| |
Club Focus – Arsenal – Wenger refuses to dance to the Samba beat whilst Cahill signing remains possible
Arsene Wenger has maintained his only January signing would be in the defensive third, and even then would be conditional upon injuries. Names like Samba and Cahill have been repeatedly linked with a move. Yet, despite a hamstring injury ruling out Sebastien Squillaci and the ever-lengthening absence of Thomas Vermaelen, with one week of the transfer window remaining, the Gunners appear no closer to a concrete signing.
Inevitably, as the clock continues to tick down to deadline day, speculation has intensified over who the next arrival will be. Whether there will be a signing at all remains a point of conjecture, but what appears clear is that Blackburn Rovers’ Christopher Samba has been ruled out of the running, with a reported £10m price tag proving a little rich for what would effectively be a stop-gap signing. Wenger has stated his preference for a player with Premier League experience and Samba would provide a muscular, towering presence in the heart of the Gunners’ defence, but does not appear to fit in with the team’s style.
Of the current raft of defenders, Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny appear to be the preferred central pairing, with their ability on the ball giving them the decisive edge. Vermaelen’s rampaging runs forward saw him become a prolific scorer and a fans’ favourite in his debut season and this year’s debutant, Koscielny, has shown he can read the game superbly and possesses an eye for a pass. Whilst Samba would certainly be effective, if not effervescent, the combination of asking price and playing style looks set to preclude a move.
Should Wenger decide to reinforce, Bolton Wanderers’ Gary Cahill appears a much more viable target given the manager’s reported long-term pursuit of the player. This week Le Professeur was willing to volunteer that: "I think Gary Cahill is a very good player,” but stopped short of confirming an interest beyond his admiration. A decisive factor may prove to be the manager’s relationship with Owen Coyle, having loaned Jack Wilshere to Bolton last season, and with reported interest from the Trotters in a similar arrangement for Carlos Vela. Although Coyle asserted: "I have not had any other dialogue with a Premier League club,” he may have provided a hint as to the player’s future in suggesting: “The best time for Gary to move and any other player in that bracket is the summer… for me that is the perfect time."
Arsenal appear to have pressed through their defensive shortage with Squillaci due to return next week. Squillaci himself was a stop-gap signing in the wake of the departures of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell, with the aforementioned trio all representing surprise signings. In this vein, Wenger may yet have a trick up his sleeve, but it is equally conceivable that the speculation is merely smoke and mirrors to divert attention away from the Gunners’ quietly emerging title challenge.
See the full list of OLBG's free Football Tips here.
Related Articles
| |