Some interesting transfer rumors going around at the moment. One is that Arsenal center-half Philippe Senderos is close to signing a pre-contract agreement with a team in Italy’s Serie A. Senderos spent most of last season learning Italian while at AC Milan, so this is a logical move for him. If the comments that Senderos receives here are any indication, Arsenal fans will not be sorry to see him go.
Still in Italy and still with AC Milan, one rumor I have seen is that Mathieu Flamini could be returning to Arsenal. Flamini left Arsenal for Milan in 2008, but he has been unable to get a regular spot in the Milan team, while Arsenal have not been able to replace Flamini in the two seasons since he left.
While I find this intriguing, I would give this less than a 30% chance of happening as I am not sure whether Wenger could welcome Flamini back, considering how we left on a Bosman and Arsenal got nothing for him.
Speaking of Bosman’s one England international’s contract is up this summer and I am surprised that nobody had signed him to a pre-contract yet. That player is Joe Cole. Yes he has been injury prone over the last couple of seasons, but he just turned 29 and would not cost Arsenal a transfer fee.
What do you think of the likelihood of Flamini or Cole playing for Arsenal next season?
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Little to none..Campbell is a one off.
Maybe I`m wrong but I get the feeling that the `transfer bubble` is about to burst.
I see a glut of highly priced players on the market with no place to go.
Not only will the clubs be unable to pay their transfer fees they will not be able
to afford their inflated wages.
I think we`ll see evidence of this come the summer.
Rather than an exodus to Spain I can see smaller English clubs benefiting and the Premier League becoming more competitive.
As I said, maybe I`m wrong, but this present financial roller coaster can`t continue.
I know one thing, Wenger senses a change in the wind.
yep right now the candle is lit on city, united, chelsea and also liverpool but when the wind blows it away only 1 team will survive an that is THE ARSENAL, why because of 1 man ARSENE WENGER structuring the club in the best an most sensible way possible, these clubs are gonna get hit hard and we all will thank the boss for not doing the same thing as them then we will win everything including champions league, today only 1 team stands in our way..
………….BARCELONA……..
Interesting comments Jack. I think the transfer bubble has been driven by Madrid and Man City. If both of then are not involved during this transfer window then prices will have to fall
joe cole and flamini no way mate your having a laugh aint you no way no how,
Signing Joe Cole would cost an ARM and a leg in terms of wages! The whole reason Cole is not renewing his contract is over his pay!
If chelsea can’t pay this guy what he is asking for, then how on earth will arsenal manage to satisfy him. Completely agree with you on this point messi.
I love arsenal 2 much
we ‘replaced’ Flamini with Song and I dont think Flamini would want to play 2nd behind him. From what I heard about Cole is that he wants an outrageous salary – reason why he hasn’t resigned with Cheski yet. No way Arsenal would get him due to his salary demands (even though I think he would fit in nice).
Manchester City and it`s supporters are on honeymoon right now and, at the price they`re paying, they`re entitled to enjoy it, but, as we all know honeymoons don`t last long.
When the `bubble` finally does burst and there is a glut of top talent available and affordable all their money will account for little.
The number in a PL squad will be limited to 25 so what happens to the rest? They can`t all go to City and be stock piled so that others can`t have them.
Wenger will have sufficient money to have the pick of the crop,if he so wishes,
and teams like Aston Villa, Sunderland, Burnley, Bolton, Everton, Blackburn and others will get a chance to strenghten their squads and the EPL will be balanced more evenly.
j.cole has’ent been the same since he came back il try for alex in the summer i would like to see helb come back
It will be good for the business as fair fees and wages will be paid for fair services. The pay and teansfer fees at the moment especially those paid by clubs like real madrid, chelsea and man city do not relect the true value and contributions of the players. The competition will become fair when all teams insist on fair pay for fair value. The problem today was created years ago when chelsea paid over 20m pounds each for wright philips, drogba, essien, and others. Though they may be good players, their prices were bloated and the market has never recovered. Then real madrid came to further compound matters in 2009.
I don’t really see joe cole coming to arsenal and there are limited opportunities for us seeing flamini back in arsenal squad.
Good blog, but dodgy article, Cole would cost us millions to sign him, £10m just as a signing on fee and then silly wages. no one would deny he’s a top player but he, and we are facing a legacy laid down by Chelsea et al. Using outside cash to artificially inflate players values. i sgree with the majority here, in one or two seasons player values will drop and a lot more teams will be able to buy quality players, AW has done a fantastic job to put us in pole position. Man U will be in deep shit, they’re not going to be able to rely on £80m sales every season.
oh, sorry forgot, and another thing, you say we’ve not been able to replace Flambo??? have you not watched Song this season?
With the likelihood that Liverpool, Portsmouth and others may face some kind of sanctions due to their financial situations, I think the FA will have to step in and restore some sanity to the situation. As has been previously mooted, capping transfer and wage costs to players at 80% of club revenue may need to be inforced, not to achieve a level playing field, as was previously reasoned, but to prevent clubs from getting into this kind of situation in the first place…
That is an interesting idea Greg. I am just not sure under EU law whether a salary cap is legal. As you said, the financial problems that clubs like Portsmouth and West Ham are having are worrying
We have filled the Flamini slot with Song — so a no no. I thought he was going to the the barow boy down the road ?
Cole – no. He would block the progress and development of our Welsh Wonder, AR.
I thought Senderos wanted away now not in the summer? I think he’ll go somewhere, anywhere, on loan.
Honestly, I think we need to start thinking about our keeper. Almunia is just lacking in determination and intensity.
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