Barcelona striker David Villa wants to join Arsenal in the summer, according to reports in the British media.
The Sun says that the the 31-year-old forward hopes to leave Camp Nou at the end of the current campaign and sign for the north London club.
Arsene Wenger failed in an attempt to bring the Spain international to the Emirate Stadium last month, but with his contract running out in June 2014, the Gunners are confident they can secure the former Valencia man’s services for around €16m.
Villa is keen to leave the Blaugrana having found himself on the fringes of the first team under Tito Vilanova, despite scoring 10 goals in 15 starts. And with news that Brazilian goalscorer Neymar is to join Barca in July, he sees the Premier League club as an ideal place to reignite his career.
This move makes a lot more sense than the ones saying that Villa would move in January. Barcelona are chasing another treble and did not want to sell Villa in January in case on of their other forwards gets injured.
Plus Villa’s wife just gave birth last month, making a move problematic.
Arsenal will have an advantage over Man City who will also be linked with Villa, as Barca still own the Gunners money over the Cesc and Song deals.
It would not be a bad forward line next season, with Walcott, Giroud and Villa!
Now if Wenger can just focus on getting in a couple of top defenders!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I do hope this is just a rumour. Why would we want to pay that much for a player turning 32 years old later this year?
That kind of money, plus I guess 100k/week on a 3 year contract will add up to close to 30m. He is on his way down and it must be possible to buy someone on their way up or at their peak around 25-28 years.
My thoughts exactly T2T
32 years is a lot to ask for especially in the BPL . Don’t know whether he can adapt right into the fast and furious of English styles. Hope we get somene else out there who is younger adn more suited to English game. 16M is alot to pay when he also needs time to blend in.
GoGunners4Eva.
This is just wishful thinking David Villa will NOT be coming to Arsenal in the summer.. Remember where this article appeared.. The Sun newspaper !!.. So it is just fantasy talk dreamed up by some half wit journalist…
He is as good or better than Van Persie. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for Spain. So what if he is over 30, maybe he’ll lose some pace but he is still a natural finisher with excellent movement and vision. It’d be Podolski, Villa and Walcott up-front with Giroud in reserve and that would be a sensational front line, one to match any club in the world. Does anyone remember Arsene ever buying a player over 30 ? It’s very rare and he normally only gives players over 30 one year contracts. That’s why I don’t think it’ll happen but I don’t doubt that he still has plenty to offer. Wherever he goes next he will score 30 goals next season.
Wishful thinking…? That were going to sign a 32y old with broken leg that will need a walking cane just to stay upright. Agree he WAS a great player. If were going to get excited about signing him why dont we get a few of the great guys in. I hear bergkamp, zidane and klinsmann may be availabe.
Please, can we at least hope that AW signs a player whos “best of” moments werent filmed in black and white.
Villa still has game. He would score many goals for Arsenal. There is no way Wenger would sign him though. Never will happen.