Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Kaka, Hazard and Arteta Atop Arsene Wenger's Wish List

With Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool now firmly in the books, Arsene Wenger turns his attention back to the matter of finding a top-flight replacement for Cesc Fabregas. The Gunners boss must move swiftly and with strong intent, as the summer transfer window is due to slam shut at the end of August.

On the pitch, his side, ravaged thus far by injuries, embarks upon another challenging week, with away fixtures at Udinese on Wednesday in the second leg of the Gunners' Champions League playoff and at Manchester United on Sunday in yet another marquee Premier League event.

Clearly, Arsene has plenty on his plate with which to concern himself at the moment, with spending money to boost his hard-luck club toward winning some hardware this season standing as priority No. 1.

Let's have a look, then, at who Wenger is keen to shower with some of the £35 million he extracted from Arsenal for Cesc to be the midfield maestro's replacement.

Kaka

According to Mirror Football, Wenger's search for Cesc's substitute has expanded to include Real Madrid star Kaka. The 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year and winner of the Ballon d'Or would join the Gunners on loan as a stopgap measure, serving as a most talented tourniquet to quell the bleeding at the Emirates Stadium.

A short-term deal for a veteran of Kaka's age (29) would be anything but typical for Arsene, though it makes eminent sense for all involved.

For the Gunners, Kaka would provide an instant influx of leadership and vision for their attack. Kaka knows full well how to handle the pressure of playing at the highest level of club football, having won trophies with three sides in three different countries. What's more, the brilliant Brazilian would serve as the perfect tutor for 18-year-old new boy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who, by all accounts, will be a cornerstone of Wenger's side for years to come.

A temporary stay would also favor Kaka quite nicely. The Brazil international has struggled to stay fit ever since arriving in Madrid two summers ago. In the meantime, he has seen his role decrease with each new high-profile signing that Jose Mourinho has made.

As such, a move to Arsenal, even if only on loan, would give Kaka the perfect opportunity to resurrect his career while playing for one of the top sides in the best football league in the world.

And certainly, the Gunners wouldn't mind if he took full advantage of that chance.

Mikel Arteta

If Wenger cannot pry Kaka away from Bernabeu, he will likely seek out a similar replacement for Cesc in Everton's Mikel Arteta.

Like Kaka, Arteta is a 29-year-old attacking midfielder whose career peaked in 2007 and has since been ravaged by injuries. The Spanish international would be a shot in the arm to Arsenal's creative ability on the attack, with his tight dribbling and pinpoint crosses and passes opening up opportunities for Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Gervinho up front.

Whether on loan or transfer, Arteta could likely be had for a reasonable price, as well, which should serve as beautiful music to the ears of the ever-frugal Arsene. The Toffees have a huge margin for profit with Arteta, having acquired him from Real Sociedad in 2005 for a mere fee of £2 million. 

Wenger hasn't exactly had the best luck dealing with Everton boss David Moyes, having already had his £2 million bid for defender Phil Jagielka rejected. That being said, the Toffees are in rather dire straits financially and could certainly use some fresh cash, even if it means offloading one of their stars to a Premier League rival.

No doubt that Wenger wouldn't mind helping them in that regard.

Eden Hazard

 Neither Kaka nor Arteta quite satisfies Wenger's typical criteria for an impact addition, particularly since they're both approaching 30 and would likely only be aboard for a year or two, at most.

Should Arsene opt instead for a starlet to fill Cesc's shoes, he would do well to seek out Eden Hazard as his No. 1 option.

The 20-year-old Belgium international is among the fastest rising youngsters in the world, having drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for his tremendous pace, ambidexterity, vision, flare and aggressive style in attacking the goal.

Among other things.

Hazard has also been lavished with praise for his poise under pressure and leadership ability, especially at such a young age. Furthermore, he knows what it takes to win trophies, having helped Lille capture the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France last season.

That's more than most Gunners can say, as Arsenal haven't captured any hardware since 2005.

A player of Hazard's talent would fit well on any team, though he would benefit as much as any new boy from the depth of knowledge and skill that Arsene has in developing young talent. What's more, Hazard would have the luxury of playing alongside former Mastiff mate Gervinho, who joined Arsenal on a £10.5 million transfer in July.

According to multiple reports, Lille are willing to part with their phenom for a hefty fee of £26 million, though Wenger can certainly afford it after squeezing £35 million out of Barcelona for Fabregas.

And if Hazard turns out to be the real deal, the Gunners could be back on the straight and narrow toward the top of the EPL sooner than expected.

All told, Arsene has plenty of options from which to choose to shore up his club's shoddy attack. More important than who Wenger decides to pursue to fill in for Fabregas, though, is that he moves swiftly to add someone before the transfer window slams shut on his fingers.  

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