With Arsenal being linked with so many potential transfer signings, this article is to compare the possibility and suitability of each potential signing.
Arsenal have been strongly linked with Huntelaar, Zaha, Falcao, Fellaini, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Nani, Demba Ba
and in this article we will discuss what each could add to the team if signed and how likely their signing is.
Klass-Jan Huntelaar is a 29 year old striker who plays for Schalke as well as representing Holland at international level. He has a prolific goal scoring record for Holland and Schalke with 29 goals in 32 games for Schalke last season as well as 34 in 59 in his international career where he vies with Robin Van Persie for the striker’s role at the head of the Dutch team.
He has just 6 months just on his contract and his manager got sacked on the weekend after a surprising 3-1 loss to Freiburg. He is a tall strong striker known for his clinical finishing though his lack of pace does not suit the Arsenal player. A figure of £6-8 million has been quoted and he would certainly be worth that.
Pros:
- Can be got cheaply as 6 months remaining on his contract.
- Would stop us playing Gervinho upfront.
- Proven international goalscorer with clinical finishing.
Cons:
- Would be cup-tied as played in Champions League for Schalke
- Similar to Giroud and though his hold up play is great his passing isn’t as good as previous Arsenal strikers.
How useful would his signing be, due to the fact we need another striker 8/10
Chance of this signing happening 7/10
Wilfred Zaha
A young, tall, poweful and pacy winger Zaha has set the Championship on fire other the last season and half. The key point in that sentence is Championship, he is unproven at a higher level and is another one of those signings who will come to fruition in a couple of seasons time whereas Arsenal need instant impact. He seems like a Wenger like signing but feel not the type of signing we need right now. Palace have initially quoted £20 million but would probably sell him for £12 million but for that money Arsenal should be getting someone who can make a difference now.
Pros:
- Great physical attributes
- A lot of potential
Cons
- Won’t help Arsenal too much now.
- Crystal Palace will not sell him cheap and money could be spent better elsewhere
- Unproven at a Premier League level.
Usefulness of signing, given the cons 3/10
Chance of signing happening- Wenger likes him but Palace will ask too much 4/10
Falcao
Radamel Falcao Garcia is aged 26 year olds and currently plys his trade for Athletico Madrid in La Liga, he looks almost certain to leave Athletico this transfer window with just 6 months left on his contract and not being cup-tied in Europe due to Athletico not playing him in the Europa League it looks like it’s not a question of when but who to when discussing Falcao’s transfer. With and out of sorts Torres, Chelsea have been heavily linked and Real Madrid have shown some interest but with the rivalry between Real and Athletico would be unlikely to do anything.
He has everything you look at in a striker, he is strong with both feet and great in the air. His ability to be able to hold the line by himself would make him ideal for Arsenal’s formation. He can hold the ball when played up to him or spin runs in behind as well as being a lethal dribbler. Due to the number of clubs after his signing I reckon £15-18 million may be needed for him or he even may stay till the summer to get a bumper bosman deal.
Pros
- Proven international goalscorer
- Is world-class without a doubt
- Takes the team to the next level
- Looking to leave Athletico
Cons
- Can we match the wages on offer elsewhere?
Usefulness of his signing - 9/10
Chance of his signing happening 2/10 though he would be great for Arsenal we would likely get blown out the water by someone like Chelsea who will offer bigger wages and transfer fee.
Fellaini
Marouane Fellaini the Belgian international playing for Everton is probably the player most known by Arsenal fans. His impressive ability in the air has made him a nightmare for Premier League defences and his never say attitude a firm fans favourite at Goodison Park. In the opening game of the season he destroyed Manchester United defence and made Vidic look average which is no mean feat.
All these strengths and the fact Everton are in a better financial position then usual as well as pushing for Europe themselves mean that we would be looking at upwards of £20 million for his signing. Despite him being worth this I doubt Wenger would pay it.
Pros
- Great aerial prowess and the ability to fight, somewhat literally if you saw what happened with Shawcross
- Knows the Premier League so minimal settling in time
- Can play in a few positions.
Cons
- Price- Everton would inflate price as do not want to sell him and don’t need to.
- If we want in for him someone else like Manchester United would probably come in and top us.
Usefulness of signing 8/10
Chance of signing 3/10
Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Regular readers of this blog will have seen the article I wrote on the 23 year old Montpellier captain. Again he would be cup-tied and has just signed a 5 year contract which means Montpellier can hold out to the price they want but with Montpellier exiting the Champions League and languishing mid-table Arsenal would certainly be an attractive proposition for Yanga-Mbiwa.
He is strong, fast and can play anywhere across the back four and Arsenal certainly went in for him in the summer. With Arseblog breaking this week that Djoruou may be set to leave I would not be surprised if we want back in for him
Pros
- Leadership qualities as captain of Montpellier
- Flexibility can play across back four or in midfield
- Would want to come
Cons
- Montpellier would not want to sell and are in strong bargaining position
- Cup-tied
Usefulness of signing 6/10
Chance of signing happening 7/10
Nani
Like Fellaini, Nani is well known as he is the Manchester United winger. He seemed set to leave United in the summer but failed to agree a contract with Zenit and this season has seen limited game time with Young and Valencia ahead of him in the pecking order and United often playing a diamond midfield. Whoever made up this rumour is an idiot and people are more stupid for believing it. If Zenit wouldn’t agree to his £130,000 wage demands, Arsenal are hardly likely to. We have a lot of wingers and though Nani could be a replacement for Walcott he would be a poor one. Arsenal should not be buying second rate players from United
Pros
- Knows the Premier League
- Fast and skillful winger
Cons
- A twat
- United player
- Wage demands too high
- No better then what we have
Usefullness of signing 2/10
Chances of signing 1/10
Demba Ba
Demba Ba, the Newcastle and Senegalese striker seems the most easily accessible player with a widely known £7.5 million release clause in his contract. He has scored 11 goals this season and been a shining light in an underwhelming Newcastle team. With Newcastle in the lower half of the division and with Demba Ba’s release clause he would definitely be available but there may be other teams competing with him. It is known he has a very bad long-term knee injury which makes him sound even more like an Arsenal player but makes it more of a risk to sign him though this knee injury doesn’t seem to have cropped up in the two years he has been in the Premier League.
This is the type of signing Arsenal should be maklng as he could definitely improve the team.
Pros
- Proven goalscorer in the Premier League
- Release clause of £7.5 million
- Would fit in our formation well
- Low wage needs
Cons
- Other teams may be in for him
- African player so when AFCON comes around every two years chance we will lose him
Usefulness of signing 8/10
Chance of signing 7/10
Overall in my eyes Arsenal need at least 2 big signings a striker and a midfielder. Though Falcao is probably out of our reach, Huntelaar or Demba Ba should be brought as they are available and can add something to this team. Midfield I don’t think we will get Fellaini but hope a player of similar standing can be got. Someone like Diame from West Ham would cost under £8 million but would add a similar steel to our midfield like Diaby did. I think people have forgotten our need for a decent 2nd choice keeper but I think we may be able to wait to the summer to deal with this issue.
Please vote in the poll below who you think Arsenal need most as well as taking into account whether they might be available. As ever I encourage comments and your views.
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Demba ba we be better in front than KJH he we be able to adapt than huntelar.
Yeah i agree Demba Ba may transition quicker but Huntelaar manages to keep RVP out of the Dutch team sometimes so if he is available for a similar price not to be sniffed at. Huntelaar has probably the better finishing prowess but Ba is a little bit faster. Both are similar to Giroud in certain ways but we need another striker anyway. If Chamakh does finally leave his 60k can go straight to Ba or Huntelaar’s wages who would want that amount
Arsenal should look for a prolific goalscoring striker like Falcao,cavani or Debamba.because these are young strikers in town.
I would love Cavani, but if Chelsea couldn’t afford him in the summer we are hardly likely to. I think Falcao’s likely destination will be Chelsea as they will offer him ridiculous wages as they need another striker. If we went out and got Falcao we would be talking about title Challenge next season. Our defence has got better then last year but in 17 premier league games our highest goalscorer(s) are on 4 goals. We need someone who is able to get 25 goals a season, we had that in RVP but he has left and though Giroud will improve we need more then 1 decent striker.
Hmm wenger
I think what arsenal needs is a PROOVEN striker and a steel in DM. Falcao and Sissokho are the ideal men. Wenger can convince Falcao to join with his prudent talk.
Sissokho is similar to Diame and i wouldn’t mind him, I think we need steel in our midfield. Arteta, wilshere and cazorla are great but all so small so not much help on set pieces and defensively it is hard for them to deal with a situation like Yaya Toure running at speed. I would love Falcao he would be my ultimate number 1 choice but I feel he may go elsewhere
We shuld just 4get about falcao he can never come to arsenal we can’t afford his wages and cavani would have beinhg ok bu he is expensive too. I prefer Ba to hunterlar. Ba would be our own Drogba!!! Diame is okay to
Yeah I think the thing is there are many players out there who could improve Arsenal Arsene just needs to go out and buy 1 or 2. The great thing is there seems some obvious easily available players out there, bad thing is Wenger doesn’t usually like to spend the cash especially in January. Though our most expensive buy Arshavin came in January when we really were looking like we might not make top 4 so seeing as were in similar position again maybe something similar will happen.
Senegal didn’t qualify for AFCON so ba would be ok for me
Lots of daydreaming here and little proof that any of these guys will be available or would want to come to AFC in the January window. Wenger is notoriously frugal and especially when it comes to overhyped and over-priced British or EPL players. What is the point of naming players whose teams have NO need to sell and aren’t likely to sell to a rival (ie: Everton,Newcastle, etc. We got Cazorla from Malaga because they desperately needed to sell….I am sure Wenger will look for the same situation in the January window and has already planned who he wants ans can afford as well.
In my article i discuss how it would be hard to get a player like Fellaini as Everton wouldn’t sell for a low price and Falcao as other clubs would be in for him but for Huntelaar with 6 months left on his deal and Demba Ba who a) last night said “Arsenal are a dream team” and b) has a £7 million relause clause these two players are both available. So you point seems a bit inaccurate weedonald as I mention the issues in signing certain players but make points as too why certain players are definitely available.
hantelaar wll fne upfront……