Miyaichi Set for Wigan Loan

By Nick Lander

The Japanese youngster is set for his third spell away from the Gunners, as Wenger looks to increase his Premier League experience.

Miyaichi was part of the Bolton squad that were relegated last season, and the Trotters had been keen on taking him back to the club on loan as they contest for an immediate return to the Premier League, but Arsene Wenger would prefer to loan the young winger out to a Premier League outfit, and amidst the continuing uncertainty over Victor Moses' future, the Latics are in negociations with Arsenal over a season long loan deal.

The similarity of the style of football Roberto Martinez's side plays to Arsenal's will count in Wigan's favour, as will them being a Premier League side. Wenger stated categorically that he wanted Miyaichi to retain his home-grown status before he joined Bolton on loan last term, and that rules out any loan move abroad. All parties will be hoping that the deal is sorted soon, and that the Japanese will link up with the Latics in time for the start of the Premier League season.

It is also worth noting that Wigan will push ahead with the deal even if Moses does not leave for Chelsea this transfer window, as he is expected to.

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Afobe Loaned to Bolton

By Nick Lander

Arsenal youngster Benik Afobe has been loaned to Bolton Wanderers for the season. It will be the England U-19 star's third loan spell, having previously spent time with Huddersfield in League 1 and winning promotion to the Premier League with Reading.

Afobe will be the third Arsenal youngster to have a spell at the Reebok in recent years, following in the footsteps of Jack Wilshere and Ryo Miyaichi. Bolton manager Owen Coyle told Bolton's official website that: “Benik is a very exciting addition to our squad for this season... he is only 19 years old and you can see already that he is going to be a very good player. He has an eye for goal, is an athletic striker and there is much more to come from him.”

It may well be a make or break loan spell for the striker, who will be 20 when he returns to the club, as he needs to make some big strides in order to challenge for the Arsenal first team. It has been  reported that Arsenal can recall the player in January when he could then possibly secure an alternative loan move to a Premier League club. Bolton are also believed to still be interested in taking Ryo Miyaichi back to Lancashire, but Arsenal are still to decide his future. As it is though, Afobe will be hoping for a second successive promotion.

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La Liga Duo Set for Arsenal - Plus RVP Latest

Sahin is said to be set for a season-long loan in N5

By Nick Lander

Santi Cazorla is widely expected to be confirmed as an Arsenal player in the next couple of days - possibly even later this evening (Thursday). The Spanish international is set to leave Malaga's financial difficulties behind and join Arsenal on a 4 year, £70,000 per week deal. There are still large discrepancies in the reporting of his transfer fee, but it is probably €16m or £12.5m which is an absolute bargain - though the fee could be as high as €24m.

The attacking midfielder missed training today, with his club's permission, and is understood to be scheduled for an Arsenal today. A player who's creativity has been compared to former Gunner Cesc Fabregas' Cazorla's signature will be a very shrewd piece of business from Arsene Wenger, who will have secured a fantastic player for a reasonable price - something which is increasingly difficult in today's market.

Another player who is set to move to Arsenal is Real Madrid's Nuri Sahin. Despite Wenger outright denying it in his final Asia Tour press conference, the Turkish midfielder is reported to be on the verge of securing a season-long loan spell in North London. The talented midfielder has struggled for game time in the Spanish capital, following his move from Borussia Dortmund last summer, partially through injury.

With Jack Wilshere unlikely to return until October at the earliest, Sahin would effectively be signed as cover for the Englishman. The Gunners will also be missing Tomas Rosicky from their midfield at the start of the season, and doubts over Abou Diaby's ability to stay fit for an extended period of time still linger.

Some quarters of the media have begun to suggest that Wenger's recent activity in the transfer market has begun to change Robin van Persie's mind about leaving the club. The striker is understood to prefer a move abroad, rather than to either of the Manchester clubs, but Juventus are the only foreign side to have placed a bid and their manager, Antonio Conte, is facing a lengthy suspension after being found to have played a part in the latest match fixing scandal to blight Italian football, whilst with previous club Siena. Van Persie publicly expressed this intentions to snub a new Arsenal deal at the beginning of July. It has now been suggested that the mood of the entire Arsenal squad has lifted with the imminent arrival of Cazorla and that van Persie is seriously considering a U-turn.

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Arshavin & Shea set for Moves

By Nick Lander

Both Andrei Arshavin and James Shea are believed to be nearing moves away from the club.

Shea, who kept a clean sheet in the Arsenal XI game at Stevenage today (Saturday), was in training with Graham Westley's Preston North End last week, as a trial spell with a view to the Reserves goalkeeper joining the Lancashire club on loan. The 21 year old has had two fruitless loan spells in the past, having managed just four senior appearances so far in his career - none for Arsenal. He really needs experience and the Gunners will be desperate that any loan to Preston works out significantly better than Shea's previous spells.

Another player who looks set to move on is Russia captain Andrei Arshavin. His departure has been widely expected since he moved to Zenit St Petersburg on loan in January. They were believed to have been keen on taking him back at the club permanently, but a bitter war of words with the Russian public, after the nation's underwhelming Euro 2012 campaign seems to have ended their interest. West London side Fulham are now understood to be in pole position to sign the diminutive forward, with Arsenal likely to hold out for a fee in the region of £5-10m. Arshavin was left out of Arsenal's Asian tour in order to secure a move away from the club.

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Gunners Make Cazorla Bid

By Nick Lander

Arsenal are understood to have made a formal approach for Malaga star Santi Cazorla. According to Spanish newspaper AS, the Gunners have table an offer of €23m. However, the report does then go on to state that the midfielder has a release clause of €45m. A figure that Arsenal's bid is not even close to.

Signed last summer from Villarreal for €22.6m, Malaga are currently in a financial turmoil that could see them relegated in the next couple of weeks. A disaster for a club that should be competing in the Champions League next season. It had originally been believed that Cazorla would be available for less than €15m but, as a result of Malaga's tough stance, his price has gradually been increasing since the speculation first emerged.

Manuel Pellegrini, the Malaga manager, recently made his - and the club's - position clear. When asked about Cazorla's prospective transfer at a recent press conference, he said: "I do not think that for €20m Santi will leave the club, because it would be giving him away.

"It would belittle our intention of competing for the Champions League."

Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta recently stated his admiration for his compatriot saying "he is a top, top player. He has unbelievable quality and talent." A sentiment that manager Arsene Wenger was in agreement with, "I share the opinion of Mikel Arteta. Cazorla is a great player."

It will be interesting to see if the two parties can reach an agreement. It will almost certainly depend on the outcome of Malaga's financial problems, so, much like Robin van Persie's exit from Arsenal, this is a transfer that is likely to run over the whole summer.

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Arsenal Close on Cazorla

By Nick Lander

Arsenal have begun  to firm up their interest in Spanish attacker Santi Cazorla. Currently at Malaga, Cazorla can play anywhere across the midfield and anywhere in a front three.

Fresh from winning the Euros this summer with his country, Cazorla returned to pre-season to find his club in turmoil. Despite recently being taken over by wealthy backers, Malaga are in deep financial trouble and are currently facing relegation from La Liga, with considerable debts to other clubs, the government and their players. The club will be relegated at the end of the month if these debts are not cleared. The club finished in the Champions League places last season.

Signed last summer for £17m, Arsenal were interested in Cazorla then too, but did not have the finance for a move at the right time, the 27 year old is now believed to be available for between £10-£16m. He is keen to quit Malaga and there have been some reports that he has already agreed personal terms with the Gunners, whilst these cannot be substantiated, Cazorla did report for training today with his agent, and it is understood that he was to have crunch talks with his club to try and secure a move away.

It is unclear whether Arsenal have agreed personal terms with the winger, or even bid, but Arsene Wenger has said that "we are not close to signing Cazorla. We are still working that out." Given his tight lipped nature with regards to transfers, it would seem that Cazorla is very close to a move to N5, with Wenger giving a quote that solid about the Gunners' interest in the Spaniard.

If Arsenal do clinch the winger's signature, then it is likely to signal the end of their interest in Barcelona wide man Ibrahim Afellay, who Arsenal have also been linked with a move for.

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Arsenal's Llorente Interest Grows

Is Llorente (R) a possible van Persie replacement?

By Nick Lander

With Robin van Persie now set for pastures new, attention is now turning to who, if anybody, will be brought into the club as a replacement. There has been low level speculation that Fernando Llorente would leave Athletic Bilbao for a while now, and his name has been quietly linked with a move to N5. However with van Persie's departure now more a formality than a possibility, the speculation is growing stronger.

The 27 year old Spaniard scored 28 goals for Bilbao last season, a respectable tally, and enough to earn him a call up to Spain's victorious Euro 2012 squad. At 6ft 5in Llorente has the physical presence that should make any adaptation to the more physical style of the Premier League easier. I did not manage to see too much of him last season, but from what I did, Llorente seems to be a striker from the same mould as van Persie, if slightly less likely to drop deep and link up play.

The stumbling block may be his £28m release clause, a figure that Arsenal will never agree to. He is, however, in the same situation as van Persie is in North London, as he only has a year to run on his contract. Something that means Bilbao may be open to negotiate a more reasonable fee, likely to be between £15m and £20m.

The Gunners have also been linked with moves for Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic and Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski to replace Robin van Persie, but out of Jovetic, Lewandowski and Llorente, the Spaniard is probably the better player. I for one, would be happy to see him arrive at the Emirates.

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