Arsenal FC: Why Arsene Wenger, Gunners Should Sign Yann M'Vila

Do Arsenal want to sign Yann M'Vila? No one seems to know.

Should Arsenal want to sign Yann M'Vila? You bet.

In the ever-changing world of transfer gossip, it's hard to know whether or not Arsenal really are chasing M'Vila.

What's more certain, however, is that the Gunners should sign the French international midfielder.

Early this week, the Daily Mail claimed Arsenal had agreed in principle to sign M'Vila from French club Rennes. The deal reportedly would be worth more than £17 million, which would set a new Arsenal transfer record.

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M'Vila held talks with Inter Milan last week but has since decided he wants to join the Gunners, whether they secure Champions League football or not.

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Then, the bombshell. Writing in the London Evening Standard, James Olley claimed no deal was in place.

What's more, he suggested Arsenal had been used by M'Vila handlers in order to squeeze more money out of Inter Milan, his real destination.

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Standard Sport understands that the player’s agent had instigated rumours a deal was close in order to force an offer from Inter Milan and that Arsenal have no plans to sign the Frenchman at present.

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Although M’Vila’s camp insist a deal remains possible, the Gunners are adamant he is not currently on their wanted list as manager Arsene Wenger looks to complete adjustments to his squad before the start of the European Championships in June.

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Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is playing coy. "We have not been in touch with anybody, we have not made any offer to anybody and we are nowhere near to buying anybody at the moment," he said.

And this was attributed to Wenger by the Daily Mail's John Cross:

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We have many midfielders. Coquelin is making fantastic improvements and we have Frimpong. We have Song. We have Wilshere, Diaby, Rosicky, Arteta, Ramsey—where do you strengthen? We have a massive squad, 34 players. We have enough midfielders—and I can play there if it comes to it!

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So, who to believe?

Coaches, and not just Wenger, often obfuscate their real intentions in transfer dealings. That's understandable. It wouldn't be wise for someone as shrewd as Wenger to tip his hand.

Olley's charge, that M'Vila's agent was merely using Arsenal, sounds cynical. But it's certainly possible, and so is Cross' suggestion that Wenger is merely showing his poker face.

Enough. Let the papers battle it out on the front pages, and let Arsene play his games. He's good at them, after all.

I'm here to say that Arsenal should sign M'Vila.

The reported £17.7 million transfer fee would be steep, especially for Arsenal and especially for a holding player. And it's true that Arsenal have plenty of options in the midfield, particularly the excellent Alex Song in the holding role.

But M'Vila has been compared favorably to Patrick Vieira, and if there's been one ingredient missing in Arsenal's teams during the current trophy drought, it's that Vieira-style steel in midfield.

Signing M'Vila would help solve that issue. With him in the lineup, Arsenal would be better equipped to handle the more physically-minded teams from the lower reaches of the table.

Think of the way teams like Bolton have troubled Arsenal in years past. M'Vila's presence in the lineup could help change that.

Now, let's hope Arsene can talk down Rennes' price by a few million.

Follow @MikeCummings37