a defender as well would leave our defensive unit massively depleted. I won't even dare imagine who would play if either Djourou or Gallas or both gets injured assuming we don't sign anyone.

Assuming phillip "timberlake" senderos comes back and those mentioned blah for the african cup...we still need at least one or more cover-up...am gonna exclude silvestre here coz he's not good enough for arsenal...

i correct my statement...cover-up, yes. silvestre can do it...if he on form he is good...see next season. perhaps he need to adapt arsenal style though...

This post has been edited by slcroy: May 28 2009, 08:47 PM

We still have Mr. Perak'tre but please, i rather have our reserve CB to fill up the hole (that Norveidt dude??) . I dont know, for me, maybe silvestre would be a good backup for our wingbacks, but CB??

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Added on May 28, 2009, 7:57 pmahh didnt see that slcroy has posted before me. I do believe that Le Boss will definitely sign a defender this summer. The signs are already clear with all the interviews and transfer rumours going on. The only thing i wonder, is this time going to be someone with experience and has been almost fully polished (andrey like signing) or just another unknown 20 years old dude who wants to prove to the world he can play football??

This post has been edited by overmars: May 28 2009, 07:58 PM

well...AW have the knack of getting unpolished players, even important role like centrebacks...remember pascal cygan, oleg luzhny and igor stephanov?... they may be doing well in their respective league but failed to shine in EPL...

but i do hope this time he'll get commanding centreback to lend a feet for either gallas or toure.

i agree with another gunner who did say we have firepower for offense already... so just strengthen the defends will do.

bit off topic but wth
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id...ccernet&cc=4716