Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Goaded over Petr Cech, Grzegorz Krychowiak Latest

Arsenal have been taunted over their hunt to sign Petr Cech this winter after a former Blue indicated the Gunners aren't a title threat, while the race for Sevilla midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak is heating up.

Ex-Chelsea defender Jason Cundy said Cech deserves a move away from Stamford Bridge after his decade of service to the west Londoners' cause. However, he also dealt Arsenal a sly blow, telling IBTimes (h/t Daily Star's Jack Wilson):

"

Where could Cech go? Well Arsenal have been mentioned in some quarters, and I think that move makes a lot of sense. When Jose [Mourinho] first joined Chelsea, back in 2004, he'd never have dreamed of selling a top player to Arsenal, because they were genuine rivals at the time.

But nowadays - and I know I'm going to get pelters from Arsenal fans for saying this - the two clubs are at completely different levels. Arsenal aren't competing with Chelsea any more. They live in the Premier League's top four, but seem to have given up challenging for the title. Jose will know that, and he'll also know he can get good money out of them for Cech. 

"

Cundy went on to note the example of Juan Mata's sale to Manchester United as reason to justify the transfer, the Spaniard having fallen behind Oscar in the Chelsea pecking order at the time of his exit.

Cech has experienced an even more severe fall through the ranks, and with only one first-choice goalkeeper spot available, Thibaut Courtois sits as Mourinho's No. 1 for the long term.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Anthony Chapman of the Express has reported that the Blues boss "wouldn't stand in Cech's way" if the stopper were to request a move. The 32-year-old will assuredly feel sentimental about ending his Chelsea journey, but the urge to play first-team football may prove too great.

Metro confirmed Chelsea are ready to accept an offer of £7 million for their demoted star:

Arsenal's concerns at the back this season have been caused by a lack of defensive options amid injuries, but Wojciech Szczesny hasn't stuck out as a particularly poor performer.

Nonetheless, Cech would undoubtedly be an upgrade on the Polish international and provide better competition for the starting spot than summer signing David Ospina—who is currently injured.

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Elsewhere, Sevilla sporting director Monchi said the club are yet to receive any offers for midfield general Krychowiak, claiming the 24-year-old is happy in his current setting.

Speaking to Radio Marca (h/t Mirror's Alex Richards) the club figure insisted his star remains content at Sevilla, dampening Arsenal's chances of landing his signature in January:

"

We've not received any offer for him. Things are going very well with Krychowiak. We're going to let him enjoy being at Sevilla because he's delighted to be here. There's nothing [to announce].

"

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

The midfield anchor would suit the Gunners' needs in terms of player profile, promising to add steel to Arsene Wenger's ranks and give a different outlook to the likes of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.

A reluctance to buy a specialised asset of world-class quality in that area of the pitch has raised questions regarding the manager's transfer nous. James McNicholas and Ryan Bailey of Bleacher Report have discussed whether Wenger may be losing his touch:

Having only arrived in Spain over the summer, Krychowiak would be a difficult deal to finalise, especially with reports citing a transfer tag of £24 million:

Much of that staggering cost will be due to the recent nature of Krychowiak's La Liga switch from Reims, with his contract not set to expire until 2018.

Arsenal do need an elite name in that area of the pitch. While it may not be as glamourous as the likes of Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Ozil, Wenger may need to bite the bullet and spend big in order to solve his engine-room issues.