Much of today's gossip hinges around Cesc Fabregas actually going to Barcalona. Reading around today, this is looking rather unlikely. Sandro Rosell - one of the Barca presidential candidates - has come out and said that Barca have debts between £450 & £500. Million. Yaya Toure has seemingly said no to a move to Arsenal; shame that!!! I really don't see why we're continually linked with defensive midfielders, Song was excellent last season, and I really rate Eastmond, especially when he's playing that Alex Song role. Also linked to us because of the Fabregas transfer saga is former gunner Hleb, and Everton's Micheal Arteta. I really don't see either of them happening, nor do I see Cesc going to Barca... not this summer anyway; more on that later. A slightly more likely move is for Valencia midfielder David Villa for £17 milllion. Yes, he's a creative player, yes, potentially he could replace Fabregas, but I really don't see why you'd spend £17,000,000 on a creative wide-man, when Joe Cole is available on a free transfer, and is already hugely experienced in the Premiership. Please sign him Mr Wenger, whether Fabregas stays or goes. The Mirror have suggested Man United's Michael Carrick as a replacement, although I really can't see Fergie selling a fairly decent player to one of his title rivals. They also suggest West Ham's Mark Noble who we've already been linked with this month, but again I can't see this happening.
In other positions, we're supposedly set to table a £12 000 000 bid for Lyon 'keeper Hugo Lloris. I really hope we don't sign him. At risk of sounding like a stuck record, I really believe that we should get David James in on a Bosman style free transfer, send Wojceich Szczesny out on loan in the Championship to say... Leeds (who are rumoured to be interested in securing his services for next season) to gain experience, and then either ship Fabianski out on loan, or on a permanent deal.
Moving to our front three, Theo Walcott is believed to be top of the Juventus shopping list. I think that we can be very confident of seeing Theo in an Arseenal shirt next season. Unless they're prepared to offer Man City style silly money, after his end of season form, why would AW let him leave. I know that a lot of Arsenal fans don't rate him, and don't think that he's progressed enough in the 4 years he's been at the club, but give the lad a break; he's probably only had about 1 season's worth of playing time, and you can't develop properly like that especially when you spend a lot of that time injured.
Now, as promised, why I don't see Fabregas being in a Barca shirt next season: that Fabregas was going to be bid for has been circulating for what 3 days now? I think that was this story in any way genuine, there would have been more news than the press saying that Fabregas said that he wanted to go. I really don't see it. I don't quite know why I have such faith that he'll be staying, call it hope, call it desperation, I don't care. My gut instinct is that he will still be the Arsenal captain next season, still wearing the #4 shirt next season, still challenging for the Premiership title next season, and still as influential at Arsenal as ever next season.
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