Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Pros and Cons of Gunners Selling Alex Song

Arsenal's impressive summer transfer window could turn into a nightmare if Alex Song departs the Emirates to join Spanish giant Barcelona.

Per the Daily Mail:

"Nou Camp officials flew into London on Wednesday intent on tabling a £12million offer for the all-action midfielder. "

Since the club just sold captain Robin van Persie to Premier League rivals Manchester United, many fans would be irate if the club lost its second most valuable player from the 2011-12 season.

However, there are some pros to selling Song. Let's examine the pros and cons of selling the Gunners star midfielder.

Pro: Yann M'Vila the replacement?

The Daily Mail also reports that, "Arsenal will step up their interest in Yann M'Vila if Song departs." This wouldn't be a bad situation for the Gunners since M'Vila has the potential to be a much better player than Song.

Like Song, the 22-year-old Frenchman is a complete midfielder, who can unleash the attack with his passing skills or stop opponents' runs towards goal with his impressive defensive awareness and tackling ability .

Since Wenger is so good at developing young players, M'Vila could quickly become one of the premier defensive midfielders in Europe.

Song has tremendous value to Arsenal, but if he were to leave the club and M'Vila was brought in to replace him, then Wenger should be applauded.

Con: Wenger isn't able to adequately replace him

The transfer window will only be open for about two more weeks, so while there is time to get a deal done for a replacement if Song left, there isn't a ton of time if one or two of the deals that Wenger works on fail.

Selling important players right before the season is tricky because the squad must be able to adjust quickly. Arsenal opens up their new league campaign on Saturday against Sunderland .

If the Gunners think that there's a good chance that Song will leave for Spain, then they must complete the transfer quickly, so that they have enough time to find his replacement before the window shuts.

Pro: It's smart to cash in on Song's best season

There's no doubt that Song's best season wearing an Arsenal shirt was last year, but how likely is it that he dominates again?

With players such as Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla brought to the Emirates in the transfer window thus far, Song might not have the same impact on the club next season, at least not from an attacking standpoint.

If Wenger is able to get Barcelona to overpay for Song or at least meet Arsenal's valuation of him, then there's no reason not to sell him and use the funds to buy another strong midfielder.

Risky Business

Song's exit from Arsenal would not be a massive hit to the quality of the squad if someone such as M'Vila, Nuri Sahin of Real Madrid or  Étienne Capoue of Toulouse were brought in to replace him.

What the club cannot afford is to sell him and not find another top player capable of featuring in the starting XI in the midfield.

Selling Song is a risky move for Arsenal, who must only go through with the deal if they feel confident that a worthy replacement can be brought in, so that the club still has the strength to contend for and win trophies this season.

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Nicholas Goss is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, follow him on Twitter.