Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Wenger Must Tread Carefully in Battle for Lucas Biglia

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is being made to wait for his biggest potential deals of the summer.

Lukas Podolski is on his way over from Köln, but the Gunners are forced to wait until after Euro 2012 to work on a deal for French star Yann M'Vila, according to the Daily Mail. Also according to the Daily Mail, they are locked into a "summer-long battle" with Real Madrid for Argentine international and Anderlecht star Lucas Biglia.

On top of that, the third-place finishers in England are attempting to fend off suitors for captain Robin van Persie and vice-captain Thomas Vermaelen.

The Mail is reporting that European giant Barcelona is honing in on Vermalean after failing to pry Brazilian captain Thiago Silva away from AC Milan.

The beauty of Vermaelen is that the 26-year-old Belgian can play a number of positions, including defensive mid, and they'd love to add Biglia and keep hold of their vice-captain to truly bolster their back line.

A battle with Real Madrid is dangerous though, and Biglia is under contract with Anderlecht through 2015. He captained the club to a Belgian league title last season, and he said if a club offers the right price, the champions will let him go.

The Mail writes, "The six-capped midfielder is valued at around £8million and is also on the radar of Serie A sides Napoli and Fiorentina having once been tracked by Liverpool." That price could rise with a bidding war, and Wenger has to be careful when and where he spends his money, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Robin van Persie.

Arsenal is out to better its chances in both the Premier League and Champions League next season, but Wenger cannot afford to be caught in a bidding war that goes down to the end of the window. 

The French boss in North London pulled a rabbit out of a hat last year in the 11th hour, but he cannot hope to wait that long this time around.