Arsene Wenger set for some comings and goings at the Emirates before the transfer window slams shut.
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Arsenal are preparing a bid for Barcelona starlet Gai Assulin, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is keen on signing the 18-year-old attacking midfielder whose contract is set to expire at the end of the current season.
The Gunners boss is looking to add another wide man to his talented squad and has outlined the Barca star, who can play on either wing, as a top transfer target.
Chelsea tried to sign the the Israli international in 2007 but Assulin rejected the offer choosing to stay and fight for a place in the Barcelona starting line-up.
However, over the next two weeks talks will be held between Assulin’s agent, Pini Zahavi, and Barcelona in an attempt to thrash out a new deal with Arsenal waiting in the wings.
The young winger made his debut in the Israeli national team just 14 days before he turned 17 making him the youngest ever player to feature for his national side. (Give Me Football – Official PFA Website)
Arsenal made a last-ditch bid to prise Chris Smalling from the grasp of Manchester United last night after being gazumped in their attempt to sign the Fulham defender.
Arsene Wenger had been planning a move for the 20-year-old over the past month but was beaten to the punch on Tuesday as United stepped in with a £7million deal for a player who has made only nine first-team appearances.
United agreed the fee with Fulham and personal terms with the player’s agents before contacting Fulham again prior to making an official announcement on the club website.United expect Smalling, who was in Fulham’s starting line-up last night against Tottenham, to arrive in Manchester today for a medical and he will then be loaned back to Craven Cottage until the end of the season.
However, United’s move scrambled Arsenal into action and they made a counter-offer to Fulham which was rejected.
‘It just looks like Manchester United offered more money than us,’ said Wenger. But the Arsenal manager, determined not to let his target slip through the net, was busy trying to salvage the deal last night. (Daily Mail)
Jack Wilshere is expected to complete the formalities on a 6 month loan move to Bolton Wanderers this afternoon. The 18-year-old has had offers from Burnley, Celtic, FC Twente and West Brom but has elected to work under The Trotters new coach Owen Coyle.Wilshere has been used sparingly this term after a phenomenal break through campaign last year and Arsène Wenger believes some games in the Premier League will be the finishing touches to his development. Following his return from loan, Jack will be assessed as to whether he needs a second spell or he is indeed ready to realistically fight for a regular spot in the first-team. The winger also harbours international ambitions and although he started the season in the Reserves, some consistent performances would put him in an outside position to earn a call up to Fabio Capello’s World Cup squad.
Arsenal will also monitor Wilshere’s treatment with Bolton in the aim of sending players to Lancashire in the future. They may be one of the Premier League’s least fashionable teams, but Wenger is believed to be keen to sending players there to learn the physical style of the game instead of enhancing their ‘total football’ mentality. News on the deal will be confirmed later today. (Young Guns)
Its all go at the Emirates today and a plethora of rumours are doing the rounds and some are indeed very interesting tit bits that could well come to fruition which is always a bonus. Lets start with Barcelona youngster Gai Assulin. Now Arsene Wenger has been trailing the young Israeli for quite some time and now that the talented attacker nears the Nou Camp first team picture it seems that the Gunners boss is beginning to take a closer interest and with the 18 year old nearing the end of this contract the Catalan giants must be thinking to themselves “Oh no, not again” and perhaps the north London side could well do a Fabregas and steal the youngster away from the La Liga side and given the blatant attempts Barca have made to unsettle the Arsenal skipper over the past 18 months then it would be the least they deserved if it was they who lost Assulin to Arsenal.
So it appeared that Manchester United had snapped up Fulham’s promising England Under 21 International Chris Smalling but apparently Arsene Wenger has other ideas and is planning a last gasp swoop for the centre back and one that could leave the former Maidstone man wondering which offer to grasp with both hands. At Arsenal he may find himself in the first team picture far sooner and that may well tempt the 20 year old given that he was about to find his feet with regular football at Craven Cottage. However it may be tricky for Smalling to break the current Emirates centre back pairing so it will be interesting to see where he decides to move to.
Finally we come to another excellent youngster, Jack Wilshere, and reportedly he has already signed a six month deal at Bolton where he will no doubt learn a great deal about a different style of football. A spell at the Reebok may well harden the teenager and help build up the player and add some steel to his undoubted skill and ability and could well help the Trotters to avoid the dreaded drop.
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