Arsenal FC Blog

Just because the UK transfer window, don’t lose hope that Arsenal are stuck with Andrey Arshavin until the summer.

Arshavin is said to a target of mega-rich Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, Anzhi made Samuel Eto’o the highest paid footballer in the world last summer, and with the Russian transfer window open until February 24 there is still hope that Anzhi will swoop in and sign him in the next month once Gervinho returns from the African Cup of Nations.

Arshavin has said that the only Russian club he’d sign for is the one he left to join Arsenal, which is Zenit St Petersburg, but Anzhi can probably put together a wage package to make Arshavin reconsider that.  Read more... (149 words, estimated 36 secs reading time)

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Arsène Wenger says that new signing Thomas Eisfeld has all the attributes to be a success at Arsenal. Eisfeld completed his move from Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, signing a long-term contract at Emirates Stadium.

“He is a young prospect with good footballing talent,” the Frenchman told Arsenal Player. “He has the good ingredients that could allow him to integrate into the quality of our team – the basics are technique, good movement and skill. We believe that he has a chance to develop well here. How much first-team football he has depends on him. Basically we planned to get him at the end of the season but we got him a bit earlier because he was at the end of his contract. We will use this period for adaptation.”  Read more... (130 words, estimated 31 secs reading time)

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Not sure if this is necessarily good news but Arsenal have announced that Marouane Chamakh will rejoin the Arsenal squad by the end of the week.

The striker has spent the last three weeks away with Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations but will return to Emirates Stadium after the Atlas Lions made an early exit from the competition.

Speaking ahead of Morocco’s clash against Niger on Tuesday, Wenger told Arsenal Player:

“Marouane is playing his last game today, then he should be back in 48 hours. He played in the first game, and for the second game he was in hospital because he had a stomach bug, but he should play tonight.”  Read more... (115 words, estimated 28 secs reading time)

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Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis was interviewed by Fox on Sunday and he said that Arsenal will never be able to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City in the transfer market but believes Arsene Wenger’s focus on developing young players is the correct way to run a football club.

While City and Chelsea’s billionaire owners seem happy to invest in new players (and Arsenal’s isn’t), Gazidis said he is not a fan of how Chelsea and City conduct their financial affairs.  Read more... (406 words, estimated 1:37 mins reading time)

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Welcome sight at training was Kieran Gibbs back training with the first team squad after three months out.

After surgery on both groins, the left back has been successfully taken through a long period of rehabilitation and, on Monday, joined his team-mates for the first time.

“He had a normal training session yesterday,” confirmed Arsène Wenger on Tuesday morning. “He is still short to play now but it is good news to have him back and I think one or two more weeks practice will get him back to being available again. That is very positive.”  Read more... (125 words, estimated 30 secs reading time)

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Six years after he joined Arsenal, Theo Walcott still does not have any winner’s medals and he admits he is desperate win one.

“A winner’s medal in the one thing I would like more than anything” said Walcott. When I’m older, I want to look back on my career at the trophies I’ve won – and there are none yet. I haven’t even got anywhere set aside at home for when I do win some medals. But the FA Cup is a great opportunity for us this year because some big teams have gone out of the competition early. It’s tough to choose between finishing in the top four or winning a trophy – ideally I would like Arsenal to finish fourth, or higher if possible, but we need to win a trophy if we can.”  Read more... (457 words, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

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Hearing that Arsenal will sign Borussia Dortmund’s U-19 midfielder Thomas Eisfeld later today. He is reportedly at Arsenal undergoing a medical.

Eisfield is one for the future as he has been playing for Dortmund u-19 where he has scored six goals in 12 games so far this season. He is a right-footed attacking midfielder who ruptured his cruciate ligaments two years ago.

Bit of a strange one this, as Eisfield’s contract with Dortmund expires at the end of this season and Arsenal are likely to have to pay a compensation fee to the German champions of around 500,000 euro for the player.  Read more... (103 words, estimated 25 secs reading time)

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Not the easiest draw for Arsenal in the FA Cup 5th round as they will face either Sunderland or Middlesbrough away in the FA Cup fifth round. Sunderland and Middlesbrough face a replay of their fourth-round tie after a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light. The fifth-round tie will take place in the North East on the weekend of February 18/19.

The attrition of Premier League sides in the cup this season continues will Man United and Newcastle both losing yesterday. If Arsenal can get a win on wearside next month, you have to fancy the Gunners chances of getting back to Wembley.  Read more... (142 words, estimated 34 secs reading time)

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