Samir Nasri played the second most minutes of the Arsenal midfielders last season, altho that was still a season hindered by injuries. This week he suffering a fractured fibula in a leg clash with Abou Diaby while training in Austria; he is expected to be out for up to 3 months.
So if you were in the market for an Arsenal midfielder, which options would be worth considering now?

Could this week be the most exciting week in Arsenal's transfer history?

With the Confederation's Cup over and Brazil crowned champions, it is time to see if Arsenal's pursuit of Felippe Melo is indeed a true pursuit or merely more newspaper talk. Arsenal are reported to have offered Phillipe Senderos as part of the deal, but Wenger will not accept Fiorentina's valuation of £21 million for the Brazilian international.

The silence has been deafening from the Emirates. The silence that is, to deny that Adebayor is not leaving the club.

In the past and we can look at Vieira, every season he was with us, Henry for the last three season, Cesc last two seasons and even Adebayor last season, Wenger was very vocal in telling everyone that these players were going nowhere.

If there's no football matches being played, then you have to fill the sports pages exclusively with transfer rumours.

In the two months between now and the start of the 2009/10 season, you'll see plenty of formulaic guff written, and you'll have to work out to separate the news from the speculation.

With the company seeking £100m in "fresh investments" it's looking increasingly like the world's dumbest football-content provider may fold.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't call it "shitanta" without warrant. They were horrible, even unbearable at times. Like when they would have an hour preview of the matches where they would have some monchichi coiffed fucktard (Paul Dempsey) babbling on about all the shit he'd heard about on other tee vee programs.

Rafa signs one for the future.

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Watch Ukraine Vs England Live Online!

But at least Liverpool have signed 16-year-old Benfica "wonderkid" Toni Brito Sa, who sounds like he might run into a series of amusing misunderstandings if he was ever asked to give his name during a parade drill by Windsor Davies playing a bumptious Army sergeant in a much-loved but still strangely unfunny 1970s Saturday night sitcom.

For any of you finance gurus out there, I'm sure Equifax is a name you're extremely familiar with. For the rest of you, Equifax is the company that is largely responsible for compiling credit scores of both individuals and now Premiership clubs. After a recent review by Equifax, it was declared that 50% of the clubs in the Premier League are "insolvent.

Football is a funny game - this is the sport where anything, and I mean anything, can happen completely out of the blue. For example, no one ever imagined that Brazilian star Ronaldinho, who was literally unstoppable not too long ago, would suddenly become as anonymous as he is nowadays.

I had been waiting and waiting for Rafael Van der Vaart to grace the English Premier League stage but the wait kept getting more and more frustrating. The reason? Well, I wanted to feature Sylvie Van der Vaart, Rafael's wife. She is THE WAG of all WAGs. See for yourself in this video by Vuicy.com.
And she looks real happy in Spain in this video by sporTVyou when Rafael signed for Real Madrid.

This weekend's headlines were stolen by Emmauel Adebayor even before a ball was kicked. Saturday morning, Adebayor finally lashed out at his former club Arsenal, moments before the Gunners kicked-off a challenging visit to the Eastlands.

Whilst we are looking forward to players arriving next season, a squad can only have so many players, so inevitably there will be departures.

The possible or rather imminent departure of Adebayor has been well documented, but the Togolese striker will not be alone.

Reports today have Inter Milan wanting van Persie and Mourinho is prepared to spend £25 million for the Dutch striker.

They Think It's All Over... fears for Arsenal's season as Wenger again seems to be over-estimating the depth of his squad and refusing to splash the necessary cash.

The focus today is Francophone players.

France Football's Phillipe Auclair stated that Arsenal are close to signing Chamakh from Bordeaux. Auclair is a respected journalist and knows quite a bit about Arsene's France based dealings. If Phillipe Auclair claims Arsenal are close to signing Marouane Chamakh, then that is more credible than a lot of the UK newspaper back pages.

Reports in the UK media are saying that mega bucks Manchester City are preparing a £15 million bid for Toure.

Toure was subject of a bid from Manchester City in January; in fact the Ivory Coast defender handed in a written transfer request, but was persuaded by Wenger to withdraw it.

According to Mamadou Sakho's agent, Arsenal are in prime position to complete signing of the Paris St Germain defender.

Arsenal have been on Sakho's trail for some time, in line with half-a-dozen other La Ligue based players. Sakho is young, but it appears that Wenger believes the 19 year-old is able to make the grade in the Premier League at such a tender age.

As the Austrian training camp draws to a close, Arsene and his staff have a better understanding of where the squad needs to be strengthened in particular now the Adebayor has left and Toure is virtually a Man City player too, whilst Eboue and Senderos are also looking at Arsenal exits.

If Arsene sold the remaining four players he would have £55 million to spend, but before people go mad, he will not spend that sort of money.

Sunday's papers is awash with loads of transfer news this morning which hasn't been the norm for quite a time now; I will digress.

Eboue to Fiorentina

I haven't posted this story on Arsenal-highlights this week because I was unsure of it's roots but it seems now that there is firm proof that Fiorentina among other clubs will bid for Eboue, although personally I can't deem it to be the £8 million which the media have reported.

In the second part of the report of players who were threatening to make a move into the first team we look at Mark Randal, Jay Simpson and Harvard Nordveit.

Mark Randall

Randall was the one player who should have made the step up this season. He was on the fringes last season, but this season he was on the bench frequently in the early part of the season.

By 1970's GoonerAlmunia: Wasn't his fault for the goal. Otherwise his usual self assured. 8Djourou: Started at right back. A sign of things to come? Had an average game. Unless Arsene gets rid of a central defender we will have a plethora of available players in this position (Gallas, Toure, Vermaelen, Silvestre, Senderos, Djourou and Song if required).

Chamakh has been linked with a host of Premier League teams

Bordeaux's Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh has made a good start to the Ligue 1 campaign, scoring 3 goals in 3 games for the club. This form has seen him linked with a host of Premier League clubs, but is he really good enough to be considered by Premier League teams as a solid option?

January move unlikely, free transfer in the summer a sure thing?

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Bordeaux have ruled out in-demand striker Marouane Chamakh leaving in January.

The French-born Morocco international was linked with Arsenal and West Ham in the summer, but a move failed to materialise.

Bendtner: World class superstar.

He said NO to Real Madrid in 2003 & 2006.The speculative Spanish sporting daily "AS" publish that thepossibility of ARSENAL Manager ARSENE WEGNER changing teamsfor REAL MADRID is still a viable option. According to "AS" RealMadrid Presidential candidate Florentino Perez has not given in& wishes to have Wenger direct the Spanish Club, & has his manJorge Valdano is talking to convince the French

Arsenal fans have been hit with more bad news as manager Arsene Wenger revealed to the clubs official website that Eduardo will also miss the start of the new season.

According to Arseblog's sources, Swiss centre back Philippe Senderos has completed a move to Everton. The news isn't surprising though. Just days ago, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger recently sold Kolo Toure to Manchester City citing 'too many centre halfs' as the main reason for letting him go.

Champions League winners make themselves look like idiots..again!

Barcelona are said to have turned their attention to Cesc F bregas after failing to sign Javier Mascherano, the Liverpool midfield player. The Catalan club believe that an offer in the region of £25 million could tempt Arsenal to sell the Spain midfield player, who has expressed his unhappiness at the club's failure to win a trophy in the past four seasons.

What the hell has gone wrong with Phillipe Senderos?.. Once he was going to be a future Arsenal captain, the next Tony Adams. Now no one wants to entertain the man.
I like the guy, he is a very good defender he just lacks a bit of pace. But so does John Terry. So why is John Terry so good and Phillipe Senderos so bad?

Laurence McKenna joins Kartik Krishnaiyer for our weekly review show. Topics discussed include:

- Violence inside and outside the ground for West Ham-Milwall
- Eduardo's shameful dive versus Celtic
- Wayne Rooney and diving
- Arsene Wenger wrongly and comically sent off by Mike Dean
- Spurs benefit from an old friend's mistake
- Chelsea continue to roll
- Milan derby is no contest
- Manchester City unblemished
- Aston Villa, Everton and Fulham in Europe
- Stoke, a permanent premier league fixture?

Sir Alex Ferguson: "Caaammaaann! So what if I'm not French, I would make a great Musketeer. You can be Aramis, Arsene is Porthos and since I'm the oldest, I can be Athos!" Arsene Wenger: "Ya, Mich. He's cool but just don't go to Old Trafford. They'll call you names there." Michel Platini: "Oh, mon Dieu.

by JAMES CURTIS Imagine breakfast in the Wenger household and you might hear Mrs Arsene snapping at her husband's indecision whether or not to play his Young Guns against Liverpool tonight: "Oh for heavens sake, let the kids play why wont you," she trumps.

It's a point well made, as for Arsenal fans the more exciting prospect of Carling Cup football is the chance of seeing the talented youth in a real pressure setting.

The pain of yesterday's mauling is likely to linger for a while. I still can't think straight and it's impossible to digest that we could be so naïve, almost idiotic. This isn't a new feeling either. We have been outplayed in the big matches with mind numbing regularity in the recent past. It's as if all of us deserve shock treatment every few months for being mentally challenged enough to support the Arsenal.

We could finally see Arsene Wenger splash the cash.

As soon as Emmanuel Adebayor started limping off the field in the 38th minute, it was clear that the North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham would swing into the favor of the hosts at the White Hart Lane. The more important implication of Adebayor's injury, however, was obviously much beyond this afternoon's game.

When Thierry Henry left Arsenal, everyone began to wonder how Arsene Wenger could possibly replace one of the world's most clinical strikers. Emmanuel Adebayor, meanwhile, was a big target forward still trying to find his feet in England. Wenger, however, saw the potential in Adebayor, and promptly gave the Togolese striker a starting spot in Arsenal's lineup.

United have fixture adavantage, says Arsenal boss Wenger
Full Article

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists fixture compilers have given Manchester United the edge ahead of the Champions League semi-final.

Arsenal face Liverpool at Anfield tonight before entertaining Middlesbrough on Sunday – just two days before the semi-final first leg against United at Old Trafford.

Theo Walcott joined us on the back of much hype and controversy. Arsenal were prepared to pay in the region of £16 million (eventually he cost £9 million because we paid earlier than agreed). Arsenal beat Liverpool and Chelsea for the youngster's signature something that still riles Benitez.

Football FanCast columnist ‘The New Voice of Football' fully expects Cesc Fabregas returns to his beloved Barca, but doesn't feel that now is the right time.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will not leave the Emirates Stadium for the Nou Camp this summer.

Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge back in November, a win which kicked off Arsenal's 21 match unbeaten run. Some folks say Arsenal were given a bit of good fortune as Robin van Persie's first goal was widely seen as offside, but sometimes good luck is exactly what a team needs to kick off a winning run.

Good morning to you, thankfully the season is over and we can just go about our summertime business like deciding which colour flip-flops to wear and .... oh, bollocks.

Ahead of the United game on Saturday Sylvester has been talking. Now, I have to say I have about as much interest in what Sylvester thinks about Arsenal as I do in Phil Collins talking about how many takes it took to do the 'du-dum, du-dum, du-dum du-dum dum dum' bit in In the Air Tonight.

Arsenal are preparing a bid for Wolfsburg's striker Edin Dzeko.

Reports in today's papers are claiming that Wenger is prepared to launch a bid for Wolfsburg's Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko. Manchester City are also interested in the player, but Wenger is hoping to use the fact that we can offer him Champions League football, something that £100K a week did not both Gareth Barry.