Arsenal Transfers: Calling Fact or Fiction on the Early January Rumors

Transfer windows have become an entertaining time of year to keep your eyes focused on the Emirates Stadium in recent years, either for the amount of business conducted by Arsenal or the lack thereof.

January 2013 promises to be no different and after a hectic summer full of outgoings and expenditure, the transfer speculation is already flowing.

As ever, speculation is rife in these months, and only a certain amount of these rumours will actually come to pass.

However, that doesn’t stop the ever-watchful audience from ascertaining their predictions as to who will be staying and who will be going.

In the crazy world of football transfers, nothing is a done deal until the name is on the dotted line, but has that ever stopped us from making our judgements before?

You can follow Tom on Twitter @TomSunderland_

Andrey Arshavin: Out

Fact or Fiction: Fact

After spending the second half of last season on loan at former club Zenit St. Petersburg, Andrey Arshavin’s time with Arsenal would appear to be winding to a close.

The Russian international was allegedly inches away from completing a deadline day permanent return to his old side, only for the transfer to collapse (via Daily Mail).

It seems Arshavin is keen to make his mark at the Emirates Stadium, no matter how unlikely that feat may appear now.

His departure would appear all the more likely when you consider the Gunners were willing to let their player go for free, just in order to offload Arshavin from their ranks.

With the Russian Premier League now operating in sync with the rest of Europe’s elite, a mid-season move back to his native may not be out of the question.

Didier Drogba: In

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

With his time in China not going according to the plan that he may have had in mind, media outlets have recently touted the news that Didier Drogba could be making a swift return to the English top flight (via Daily Mail).

The former Chelsea striker only moved to Shanghai Shenhua this summer but is already involved in the transfer gossip after it emerged that the club’s boardroom staff are going through an equity row.

Drogba is currently earning wages of around £200,000-a-week, which would undoubtedly be the major stumbling block for Arsenal, a club renowned for their strict salaries.

However, there’s a lot of time between now and January, giving Arsene Wenger’s side three months to come to some sort of agreement, whether it be a temporary deal or otherwise.

After losing Robin van Persie, the north London outfit don’t have a recognised striker with experience in the Premier League, making Drogba a worthy target.

However, Drogba left the English top flight having won the Champions League and FA Cup with Chelsea. The transfer would make sense for the club, but perhaps not for the player.

Isco: In

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

Having pinched Santi Cazorla from financially-stricken Málaga over the summer, Arsenal are now gunning to go in for another of the club’s stars in Spanish playmaker, Isco.

The 20-year-old broke into the Spanish side’s first team plans last season and has done nothing but impress since then, leading the Daily Star to link the player with Arsenal.

Isco finished the 2011-12 campaign with five goals and five assists, helping Málaga to a 4th place finish in the La Liga table and Champions League football as a result.

The Gunners’ north London rivals, Tottenham, were also being linked with the Spaniard over the summer, and could well revive their attempts in the new year.

Isco has a release clause of £16.5m and while Arsenal aren’t likely to activate that stipulation, they could well attempt to barter for a new deal in January.

That being said, Málaga have gotten off to a good start to the season, and interest in Isco’s services is high.

I wouldn’t hold my breath on Arsenal bagging this particular youngster. 

Bacary Sagna: Out

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

BBC Sport recently reported that Bacary Sagna may have become disenchanted with the direction in which Arsenal are moving following the sales of Robin van Persie and Alex Song.

The two former Gunners were held in the highest of regards at the Emirates Stadium and it’s believed that Sagna feels his club should have fought harder to retain those talents.

With two of the club’s most influential servants now gone from their ranks, Sagna could be the next Arsenal stalwart to evacuate.

At this point, speculation is still fresh and no destinations appear to have emerged. Arsenal have merely Carl Jenkinson as backup at right-back and will fight to keep hold of their French international.

While Sagna’s desires make his departure a possibility, it’s unlikely to come about before the end of the current season.

Lucas Biglia: In

Fact or Fiction: Fact

With Alex Song now at Barcelona, many are of the opinion that Arsenal ought to seek out cover at defensive midfield in a bid to plug the void left by his departure.

Lucas Biglia has been linked with a move to north London for some time now, and was allegedly close to completing such a deal over the summer.

Although that transfer never came about, Arsenal might look to make it so in January, staging a winter bid for the Argentine.

Biglia is a key component of the Anderlecht side that won the Jupiler League’s 2011-12 campaign, and has earned huge plaudits in recent seasons.

The player told of interest coming from Arsenal and Real Madrid himself over the summer, and it’s quite possible that the midfielder will draw similar attention in the coming months (via Goal.com).

Theo Walcott: Out

Fact or Fiction: Fact

One of the more well-publicised transfer sagas of the summer is of course whether or not Theo Walcott will remain an Arsenal player for much longer.

The England international has less than a year left on his contract and his future will certainly be decided in January.

As things stand, it seems that Walcott’s foreseeable future lies in one of three possible directions.

One being that the winger signs a contract extension for the salary of almost £100,000-a-week that he is though to be seeking.

Option two is that the club fail to come to an agreement with the player and Walcott is sold to any interested party, a list which Juventus have recently joined along with Liverpool and Manchester City (via Metro).

Or, the most unlikely avenue, a new deal isn’t signed, Walcott plays out the remaining months of his deal and leaves Arsenal for nothing. The north London club would be due no compensation fee either, as Walcott would be 24 years old by then, eliminating any need for a “homegrown fee.”

Walcott would seem a very possible departure from Arsenal this winter, given the club’s tight policy when it comes to expenditure.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa: In

Fact or Fiction: Fiction

It’s no secret that Arsene Wenger is a big fan of Ligue 1 talent, having brought in countless youngsters from his French native during his time with the side.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is but the latest starlet from the French top flight to be linked with a Gunners switch and was allegedly close to such a deal over the summer.

The Montpellier captain recently revealed that he rejected a move to the Emirates Stadium because he was holding out for an AC Milan transfer (via Sky Sports).

While Yanga-Mbiwa’s allegiances would appear to lead elsewhere, this won’t stop the Premier League giants from holding an interest and trying to lure the player to the English capital.

The 23-year-old is one of several defenders Arsenal are thought to be looking at, but it looks like this one is just out of the club’s grasp.

Yann M'Vila: In

Fact or Fiction: Fact

Despite monumental amounts of transfer gossip throughout the summer months, Yann M’Vila remains a Rennes player (via Metro).

The 22-year-old was constantly linked with a move to Islington after causing shockwaves at Route de Lorient, but could finally complete the long-protracted move in 2013.

Rennes failed to qualify for European competition this season, meaning that M’Vila would be available for any Champions League competition Arsenal may find themselves in in the new Year.

Just as Lucas Biglia may, Yann M’Vila would primarily be looked upon as cover for the departed Alex Song, and Rennes may open up to the possibility of letting the player go.

Marouane Chamakh: Out

Fact or Fiction: Fact

Playing in just 63 games in two seasons with the club, Marouane Chamakh hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations put before him since arriving at Arsenal in 2010.

Like Arshavin, the Moroccan international is struggling to see playing time these days and is sitting uncomfortably on the fringes of the Arsenal squad.

Chamakh was linked with several clubs in the waning days of the summer transfer window, including Tottenham, Malaga and Besiktas, who were reportedly keen to acquire the striker on loan (via Daily Mail).

If the 28-year-old fails to make any sort of impact in the next couple of months, Arsene Wenger may finally admit defeat in this transfer and send Chamakh from his current surroundings, either on a permanent or temporary deal.

The striker scored just a sole goal last season and would appear to be surplus to requirements at Arsenal, making his departure a very likely one.

Adrian Lopez: In

Fact or Fiction: Fact

The Daily Mail seem to think that Arsenal and Tottenham will be the pair to fight it out for the January signature of Atletico Madrid asset, Adrian Lopez.

The Spaniard recently stalled on the signature of a new contract and could therefore be looking for an escape route from his current club.

The same article goes on to say that Atleti are unwilling to sell for less than the player’s £14.4m buyout clause, making for a possible spanner in the works.

At any rate, both Arsenal and Spurs would seem to have reason in going in for an attacker in the coming transfer window, and Lopez has formed an impressive partnership with Radamel Falcao.

While the Columbian certainly takes most of the headlines at the Madrid side, Lopez is a constant fixture in the Madrid club’s side and his reluctance to a new deal would appear to open the door for a possible exit.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @TomSunderland_