Arsenal Transfers: Top 12 Gunners Rumours of the Week

We are now in the best part of the January transfer window: early enough that the clubs have time to complete their moves and late enough for the clubs to have a bit of urgency in their dealings.

This week, a perfect storm created a wave of Arsenal transfer rumors. Our position in the meaty part of the window, Arsenal's ever-worsening injury crisis and the Gunners' awful loss to Swansea were ideal for the speculators.

Arsenal have many needs to address and ample opportunity to do so, so here we gather 12 of the top Arsenal transfer rumors that emerged this week—because the usual 10 simply does not do this exciting period justice.

Enjoy.

Andrei Arshavin to Lazio

The recently inept Russian has become fodder for transfer speculation recently, and he has most recently been linked with a move to Lazio.

If Arsenal had any depth at all, Arshavin would already have been trimmed from the wage bill, as his contributions to the squad have hurt the team more often than they have helped.

However, the Russian has been forced into the starting lineup due to a paucity of options and Gervinho's absence due to the ongoing African Cup of Nations.

A move during the summer transfer window seems much more likely, however.

Julian Draxler

The Metro have mentioned the name of 18-year-old Schalke youngster Julian Draxler as a potential replacement for Andrei Arshavin, even suggesting that a swap deal for the Russian could be in the works.

While I am completely in favor of replacing the lazy and ineffective Arshavin, I am not sure that Arsene Wenger will turn to yet another unproven young player to sure up an unsteady position.

Furthermore, I struggle to see why Schalke would take on a 31-year-old player who is clearly past whatever his best may have been in exchange for a young and promising talent with his best years firmly ahead of him.

Marouane Chamakh to Anywhere

If there was ever a case of a player being linked with a move away from his club due to his struggles, Chamakh is that case.

The Moroccan international has started only one League match all season, and he's scored the same amount of goals.

Simply put, Chamakh is in the worst form of his life, and he's simply fat on the wage bill and the roster, preventing other, more productive players from being added to the 25-man squad.

Again, there are few other men who can support Robin van Persie if Arsene Wenger does not make a signing (partly because Wenger won't use this guy), so a summer sale looks more likely.

Christopher Samba

After submitting a formal transfer request to Blackburn's inept management, Christopher Samba has been linked with a cut-price move to Arsenal by some pundits.

Samba is a tall, powerful defender who could alleviate Arsenal's defensive injury crisis with his sturdy, reliable presence at the back.

He would be a Per Mertesacker type who could manhandle attackers and solidify the back line with his mere presence and leadership.

Whether the manager would spend any money on a position that is already fairly strong remains to be seen, however.

Aly Cissokho

Proposed as another solution to the Gunners' defensive crisis, Cissokho has been almost transfer listed by Lyon chief Jean-Michel Aulas, who has stated that he would be open to a sale.

Cissokho is a rare and complete athlete who is as much of an asset in attack with his blazing pace and endless stamina as he is in defence, and he would be a very valuable addition to Wenger's squad.

Even with Kieran Gibbs on the verge of a return, the purchase of Cissokho would be just as astute as if Arsenal had no other options at left back. Andre Santos will be out for many months yet, and Arsenal still need insurance against the Englishman's next injury.

Sebastien Squillaci

Talk about inept players. The Metro reports that Sebastien Squillaci is set to be given a lifeline out of Arsenal with his and Arsene Wenger's former club AS Monaco.

Such is the manager's lack of faith in Squillaci that he will do anything he can to not give his worst player a start.

Even while Per Mertesacker was suffering from an illness before the Swansea match, Wenger opted for a player he knew was not at 100 percent, rather than put his faith in "the squid."

Simply put, Squillaci has been a failed signing, and the sooner this "defender" leaves, the better.

Shaqueel van Persie

In one of the more lighthearted stories of the week, Arsenal have been tipped to sign star striker Robin van Persie's five-year-old son, Shaqueel.

Apparently, the lad does have some measure of footballing talent, but the boy's father has played down the speculation, stating that he does not want to take his toddler away from his friends at his hometown football club.

Though we may have to wait awhile for the third successor in the Bergkamp-van Persie line of Dutch strikers to come of age, I predict a breakthrough for the young Shaqueel in the 2028-29 season.

Scott Dann

In frankly one of the more baseless rumors of the week, Blackburn defender Scott Dann has been included among the possible names proposed to add depth to Arsenal's defence.

Dann is an unremarkable defender and has not performed this season to the standard he set last year for himself while with Birmingham.

Moreover, Dann has shown himself to be fairly injury-prone, and that is the last thing that the Gunners need at the moment. Of all players mentioned as transfer possibilities for Arsenal, Dann is one of the least likely to actually move to North London.

Eric Abidal

Unfortunately, this rumor did not come to fruition, as Abidal signed a new contract with Barcelona, just in time for him to score the winner in EL Clasico against Real Madrid.

It is too bad that this transfer never happened, as it would have been perfect for Arsenal. He would not have come with a long-term burden, as his 32-year-old body would prohibit such a commitment. And his versatility would have allowed him to slot into the center of defence if necessary.

But the French left-back will continue to ply his trade for the Catalan side, much to the chagrin of many Arsenal supporters.

Adam Maher

AZ Alkmaar starlet Adam Maher has been likened to a young Cesc Fabregas, and Arsenal have apparently been scouting him for some time.

He has been having a great deal of success in the Eredivisie for Alkmaar, and he would be a fantastic young prospect for the Gunners to acquire.

However, I would be a bit surprised if he made the move during this transfer window, as Maher is just 18 and could do with more development in the Netherlands. Besides, Arsenal's short-term needs lie elsewhere.

Theo Walcott to PSG

Despite his equalizer against Swansea, Theo Walcott has easily been one of the most disappointing players on Arsenal this season, often going missing in matches and relying too much on his raw pace.

Inevitably, such a regression has aroused speculation that, with the winger's contract up in 2013, he could be on the move. And few teams are more attractive to speculators these days than Paris Saint-Germain.

According to CaughtOffside, PSG are lining up a move for Walcott, and new boss Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly an admirer of the Englishman.

Again, it must be said that there are really no options available at present from within the club to replace Walcott should he depart, at least while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still developing. Thus, any sale seems extremely unlikely at the moment.

Eden Hazard

If it seems as if every transfer slideshow dedicates a special portion to Eden Hazard, you would be humorously correct.

In easily the most sensational rumor of the week, CaughtOffside report that Arsenal are ready to "bite the bullet" and pay £25 million to bring Belgian wizard Eden Hazard to the Emirates, as well as give up Marouane Chamakh, Andrei Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci in the deal.

While I would love to see Hazard arrive in North London and I would also enjoy seeing the aforementioned Arsenal players depart, this seems extremely contrary to every one of Arsene Wenger's principles.

He would have to let go of players that he has maintained faith in, and at a time when he is faced with harrowing injury problems and a dearth of options on the bench. Even then, Wenger would be forced to smash his transfer record to bring Hazard to Arsenal.

If there is one thing we know about Le Boss, however, it is that he can truly shock you when you least expect it.

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