Well, Manchester United announced their purchase of a certain Ashley Young today- hopefully that'll be enough to keep their grimy paws off Nasri. Chelsea, on the other hand, made a different sort of signing- but a much more ominous one in regards to the rest of the league. Andre Villas-Boas, the prodigious 33 year old and now ex Europa League winning manager of Porto, has joined the Blues and suddenly Chelsea look like favorites to win everything and anything in sight- even the Emirates Cup, and they're not even participating in it!

Arsene Wenger will be busy this summer in the transfer market, but when looks at bringing players in he has to negotiate carefully as there is a small army of Arsenal players who were scattered throughout Europe.

Of the players plying their trade, Pedro Botelho is the most likely player to make the Arsenal first team squad this season.

With this series InTheStands asses and predicts the transfermations (Transfers / transformations) that each Premiership club will go through during the summer...starting with Arsenal.

Where they stand:

After a disappointing conclusion to their season, Arsenal must use their pre-season and the increased financial support from Stan Kroenke to fortify a young and under-experienced squad.

By Chris Wright

With a deal for a near-as-dammit unknown 19-year old centre-back from the third tier of English football already tied up, this summer has already ready been rather hectic in Arsenal terms, though the club's chief executive, Ivan Gazidis has vowed that there will be a distinct turnover of players at the Emirates this close season.

As usual during any transfer window there is the constant mutterings from Spain about Cesc Fabregas, and today's offering is from the Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff, who still works for the European Champions. Many Arsenal fans are secretly hoping that, if their captain gets his wish to rejoin his boyhood club, that he will spend [.

Reading Jamie Cutteridge's fascinating EFW interview with Mirror soccer scribe Oliver Holt, you're reminded how the Internet is slowly ebbing away at the authoritative "aura" of the full-time print journalist.
Holt you'll remember received a lot of attention for the way he dealt with Rio Ferdinand's direct Twitter message, in which the Manchester United defender called him a "fat prick" in making reference to the latter's famous missed drugs test in the 03-04 season.

By Dominic Vieira, writing from Lancaster, England

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barclays Premier League, the manager's voted for their "Team of the Decade". It was no surprise to see the selection dominated by 6 Manchester United players with the others representing Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Arsene Wenger is expected to make some big-name signings at long last with days remaining before the transfer window closes.

It emerged that Kaka, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines, Yann M'Vila & Lille forward Eden Hazard are all possible targets*.

But here lies the problems, Arsenal fans, including myself are fed up with that word.

Now that would scupper the entire tactical structure of the cavemen who visit the Home of Football tonight.

On a serious note, tonight is bloody huge, massive... a monsterous game of football... FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CUP FINAL.

For me, and many Gooners, the ultimate prize is to be the Champions of your country, to the rule the roost in your homeland.

He is talented but hugely unlikeable and not just because of his stint at Arsenal. I couldn't understand a word that came out his mouth during the World Cup when he was helping diversify the BBC's panel of pundits. He puts in 110% for a few games a season but is largely lazy. I think that pretty much sums up Emmanuel Adebayor.

We enter the transfer window with two of our players entering the last 12 months of their contracts, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy.

Arsenal fans are fretting over what is to become of Nasri. The media has gone mad on linking him to Manchester United, even to the extent that they will offer us £8M for the playmaker.

Arsenal fans are gearing themselves for an influx of players, we are waiting with baited breath. We are also aware that the exodus from the Emirates will be a big one this summer. Players who have not made the grade, others who have not had the opportunity and some who think the grass is greener on the other side of the tracks.

We thought long and hard about whether it was mean to lead a post that contains heart-breaking news for Arsenal fans with a picture of Cesc Fabregas' nummy tummy. But then we figured that first and foremost, our duty is to the Kickette Army, whose appetite for manflesh will not appeased by mere sentiment.

I don't think any transfer, in my limited time following football, has moved me to the extent this one did. Not even close. And I can't see it happening again in the future. Regular readers know how much I admire Fabregas, who I rated as the best player in the Premiership. So a part of me feels betrayed and resentful.

If you think modern-day tackles by the likes of Nigel de Jong and Ryan Shawcross are horrible, take a look at the above video from a 1970 Manchester derby where United legend George Best comes late to a ball and fiercely tackles City's Glyn Pardoe. The result was a horrific broken leg for Pardoe, a double fracture in fact, and the referee didn't even immediately stop the play to award a foul or red card.

Football chants are the metaphoric glue that bonds fans together in banter. For some players these are songs praising their talent, for others, well, it's best not to go there. Unfortunately there are some offensive corkers we had to leave out, but the ones we left in are equally class.

The one signing Arsenal fans are waiting to hear happen is Samir Nasri signing a new contract.

In an interview with the club magazine, we do not know when this was done, Nasri certainly gave some strong hints that he will sign a new contract.

Nasri spoke about showing people that last season was not a one off, whilst this might be taken as a determination to prove himself to Arsenal fans, it can also be taken as he can perform well at another club.

With the new football season just weeks away, a busy summer of transfer activity in and around the Premier League shows no signs of slowing down.

Manchester United were the early movers in the transfer market with the purchases of Ashley Young, Phil Jones and David De Gea but it would appear that any hopes that they had of signing Wesley Sneijder from Inter are fading with increasing rumours that Manchester City might be in for the Dutch International.

By Chris Wright

It's official. We'll have proper reaction when Pies kicks back into full swing tomorrow, but for now you'll have to make do with the images that are starting to leak through from Cesc Fabregas' unveiling ceremony at the Nou Camp he's already kissing the badge.

The Referee, as well as Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky, are under suspicion.

Breaking: France State TV is reporting that Interpol, the International Police Agency, are investigating the Arsenal/Newcastle draw from the weekend, centering in on odd betting patterns. The alleged investigation includes Arsenal winger Tomas Rosicky, whose foul was allegedly the cause of the second Newcastle penalty.

"Nicky Butt, Nicky Butt, Nicky Nicky Butt, na na na na na na na na!" Manchester United fans have been singing since the 90's. The KC and the Sunshine Band tune enjoyed a resurgence in our ground a couple of years ago when Rodrigo Possebon was on the scene.

Arsenal fans have now adopted the song for Samir Nasri, or, Naseri as the song would have you believe.

Written by Harry

{What if Wenger says ‘Cela, Je Pars', that's it I am leaving}

It's August 2015, 4 seasons since Wenger was hounded out of his beloved Arsenal, by the Black Scarf Brigade, after falling short of another trophy in a 6 year continual spell.

REVEALED! Wenger-Fabregas Conversation This Summer by DelhiGunners As usual, the Fabregas-to-Barcelona rumours are starting to erupt from nowhere again as the season comes to a close. Last year saw most Arsenal fans worried about the possibility of their talisman, Cesc Fabregas leaving for greener pasture.

The Teams and Players Gooners Hate the Most by Max Baker It is a question that is often debated by Arsenal fans across the globe, which clubs and players do you dislike the most? I have put together my top 5 most hated in each category. CLUBS 1. Tottenham- It isn't really a surprise that [...]

Arsenal Transfers: Is Gervinho Who We Really Need? by Anders Marshall The transfer market is extremely slow now, but will pick up as we move into July. Right now there are more rumours than concrete deals being struck, which leaves a lot of Arsenal fans already feeling uneasy. Arsene Wenger is being his old self [.

Nicklas Bendtner had a somewhat frustrating year in the Red n' White of The Gunners' strip, but also had some good moments in the 10-11 season. Things started gloomy for the Big Dane having been carrying a groin injury from the previous season and playing on painkillers NB went to the World Cup and the injury got worse from there he finally made his Arsenal injury comeback 3 months into the season coming on a late sub against Birmingham City @ Emirates.

By CALEB SONNELAND

Things seem to be looking up for Arsenal fans.

With the club poised to snatch up Ivory Coast winger/striker Gervinho from Ligue 1's Lille in the following few days, Gunners fans finally have something to smile about.

The attacker notched a solid 15 goals in Lille's championship-winning season last year but has long been linked away from the club, and Arsenal has been consistently showing interest in the player.

As Uefa's financial fair play rules come into force, they are presenting a major challenge for some of England's leading teams. Manchester United, just named as the world's richest club by Forbes magazine, generate too much cash flow to be seriously troubled. Their commercial revenues alone are expected to break thru the £100m barrier this year.

Arsenal were defeated 2-1 by Portuguese giants Benfica in Saturday's Eusebio Cup and although the match was little more than a pre-season friendly, it proved it harbinger for what Gooners can expect this season. In short, Arsenal fans ought to be worried and for good reason. Within 90 short minutes in the legendary Stadium of [.

Arsenal fans have voiced their displeasure at Arsene Wenger's decision to buy "another kid" in the form of teen sensation Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, reports the Mirror.

The paper says AW sealed a £15million deal for Southampton starlet Oxlade-Chamberlain, 17, but that miffed Gooners want to know why he is prepared to spend big on a rookie but not on proven Premier League players.

The new season is here and we kick off our campaign against Newcastle at St James' Park. Kick off is 5.30pm and we'll post team news as soon as we have it. Get live text commentary right here from the first whistle to the last.

Live blog is 100% free to follow on your computer or mobile device.

Joey Barton welcomes Gervinho to life in the Premier League with an embrace

Us Arsenal fans have been approaching the beginning of this new campaign with a sense of dread. On the field, the team fell of a cliff last spring in quick sucession, they handed the Carling Cup to Birmingham in the waning minutes; got eliminated from the Champions League yet again by nemesis Barcelona, and fell from within striking distance of the top of the Premier League to barely hanging on to a Champions League spot.

Arsenal's new Number One is making quite a name for himself in the opening weeks of the season.

He made a string of fine saves in the cauldron of Udine, including a Seaman-esque penalty stop, to effectively win Arsenal £25m and guarantee their participation in this year's Champions League.

Over the past couple of years, Arsenal have been severely criticised for their transfer policy and their reluctance to splash the cash on big name players. The Gunners have been accused of everything from a lack of ambition to manipulating the share price, as their time without a trophy grows longer and longer and Arsene Wenger's men slip further and further down the Premier League pecking order.

"It's a disgrace, it's a f***ing disgrace, those bloody foreign Arsenal players are a disgrace to the game of football".

Oh dear, twitter went a little bit crazy yesterday. Twitter always goes crazy whenever an Arsenal game is televised, particularly on ESPN, which seems to be an anti-Arsenal propaganda machine (not that I'm paranoid or anything).

England fans are a bunch of supporters who don't turn their noses up at friendly victories over apparently lesser sides in world football such as Denmark. After all, we can't really afford to do that after the general misery and frustration, not to mention lack of success, of the past four years or so.

Arsenal on Twitter @UntoldArsenal Untold Arsenal on Facebook here By Phil Gregory After forays in first the European and more recently the FA Cup, it's back to the grind of the Premier League. Stoke City are the visitors, a team few Arsenal fans liked even before Aaron Ramsey got his leg smashed by Ryan Shawcross.

After our loss at Manchester United, I found myself harbouring murderous thoughts towards Abou Diaby.

He was our worst player by quite a stretch (despite stiff competition from Gibbs and, later, Rosicky).

Every time the ball went to him he either killed the momentum of an Arsenal attack or lost the ball.

Written by Gooner in Exile

Easter weekend brought Gooners to Lancashire in their droves. We took the whole end of the ground, upper and lower, the normal allocation is 3,000 but that is, I believe, half lower tier and all the upper. I would estimate the travelling ranks were closer to 5,000 on Sunday.

Another season of high hopes and eventual frustration for Arsenal has ended. Another season of, at times enterprising football, but ultimately poor defending and poor decisions has ended with the Gunners going six seasons without a trophy.

The chance of finishing the season without a trophy looked very unlikely as Arsenal went into the Carling Cup Final as massive favourites against Premier League Minnows (and ultimately relegation fodder) Birmingham City.