Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Any Truth to Ribery Rumors?

Arsenal fans woke up to another string of rumors and potential transfers this morning, none more so than rumors of advanced talks for Bayern Munich winger Frank Ribery. With news of a much improved wage offer to Nasri also being circulated, and the on again off again saga with the likes of Joel Campbell and super kid Chamberlain, Arsenal’s fans heads' must be spinning.

It is not a stretch of the imagination to picture Arsene Wenger being interested in the French international. Wenger has stated his admiration for Ribery’s skills in the past. Arsenal was thought to be keen on Ribery before, but the asking price since his breakout in the 2006 World Cup run has always been too high for Wenger.

Early reports regarding talks of a £22 million transfer were from footybunker.com. Other sites picked up on the chatter and proceeded to perpetuate the possibility. If there is truth to these rumors, what would Ribery bring to Arsenal? And at the reported cut rate cost, should he be purchased over other rumored targets?

There is no questioning the skill-set Ribery brings to the pitch when healthy. The key point is his health. Ribery saw the pitch for only 22 league games in the Bundesliga last season. In those games he provided 11 assists and seven goals. The production is there, but will the body allow him to make it through the rigors of the Premier League along with other competitions?

His experience in competing for a World Cup and Champions League title, along with capturing two German doubles,  would be a welcome addition to Arsenal’s young squad. Having played for Bayern, he understands the pressures of performing in the spotlight of a top club. Adding a player of Ribery’s stature would also check the box of attracting a big name to the Emirates. It could potentially convince the likes of Nasri and others to stay on board.

Despite the positives of skill and experience Ribery brings, he also brings some definite question marks. Ribery is not known for having the best locker room manners. If he creates friction behind closed doors, collective output on the field may suffer. He has also been in trouble with the underage prostitution incident that involved several French players. He is also 28 years old, an age considered on the downward slope of a player’s career. His history of injuries has got to be of concern as well. Arsenal cannot afford to pay over £20 million for a player who only appears in half of their games.

Speculation is that the deal for Ribery will be done once an acceptable agreement for Fabregas is reached with Barcelona. While Ribery could comfortably slot into Nasri’s position, allowing Samir to move into Cesc’s position, one has to believe there are better options out there. Personally I would prefer to see less money spent to secure Mata, or even spend an extra few million to try and secure Eden Hazard. A fee of £22 million could bring in a combination of Samba and either Enrique or Cissokho to solidify the backline.

Personally, I feel this is more speculation during a slow time in the transfer season. Eventually, all the cards will be played and Wenger will spend on what he determines the team needs. I just think buying Ribery for this price at this time is about four years too late.