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What’s this? A player wanting to stay with Arsenal!

It’s hard not to feel sorry for Arsene Wenger at the moment. The Frenchman is arguably the best manager in the world, given what he has achieved for Arsenal, yet it appears that several of his key players are unlikely to be at the Emirates Stadium next season. Mathieu Flamini has buggered off to Milan without so much as a whimper, Alexander Hleb has done a great impersonation of a snake in the grass and has a foot out of the exit door, while Emmanuel Adebayor apparently wants double or quits as far as his salary is concerned.

However, The Guardian report that every cloud has a silver lining. Just as Jerry Maguire appeared to be walking out of the office on his tod, the character played by Renee Zellweger stood up and joined him. In Renee’s place at Arsenal is young Nicklas Bendtner, who has shunned the likes of Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen to stay with Arsenal. At last some loyalty being shown at Arsenal!

Bayern indicated via an intermediary that they were prepared to pay €10m for the striker and the other two Bundesliga clubs also made their interest known. “I have heard about these offers from Germany but Nicklas will stay at Arsenal,” said Thomas Bendtner, his father. “The only way things could be different was if something unexpected should happen, such as him being moved totally outside of the team, but it’s difficult to see that happening as he is playing right now.”

Bendtner, 20, has made 39 appearances this season, 16 as a starter, and has scored nine goals. “I’ve always said that Arsenal is my club and that’s where I want to play my football,” he said. “When you look at my season and the way it has developed, I see no reason why I should want to change Arsenal with any other club.”

Until next season, when he’s scored 25 goals and the Milans and the Madrids of this world come a-calling! Let’s hope that the likes of Adebayor and Fabregas remain with the club, rather than see us witness the fragmentation of such an excellent footballing side. Money is talking louder than ever at the moment though, and retaining them for one more year might just be stemming the tide.

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Lahm Had His Phil Of Bayern

German wing-back Philipp Lahm has stated he will leave Bayern Munich as contract talks broke down between himself and the club.

With his contract coming into its last season Bayern were looking to tie down the 24-year-old international, but he was seemingly unimpressed by Bayern’s ambition.

Lahm told German magazine Stern:

I’ve played for two years with Stuttgart, I’m finishing my third year at Bayern, the top German club, so the logical progression is to go abroad.

There are in Europe a handful of clubs who have a financial power superior to that of Bayern. Their teams play with more rhythm and assurance than Bayern.

Seemingly doubting Bayern’s ability to once again challenge for the Champions League, which they won in 2001, Lahm has alerted Europe’s top clubs, including Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea, three he has been linked with in the past.

Chances are there will now be a cut-price bidding war this summer between Europe’s top clubs for Lahm.

Diego remains with us, say Werder Bremen

Juventus are up against a dead wall again in their desire to lure a gem from the German Bundesliga.The Old Lady of Turin was keen to import Brazilian playmaker Diego from Werder Bremen but it now seems that the move will be snapped off for good.

Goal.com quotes director of sport Klaus Allofs as saying Bremen are not even remotely inclined to talk about Diego with any club. He said:

”Juventus has not submitted any offer, but in any case we do not have the slightest intention whatsoever to discuss a transfer of Diego, not with Juventus nor with any other team.”

So there flies away Juve’s hopes of making a big-name signing in January. Well, there was never a great chance that the Italian giants would have been able to prize Diego away from Bremen. After all, they are second in the Bundesliga and behind Bayern Munich only on goal difference - and Diego, after struggling times in Portugal with FC Porto, would certainly like some silverware with Werder Bremen. Maybe Juve should return in the summer.

Lehmann to (finally) move to Bayern Munich in the summer?

Jens Lehmann might be 38 years of age but he fosters the dream of an 18-year old. Goal.com reports that the German international goalkeeper, who is now no more in favour with Arsenal, is dreaming to play in a Bayern Munich shirt next season.

Lehmann already knows that his season is over and all he can do for the rest of the season is hope (against hope?) that he gets to play a few games for the Gunners to get some vital match practice before the Euro 2008 finals beckon. He turned don a move to his old club Borussia Dortmund for the next 6 months only last week for familial reasons but is now eyeing a place in the Bayern squad next season.

Lehmann told the Bild newspaper:

I have been a professional too long to exclude anything. Bayern have shown with the appointment of Jürgen Klinsmann that they are open to new ideas and on a good course.

Now Klinsmann and Lehmann share a very special and cordial relationship with each other and maybe Lehmann is banking on the former German national coach’s recommendations to creep to the Bavaria. Yet even there he would have to play second fiddle, this time to his compatriot Michael Rensing.

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Outspoken Podolski linked to Manchester City

Scoring goals has been a problem for Manchester City this season, especially away from home where they’ve managed just two wins in the league. However, the Daily Telegraph report that their strikeforce could be significantly bolstered by the £12 million signing of Bayern Munich forward Lukas Podolski. It’s clear that the German international is not a happy bunny at Bayern Munich.

“The way it works here is you score a couple of great goals, then you only get 45 minutes next game, then you’re dropped for three,” said Podolski.

“That’s not good enough for me. I want to prove myself but I don’t want to go grey on the bench.”

Sven’s trusty right-hand man Tord Grip watched Podolski in action last week, but will the German league leaders be prepared to let such a talented player leave? If new coach Jurgen Klinsmann thinks the striker is surplus to requirements, surely Manchester City won’t be the only club in the hunt?

Arsenal just can’t get rid of Lehman!

Just when you thought it was safe to assume the Premier League would be free from a certain mad German goalkeeper, the Daily Telegraph have reported that Jens Lehman is staying put at Arsenal - for the time being at least. It appeared the German number one was bound for Borussia Dortmund but ‘personal reasons’ have got in the way.

Despite his lack of action in the Premiership, Lehmann said in a statement: “Although it would have been a very attractive challenge to play again in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund, I have decided against this step for private reasons.”

What could these ‘personal reasons’ be? A massive drop in salary perhaps? Or is Jens eyeing an FA Cup winner’s medal for the Gunners after they progressed against Burnley and were effectively handed a bye in the next round against Newcastle or Stoke.

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No ‘Klinsmania’ at Liverpool as German joins Bayern

Despite the vain attempts by BBC Radio Five Live’s Mark Saggers to stir up the speculation linking Jurgen Klinsmann with a move to Anfield, it appears that the former Tottenham striker has instead agreed terms with Bayern Munich to become their next coach. The BBC report that the German has turned down Liverpool’s non-existent offer to replace Rafael Benitez and instead returns to his homeland instead.

Klinsmann will replace Ottmar Hitzfeld, who is due to step down from the post at the end of the current campaign.

The appointment marks Klinsmann’s first foray into club coaching after he guided host nation Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup.

Who will be the next manager tenuously linked to the non-vacant position at Anfield?

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Lehmann denies Dortmund deal

On Thursday, German club Borussia Dortmund claimed that they had reached an agreement with the Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann but now the German international custodian has come out and denied that any concrete agreement ahs been reached between him and the German side.

Goal.com reports that Lehmann is not looking to commit himself to Dortmund in the long run. What the 38-year old wants is a short term deal with the club, preferably a loan deal till the end of the season, so that he can become a free agent and have control over his future.

This is what Lehmann said to the Kicker magazine:

If I can get my private matters satisfactorily resolved then I could come, otherwise I won’t If I come to Dortmund then it would only be for six months. I want to have complete freedom to decide what I do next in the summer.

Seems like Mr. Lehmann wants to have the cake and eat it too. He is no more the number one at Arsenal and Dortmund provide him the only way for him to play matches regularly so that he is able to retain the German shirt at the Euro 2008 finals. But it appears that Lehmann wants everything according to his desires.

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Dortmund: Contract with Lehmann agreed?

German international goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is out of Arsenal: that according to Sky Sports and Borussia Dortmund. The German club has confirmed that agreements have been reached with the 38-year goalkeeper and that this month the player is return to the club that he spent four years at before joining the Londoners.

This is what Dortmund manager Michael Zorc told the German newspaper Bild:

All things between us and Lehmann have now been agreed and we are in constant contact. They have nothing to do with BVB, we are all in financial agreement.

However Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has dismissed such claims as declared by the German club. The player himself hasn’t said anything but there’s little doubt that Lehmann would be the happiest person in the world to leave the Emirates.

Since the start of this season, Lehmann has constantly discovered himself warming the substitutes’ bench. He has played only a handful of games as manager Wenger has made it obvious that he prefers Manuel Almunia. The move to Dortmund would guarantee Lehmann more starts and that should ensure that he gets to play for Germany in the Euro 2008 finals in the summer.

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Rafael van der Vaart interested in Juve move

Juventus might have been overshadowed by the 2006 matchfixing scandal and their squad might not possess the depth and quality of their arch rivals Internazionale but the Old Lady still command the respect and awe of top players.

Just ask Rafael van der Vaart at SV Hamburg. The Dutch international is already one foot on the train that will take him out of Germany and into Italy, precisely to Turin. Juventus manager Claudio Ranieri has consistently expressed interest in the creative midfielder and the club’s board too has backed him. And the player himself has joined in the speculation too.

Van der Vaart has never expressed reluctance to move to a bigger club and feels that Juve provide him the perfect launch pad to fulfil the promise and potential that he is gifted with. In an interview to the German newspaper Bild as picked up by SkySports here, van der Vaart doesn’t eclipse the fact that he would like to leave the AOL Arena for greener pastures and that he is no mood to renew his contract.

He says:

I have two-and-a-half years left on my Hamburg contract. That is long enough. At the same time, it does not mean I am already gone. But my dream of playing in a very big club is great and if I tie myself to Hamburg until 2012 it would be too long for me. There isn’t an official offer. I’ve heard that Juve are interested and I can imagine myself playing there.

Van der Vaart has a contract until 2010 with Hamburg and the German club is trying to extend that till 2012. But the player himself wants to move away and under such circumstances, it is unlikely that Hamburg would be able to force the player int submission. Although there is virtually no chance for Juve to snap up the midfielder in January, the Turin-based club would certainly like to think that they shall get the player in the summer. And Rafael van der Vaart would be worth every single penny that Juve would pay Hamburg. He is really that good.

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