Arsenal Transfer News: Arsene Wenger Wise to Pursue Manchester United Starlet

While his English Premier League rivals continue to troll the football transfer market for big names at even bigger prices, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger seems just as keen to use the opportunity at hand to stock up on youth and build a squad that can contend to trophies in England and Europe for years to come.

And if it comes at the expense of another top-flight club, so be it.

According to Mirror Football, Wenger is carefully monitoring the status of Ravel Morrison, the 18-year-old midfield phenom who's been utilized only sparingly at Manchester United. Morrison has allegedly tired of his lack of pitch time with the senior squad, particularly amidst the Red Devils' persistent injury woes in the midfield.

Newcastle had been keen to acquire the wantaway starlet last week before negotiations broke down. Barcelona and Paris St-Germain are also said to be in the running for Morrison's services.

To be sure, Morrison isn't exactly what Arsenal need to compete for the top four in the EPL here and now. Even with the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri over the summer, the Gunners have managed to hold steady in possession, thanks in no small part to the arrival of Mikel Arteta back in August, the emergence of Aaron Ramsey and the occasional brilliance of Alex Song.

What's more, the impending return of Jack Wilshere, who's expected to be fit by February, will create even more competition for playing time the middle at the Emirates Stadium.

Meanwhile, Arsenal's corps of full backs and forwards remains thin, amidst injuries to the likes of Andre Santos, Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Gibbs, not to mention the threat of physical degradation to world-class striker Robin van Persie.

Surely, Le Professeur should focus his efforts (and his club's funds) in search of support at those positions, even beyond a two-month loan deal that brought Thierry Henry back to North London in rather glorious fashion.

That being said, the opportunity to snag yet another British starlet may just be too much for a developer of young talent like Wenger to pass up, especially when done right under the nose of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Stealing Morrison from Man U's academy would allow Wenger to build up his stock of starlets—alongside Wilshere, Ramsey, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Francis Coquelin, Ryo Miyaichi and Joel Campbell—while taking a swipe at Fergie, his long-time foil.

Not a bad move for a manager whose demise had been so frequently reported and pontificated on just a few months ago.

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