Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal Continue Rivalry on French Transfer Soil

Now that the Premier League has closed the doors on the 2011-12 season, fans will begin to turn their attention to the summer dealings. While Tottenham fans have to wait until after this weekend’s Champion’s League final before knowing their team’s fate, Arsenal can move on knowing they qualified for the CL.

The Arsenal and Spurs rivalry is a heated one to say the least. After fighting until the final day for the coveted third-place finish, both clubs look to continue their rivalry in the summer transfer market with France as the likely war zone.

Harry Redknapp’s affection for Marseille striker Loic Remy has been known for quite some time. It appears Arsene Wenger is equally keen on the Frenchman and is looking to possibly beat Tottenham to the punch in signing the French international.

Marseille is looking to free up money for summer additions of their own after a disappointing mid-table finish. Didier Deschamps is looking to off-load Remy in an attempt to help fund his squad renovation. If both Arsenal and Tottenham are truly interested, Marseille could stand to possibly gain more compensation for the 25-year-old.

Another French attacking option who has caught both teams’ eyes is Olivier Giroud of Montpellier. Currently tied with PSG’s Nene with 21 goals this season, Giroud is looking to cap off his spectacular year by beating his Parisian counterpart to the Ligue 1 title and Golden Boot.

While an offer from either Spurs or the Gunners would be enticing for any French striker, the London clubs have stiff competition in the form of German giant Bayern Munich. While Giroud’s skill set is very similar to current Munich star Mario Gomez, it is rumored he prefers to join the striker at Bayern.

If Giroud chooses to skip the EPL in favor of bratwurst and beer, the Londoners can turn their attention to Giroud’s Montpellier teammate Younes Belhanda. The 22-year-old Moroccan international is versatile in his ability to play as a winger or attacking midfielder. His current coach Rene Girard has compared him to former Gunner great Robert Pires.

While not as tall as Pires, Belhanda has great vision and technique like the Frenchman. It is thought that Wenger leads in securing his services, with several other clubs also in hot pursuit.

Any of the three would make a solid addition to both squads, but Belhanda may be the one with the greatest potential.

Redknapp will be looking at these three to replace Adebayor and potentially Bale in his effort to strengthen his attack.

Wenger will be looking to use any of these three to replace some of the deadwood he is set to jettison in trying to improve his attacking depth.

The biggest factor in deciding the outcome could be Tottenham's Champions League standing. If Chelsea loses and Spurs stay in, the race for these signatures gets even hotter. Whoever comes out on top in their pursuit of these players should gain an edge on their rivals as they look to improve on this year’s finish.