Hull Close on Mannone Capture

Vito Mannone is set for a permanent move to Hull

By Nick Lander

Steve Bruce has confirmed that he plans to speak to Arsenal about taking Vito Mannone to Hull on a permanent basis. The Arsenal stopper has enjoyed two loan spells with the Tigers, in the second halves of seasons 2010/11 and 2011/12. The Italian amassed 23 appearances in amber and black in 11/12 and impressed then manager Nick Barmby greatly. His chances of a permanent move seemed to have vanished when Bruce replaced Barmby in June, but after Brad Guzan chose to stay on at Aston Villa, Hull are back in for the Arsenal 'keeper.

Speaking to the Hull Daily Mail, Bruce said "we'll speak with Mr Wenger... next week." The Gunners are believed to be after a fee of around £1m. Mannone would be the second goalkeeper to leave Arsenal this summer, following Manuel Almunia's release at the end of June. Lukasz Fabianski is also hankering after a transfer having made just five appearances in 2011/12, after compatriot Wojciech Szczesney usurped him as Arsenal's #1 the season before. Arsenal fans can reasonably expect to see at least one new goalkeeper join this summer, possibly Lyon's Hugo Lloris who has been heavily linked this week (though his club refute the claim that the Gunners have already bid for the French #1).

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Arsenal Duo Set for Loan Moves

By Nick Lander

Both Joel Campbell and Denilson are set to spend a second successive season away from the club.

Campbell enjoyed a fruitful loan spell in France with Ligue 1 side Lorient last season, where he found the net 4 times, despite being used mostly as a substitute (Lorient's top scored only bagged 6). He also broke into the senior Costa Rican squad with quite an impact, scoring 6 goals in 14 caps. Despite these successes, Campbell has again been refused a work permit, has has confirmed on his official Twitter account that he will be heading to Real Betis for a season, although he has since deleted the Tweet. He also told Fox TV that the move is a "great opportunity for [him] to grow." The Costa Rican is also hopeful of getting more game time than in France, saying, "I want to play. I want to show what I am capable of." With Robin van Persie set for the Arsenal exit door, Campbell could well have had an impact for Arsenal during 2012/13, but this loan move could open the door for Benik Afobe to increase his involvement in the first team, although he too is likely to head out on loan.

Arsenal were seeking to offload midfield flop Denilson in a permanent deal last summer, but could only manage to agree a season long loan back to his former club Sao Paulo. He has made 44 appearances for them in that time, getting sent off twice, but he did not manage to score. Arsenal had been trying to negotiate a permanent move at the end of his current spell, but Sao Paulo were unwilling to spend the £4m the Gunners were after, as well as Denilson's large wages. The clubs now seem set to agree a further 12 month loan with a permanent transfer looking unlikely. Arsenal may insert a clause stating that a certain number of appearances forces Sao Paulo to make the move permanent, but as Liverpool have found with Alberto Aquilani's loan moves over the last couple of seasons, that is still no real guarantee.

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Van Persie Rejects Arsenal - including club response

By Nick Lander

Robin van Persie has today confirmed that he will not be extending his stay at Arsenal, in a statement released through his official website.

Arsenal's Captain says that he has made his decision due to differing visions between himself and Arsene Wenger over how the club should move forward. He had a meeting with Wenger and Ivan Gazidis just before Euro 2012, based on which "it has again become clear to [him] that [they], in many aspects, disagree on the way Arsenal should move forward."

Van Persie has confirmed that he will have further meetings with Gazidis in the near future, but he will not sign a new deal, having "thought long and hard about it." The striker also says that he has not discussed a contract with the club "financial terms or a contract have not been discussed" as those are something which are "not [his] priority at all." His full statement is available here.

Arsenal could hold van Persie to his contract, but are likely then to miss out on receiving a transfer fee for the striker, although success in 2012/13 could convince him to extend his stay. Arsenal's other option is to sell him this summer. Manchester City are definitely interested and are believed to be considering a £20m, £200k per week offer. Abroad, Italian side Juventus have reportedly already tabled a miserly offer of £8m. It has also been suggested that Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested too.

The club has responded to their Captain's statement, saying that they "are confident that he will fulfil his commitments to the Club." They go on to say that they are preparing for next season with "Arsenal's best interests in mind." A statement which does not really say anything, and which suggests that the Gunners' talismanic captain may be sold for the right price. The full statement can be found here.

For Arsenal fans, it will be a very bitter pill to swallow if van Persie opts to follow in the footsteps of Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri and join Premier League champions City, and if he does he is unlikely to be remembered with much fondness. The wounds caused by Samir Nasri's protracted transfer there last summer are still very fresh.

If he decides to move abroad, van Persie will be remembered more fondly, but a move to Serie A is likely to be seen as a step down, and neither Barcelona or Real Madrid have shown firm interest as yet. Were RVP to move to Catalonia, it would have to be questioned whether he could get into the Barcelona team on a regular basis - although the same was asked of Fabregas last summer and he has done alright.

What actually happens remains to be seen, but any move is unlikely to be made in the next couple of weeks, with van Persie, Wenger and Gazidis all still believed to be on holiday. After the debacle of last summer, Arsenal fans will be hoping that an outcome (whichever way it goes) is reached sooner, rather than later, enabling the club to get on with preparations for the new season without any uncertainty.

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Chelsea set to force Arsenal's hand



By Nick Lander



Is youngster Luke Shaw set for London?



It has been reported that Chelsea are on the brink of making a £4m bid for Southampton youngster Luke Shaw. Valued somewhere in the region of £8m, the Champions League holders would be bidding below the price the Saints will be willing to sell at.



The 16 year old left back made has only made one senior appearance, as a substitute in the FA Cup. Southampton describe him as talented at taking set pieces, and as an "attacking" full back. Capped at Under-16 level by England, Shaw is a bright prospect, and with the left back slot at Arsenal far from certain, it is expected that they too will be involved in the bidding. The Gunners have an established relationship with Southampton and have a much better track record of giving young players opportunities, factors which may count in their favour with both player and club.

Shaw cannot sign a professional contract until July 12th and it is expected that the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea will start proceedings at that juncture.

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Arsenal Confirm Olivier Giroud Capture

Arsenal have confirmed the signature of French striker Olivier Giroud. The 25 year old finished last season as joint top scorer in Ligue 1 (21 goals from 36 appearances) with champions Montpellier. He has joined in a €12m deal, around £9.5m, and his contract will commence on the 1st July.

Giroud said that he is "proud of becoming a Gunner." The move will see him reunited with former Tours teammate Laurent Koscielny, whom he played alongside on the way to winning the Ligue 2 Player of the Year award in 2009/10. He says that he spoke "a lot" to Koscielny about life at Arsenal, whilst the two were on international duty with France at Euro 2012.

The Frenchman says that it "was frustrating" to get so little playing time at Euro 2012, and that he "wasn't used to being on the bench" - something that he may well need to get used to at Arsenal. He understands that he will not be an automatic starter when he joins, saying that there is "a lot of competition for places, but it is up to me to win my place" and that "[he is] not impatient and by working hard and perseverance, [he] will mature and increase [his] game time as well." Giroud's new manager, Arsene Wenger, said that Arsenal's new man has "a great work ethic," a sentiment which those quotes would seem to support.

Attracted to "mythical club" Arsenal by the "philosophy of how they play," Giroud is hoping that Wenger will be able to develop him as a player. Described as a "very good physical presence" by the Arsenal manager, Giroud insists that he is "a player who likes to play." Something that should stand him in good stead in N5.

It could be considered that Giroud is a late developer, having worked his way through the divisions in France, Giroud says that "at youth level I didn't really get my chance." But he managed to prove himself, first on loan at Istres in Division 3, then at Tours in Division 2 before sealing a move to Ligue 1 Montpellier where he got the chance to play European football, make his international debut for Les Bleus and eventually win the French title, playing well enough to earn himself a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year.

It remains to be seen if the striker will be able to make the step up again, but he believes that he has "the weapons to do well" with Arsenal. He is also hopeful of success with the Gunners, where he believes he is joining "a good generation of players." French sports newspaper, L'Equipe are reporting that Giroud turned down a move to Chelsea in favour of Arsenal; "I adore Arsenal, Wenger really wanted me & I wasn't sure Di Matteo knows who I am."

Whilst being a welcome addition to the Arsenal squad, his arrival has unnerved sections of the Arsenal faithful, who believe that his arrival signals talismanic captain Robin van Persie's departure. With only a year left on his contract, it is hoped that the Gunners' activity in the transfer market will demonstrate the club's intent to van Persie and persuade him to commit to a new deal, but with the scars from Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri's departures last summer still fresh, Gooners are bound to be nervous.

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Does a busy summer await at Arsenal?

Wenger has a lot to consider

With the transfer window just over a week away from opening, I thought that now would be a good time to consider how Arsenal's squad is shaping up for next season. Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has already been released by the club, but what future awaits the rest of the squad?

I'll start with the players who are expected to depart the club. Strikers Park Ju-Young, Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner are all in line for moves away from N5. Vela has stated his desire to remain in Spain, where he spent 2011/12 on loan. Bendtner too, has been vocal about how he would like to leave the club. Benfica are believed to be the only club with a firm interest at the moment, although moves to Turkey and Germany have also been suggested. Park had a disastrous season, barely featuring, and scoring just one goal after his late arrival last summer. Having delayed his military service for a few years, Park has also fallen from grace in his native South Korea, from national team captain a year ago, to not even featuring in their friendlies last month. The Middle East is a possible destination, with Al Ain reportedly interested in his signature.

Many also expect that Marouane Chamakh will be allowed to exit the club, after a disappointing second season in North London, where he has struggled for playing time almost as much as goals since Robin van Persie's return to fitness in late 2010. The Moroccan got off to a blistering start at Arsenal, but he only managed to score once in 2011/12.

Andrei Arshavin is also set for a move away from Arsenal, most likely making his loan deal to Zenit permanent. Arsenal's record signing showed much promise during his first half season at the club, but has struggled to consistently deliver since, much to the infuriation of the Arsenal faithful.

In midfield, Arsenal are hoping to offload Brazilian Denilson in a permanent deal, the 24 year old is about to return from a semi-successful loan spell with Sao Paulo, whom he wants to join on a permanent basis, though it remains to be seen if the two clubs can agree a transfer fee. There is some speculation that Arsenal are ready to call time on Abou Diaby's stop-start career at the Emirates. The undoubtedly talented midfielder has been plagued by injuries and could represent a risk worth taking for an up and coming club. There has reportedly been interest from Turkish side Fenerbache.

Promising youngster Oguzhan Ozyakup was expected to have a greater involvement in the first team next season, but the 19 year old has seemingly agreed a move to Turkey, to join Bestikas, although there has been no official announcement yet from Arsenal.

Centre half Sebastien Squillaci is another expected departure over the summer, with French sides Bastia, Evian and Brest all believed to be interested in him. It had been reported this week that he was to join Bastia imminently, but his £50,000 per week wage demands are now understood to have cooled their interest. Johan Djourou is also set for a move away, with Arsenal reportedly ready to listen to offers for the Swiss. A move to Italy seems most likely, with Napoli said to be very eager to have him in their squad next season. Despite that, Djourou took to his official Twitter account recently to dampen talk of his Arsenal exit, saying "I just wanted to deny all what have been said in the press about my transfer. It isn't true at all. I have been at Arsenal [for] 10 years now and I'm always committed to this club."

Attacking left back Pedro Botelho is also set to depart the club, without making a single appearance since signing in 2007. The Brazilian spent the second half of last season on loan at Levante, helping them to secure a Europa League birth for next season, and the Spanish club are now set to make Botelho a permanent fixture at the club. 

Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is yet another player set to end his association with the Gunners this summer. Unhappy to have been overtaken in pecking order for both club and country by Wojciech Szczesney, Fabianski has repeatedly stated his desire for a new challenge. There have been no clubs linked with a move for him, and an injury suffered in the lead up to Euro 2012, could hamper his chances of a move this summer. Young Italian goalkeeper Vito Mannone was in line for a move to Hull, having impressed in his two loan spells there, however Nick Barmby was sacked as manager at the beginning of May, and has since been replaced by Steve Bruce, who is understood to be less keen on buying Mannone. A move is still likely, but it is now less clear where to.

That is 14 members of the first team squad set for new clubs next season. On top of that, Yossi Benayoun has returned to parent club Chelsea, and Arsenal are not believed to have made any move to keep him at the club. 

Based on those departures and already confirmed arrivals, Arsenal's 2012/13 squad looks like this:

Goalkeepers: Wojciech Szczesney

Defenders: Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Per Mertesacker, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny, Andre Santos, Kieran Gibbs

Midfielders: Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Song, Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Frimpong, Francis Coquelin

Strikers & Wingers: Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Lukas Podolski

Talented youngster Emi Martinez is likely to be promoted to the fist team squad as Szczesny's back up, but with just one senior appearance to his name (on loan at Oxford United) a loan spell looks very likely for the Argentine. That would leave Arsenal in a position where they would be looking for two goalkeepers over the summer. Were I manager, I would be looking for an older goalkeeper in the twilight of their career and one nearing their peak. So my targets would be Mark Schwarzer and Wayne Hennessy.

In defence, Kyle Bartley will be returning to Arsenal following a fruitful loan spell with Scottish side Rangers. There is some uncertainty over the Mancunian's future, but I would expect him to be part of Arsenal's squad next season, as the Gunners' fourth choice centre back. Ignasi Miquel impressed during 2011/12 making 9 appearances for the first team, but a loan spell is likely for the Spaniard in 2012/13.

Talanted youngster Henri Lansbury will be returning to the club from a promotion winning, but disappointing loan spell with West Ham, where the midfielder featured considerably less than both he and Arsenal would have hoped. Lansbury seems to be at a real crossroads in his career, and the summer is set to be crucial for him. Make or break even. Personally, I wonder if he might have blown his Arsenal chance already, by electing to go out on loan to West Ham. With a very uncertain future, it will be interesting to see if the England U21 player will go on to have a career at Arsenal or elsewhere.

Nico Yennaris, a midfielder by trade, also made a handful of appearances for the first team last term, playing particularly well on his Premier League debut against Manchester United, but a loan spell is the probable destiny for the young Londoner next season.

Ryo Miyaichi will be returning to Arsenal for preseason, and the talented Japanese winger will be hoping to make more of an impact next season, although a return to Bolton Wanderers on loan again next season is already being mooted. A lot will depend on his preseason performances.

Costa Rican striker Joel Campbell will be hoping to make his mark at Arsenal too, denied a work permit, Campbell enjoyed a very good loan spell with Lorient in France last season, on top of some impressive performances for his national side, including a fine strike against Spain. The club will hope that he has done enough to earn a work permit, to allow him to play in the red of Arsenal next season.

A deal for Montpellier and France striker Olivier Giroud also seems to be imminent, so he will join the array of attacking talent on display at the Emirates next season.

With so many players set to depart, and not many there ready to step up, it is clear that Arsene Wenger will have to be active in the transfer market again in order to add both strength and depth to the squad. Seemingly Arsenal's preference is to get their transfers sorted early, so expect July to be a busy month. The N5 blog will try to bring you news as we get it.

By Nick Lander

Want to read my Arsenal Zone column about the Dutch players I think Arsenal should sign? You can find it here.

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Bendtner vs. UEFA; Why they'll both lose out

By Nick Lander

With Demark trailing 2-1 to Portugal without much time left, Nicklas Bendtner rose at the far post to head home Lars Jacobsen's cross, having evaded Pepe well. It was the Arsenal outcast's second goal of the game, his sixth against Portugal in five games (an impressive record), and he celebrated. Quite right too, at that moment in time, his country were top of the group, the issue was with how he celebrated. Arsenal's number 52 decided that it would be a good idea to lower his shorts slightly and raise his shirt to show off his underwear to the world. His underwear that bore the name of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power.

Companies such as Orange, Coca-Cola, Sharp and Adidas have paid UEFA millions of pounds to have their branding plastered all over the competition, Paddy Power, on the other hand, have not. They decided instead to indulge in a spot of ambush marketing, by giving Bendtner his green pair of undies (the bookmaker insists that no money changed hands and that they sent a number of other players pairs too). It worked nicely for them too. Their little stunt has got them quite a bit of exposure.

I think that all this exposure comes as a direct result of UEFA's hardline stance against it. During the game, I noticed from the television coverage that Bendtner was showing off his boxers, but not the branding on them, and would have paid it no further attention had I not then seen a number of articles telling of how the Dane was now in trouble with UEFA for his actions.

That is where the dilemma lays for UEFA. They cannot leave him unpunished, he has broken the rules, and it sets a precedent for other companies to follow. Yet by punishing the striker, that is where the most publicity comes for the offending company. In this instance, the only winner out of this is Paddy Power, who have got their publicity, and will continue to get it over the next week or so - the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body will examine the case on Monday - but European football's governing body will gain nothing out of it, and Bendtner himself certainly will not, with a hefty fine likely as a minimum.

In addition to being in trouble with UEFA, Bendtner has landed himself in hot water with the Danish Football Association, who have an sponsorship deal with rival bookmaker, Ladbrookes. Yet he seems to be dealing with the situation with his usual air of arrogance, saying "It is just a pair of lucky boxer shorts that I used in the first game as well and have used before the tournament. I didn't know I was breaking any rules but I am aware of that now."

It is expected that the striker will depart Arsenal over the summer, with the German Bundesliga a likely destination for him.

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