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Arsenal Transfer Talk: Clichy Favors Liverpool Move and More Transfer Talk

Toni Okike
Jun 23, 2011

Apologies for not publishing any post yesterday. Iโ€™ve been engaged with the grueling post-graduation college process calledย clearance. I got home late so I decided to get a warm bath, a nice meal, a bottle of Guinness and aย quick nap. I had hoped that I was going to wake up around 11 p.m. to publish the post, but when I opened my eyes, I was hit hard by the Sunโ€™s rays instead of seeing a full moon that wouldโ€™ve turnedย Gabriel van Helsingย into a werewolf.

Gervinhoโ€™s imminent arrival is starting to take all eternity, but patience has to be a virtue that the Gunners will have toย exercise. We all know that a ยฃ10.5 million fee has been agreed by both footballing parties, so personal terms and clauses will probably be what is happening behind the scenes.

Iโ€™ve been contemplating on the number that Gervinho is going to wear when he joins Arsenal, but it wouldnโ€™t really matter because itโ€™s the man wearing the sacred Red and White that will be under the spotlight, not his jersey number.

However, itโ€™s heartwarming to know that he wouldnโ€™t be wearing the No. 18 jersey thatโ€™s reserved for French men that score own goals every season.

Moving over to transfer speculation involving player arrivals, Blackburnโ€™s Indian owners have told Arsenal thatย they donโ€™t want their money.ย 

This news is a major setback because the media Vultures and gooners alike have heralded Christopher Samba as the half-messiah that will bring that much needed solidity to Arsenalโ€™s shaky back line.

The other half-messiah is Boltonโ€™s Gary Cahill.

Samba on the other hand has told Blackburn that he has anย ambitionย to play at the top because heโ€™s not getting any younger, and he owes himself a move to a title challenging club like Arsenal whoโ€™s also involved in an elite European competition like the UEFA Champions League.

Samba is adamant to leave Blackburn but the club wants to do everything in their power to keep him. This can be likened to when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, something has to give.

Samba is the kind of signing that the Arsenal fans would like to see. He might not be aย world beaterย like Vidic, Chiellini or Lucio, but he has the attributes that have been missing in Arsenal defense: aerial prowess, experience, aggression, power and bravery.

Djourou possesses aerial prowess but that ability was put under question when a bloke from Ipswich sent an over the top ball to Tamas Priskin in the Carling Spoon semis. Squillaciโ€™s age automatically qualifies him to be an experienced center back but his shaky and confidence-ridden performances gave that word a new meaning.

When he was paired with Ignasi Miquel when Arsenal played Leyton Orient in the FA Cup both the youngster put up a more experienced outing than the Frenchman. The goal-bound shot that he saved with his head canโ€™t be forgotten though.

It seems as if Arsenal is not willing to meet up toย West Bromโ€™s demandsย concerning the sale of Odemwingie, but the club has told the media Vultures that the Nigerian and Mulumbu areย not going anywhere.

Peter Odemwingie and Manchester Unitedโ€™s Chicharito are undoubtedly my signings of the season, but I donโ€™t think that Arsenal has concrete plans for theย Naija boy.

Switching to tales involving player departures, Wenger has told the media Vultures that Carlos Vela isย part of his plansย for next season. Wenger has already blocked the youngster from joining Mexico in the Copa America, but his agent has cleared the air by saying thatย Vela isnโ€™t going anywhere.

Vela is one player that has a very bright future at Arsenal but his potential hasnโ€™t been harnassed fully by the club and Wenger the alchemist. He thrived better when he was deployed as a center forward but he has spent more time on the left wing to no great effect.

With Bendtnerโ€™s departure imminent, Velaโ€™s breakthrough season might come up next season because he and Chamakh will be the able deputies for Arsenalโ€™s goal scoring machine, Robin van Persie.

We all know that rVp has glass bones so the fight for the number two striking spot will be between Vela and Chamakh.

Chamakh grabbed the bull by the horns when van Persie and Bendtner where out nursing injuries at the start of last season so Vela has to do his best when given another chance by Arsene Wenger.

The media Vultures have linked Arsenal with a player that has been admired a lot by Arsenal,ย Phil Jagielka. Jagielka is more or less the best English defensive sensation after Man Utdโ€™s Rio Ferdinard and Chelseaโ€™s John Terry.

Jagielka has very good defensive attributes such as good marking and tackling skills and heโ€™s also an adept header of the ball that has a very high work rate. Heโ€™s a lad whose bravery can be underlined in his determination to help his teammates in certain critical situations which range from last-ditch tackles to vital anticipations.

If Wenger misses out on Cahill and Samba he shouldnโ€™t hesitate to set his sights on Jagielka.

Gael Clichy is currently Arsenalโ€™s longest serving player but it seems as if heโ€™s odds on to leave the club this summer after his amazing years of service. Wenger has said that he wonโ€™t stand in Clichyโ€™s way, but he also clarified that heโ€™ll only favor a move abroad but Clichy wants to turn the tables because he has hinted that heโ€™llย favor a move to Liverpoolย despite being targeted by a host of clubs with Roma being the forerunners for his signature.

This means that Wenger has to buy Leighton Baines, Jose Enrique or any other left back from the Milky Way whether Clichy wants to stay or not. He has shown everyone that he may never write the famous ฯ‡ ฯƒ ฯ‡ ฯƒ on the ______ section of his contract so Wenger needs to act fast because thereโ€™s money to spend.

Itโ€™s unfortunate to know that Clichyโ€™s Arsenal career path might end this way because the only trophy he won with the club was the FA Cup in 2005.

Should he decide to leave Arsenal Football Club, weโ€™ll have no choice but to wish him all the best because he gave Arsenal seven good years of his life. He was so good in the 2007/08 season that he earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year for that season.

In other news, Feyernoord might not secureย the services of Ryo Miyaichiย next season so a loan move to another club has to be on the cards because that Jap needs more games under his belt before he can be ready for the challenge of playing for a club like Arsenal FC.

Iโ€™ll also urge my esteemed readers to check out Femisoroโ€™s post onย Arsene Wenger: The master of the delaying gameย .

Itโ€™s worth a read.

Todayโ€™s tweet of the day was culled fromย A cultured left foot

The Arsenal name is known and recognised around the world. It is synonymous with an attractive style of play, a youthful team, innovation, tradition and winning

Arsene Wenger has won three league titles, four FA Cups and four Community shields

Give him some time

Next season by just be our season

In Arsene We Trust.

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Sayonara