Arsenal Transfer News: Top Rumours Surrounding Gunners on New Year's Day 2015
A new year means a fresh start, and with the opening of the January transfer window upon us, the rumour mill is quickly heating up, linking Arsenal with a host of players.
Not all news coming from the Emirates is good, however, as it looks like a long-time contributor is drawing ever closer to a January exit. Here are the transfer rumours surrounding Arsenal on New Year's Day.
Lukas Podolski Storms Out of Training Ground, Goes AWOL
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Lukas Podolski's relationship with the club may have reached a breaking point on Wednesday, as the Germany international reportedly left Arsenal's London Colney base before training commenced and didn't join his team-mates for the trip to Southampton, per the Daily Mirror's John Cross:
"Lukas Podolski stormed out of Arsenal’s training ground on Wednesday after becoming increasingly frustrated with life at the Emirates.
Podolski did not train at the Gunners’ Hertfordshire HQ after complaining of a groin injury and he has not travelled with his team-mates for the New Year's Day game at Southampton.
But it is understood that the 29-year-old forward was furious because his future is uncertain. He fears Arsenal are blocking a potential move to Inter Milan.
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The 29-year-old has hardly featured for the Gunners during the 2014-15 campaign and has been linked with a loan move away from the club in January, with Inter Milan's Roberto Mancini openly stating he was interested in bringing him to Italy.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger didn't take kindly to that message, via Sky Sports: "That is a joke. Inter Milan is not serious. It is nothing serious. They talk, there is only talk."
Podolski is one of the club's most experienced contributors, and with Olivier Giroud currently suspended and Danny Welbeck struggling for form and fitness, one would understand Wenger's reluctance to allow the World Cup winner to leave the club at this particular time.
If these latest reports are to be believed, however, he might not have much of a choice.
Podolski is yet to start a single Premier League match this season, per WhoScored.com.
Stephan El Shaarawy Pledges Allegiance to AC Milan
The Daily Express' David Wright recently linked AC Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy with a move to the Emirates, but following a recent 4-2 friendly win over Real Madrid, the young star told reporters he has no intention of leaving his current club.
As reported by Goal's Joe Wright, he said:
"I've already said: I'm staying at Milan and I want to do well. In terms of the game, we did well. It was a great day for me.
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A game like this gives me a lot of confidence. Goals are important mentally for a striker, so I'm happy to have got two against Real Madrid.
It was also very satisfying for the team—we've underlined that we're doing well after the Roma and Napoli games.
Injuries and loss of form have seen the 22-year-old's stock drop tremendously after his phenomenal 2012-13 season, in which he scored 16 Serie A goals, via WhoScored.com, and established himself as one of the most exciting prospects in football.
While the talent is still there, confidence has been an issue for the Italy international. He never appeared comfortable playing with Mario Balotelli and hasn't been able to re-establish himself in Filippo Inzaghi's squad in 2014-15.
His pace, excellent finishing ability and sheer confidence made him a dangerous weapon during his breakout season, and in the friendly against Madrid, he looked very much like the vintage El Shaarawy. He scored twice, and his first goal was an absolute beauty, per BetVictor:
The youngster's value is at an all-time low right now, and if his form returns and he can remain healthy, he could present interested clubs with a real coup. But as detailed by Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey and Janusz Michallik, the Gunners' main priority for January isn't a forward:
El Shaarawy is a luxury—one the club perhaps can't afford right now. Add to that his desire to stay in Milan, and it seems unlikely any transfer will come to pass.
Aston Villa Lead Queue for Yaya Sanogo Loan?
Back to the Daily Mirror's John Cross, who knows that Aston Villa have moved ahead of French sides Bordeaux and Lorient in the battle for loan target Yaya Sanogo, with Wenger preferring a Premier League side for his budding star.
Wenger refused to rule out a possible loan move for the 21-year-old in a recent interview, as shared by the club's official Twitter feed:
The forward has all of the natural tools one desires at the position but has struggled adapting to the Premier League, and he has yet to score a league goal since moving to the club in the summer of 2013.
Sanogo needs more playing time, and a loan seems like the perfect opportunity for him to achieve just that. Adding Premier League experience is key, however, giving Villa a leg up over their Ligue 1 rivals. Bleacher Report's James McNicholas agrees:
There's just one problem: Villa already have a designated striker—a very good one at that. If Sanogo needs regular minutes, he likely won't be finding them with Christian Benteke standing in his way.
Villa could opt to push him out wide or use him as the primary backup, but either way, he won't be starting every single match. Wenger may be better off looking elsewhere.
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