Premier League Transfers: Top 7 January Rumors This Week

The big transfer rumours among the Premier League clubs this week appear to have been weighted heavily in the direction of Arsenal.

Perhaps the media are looking to capitalise on the current crisis engulfing the club (you know, the crisis that has seen them win seven of their last eight games), but they would have you believe that Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie are all on their way out come the new year.

Elsewhere, Tottenham may have to fight off Liverpool in order to sign "the new Modric," the Reds are preparing to sign a third Newcastle player in as many transfer windows and Manchester United are considering a club record bid for an Argentinian midfielder.

Step right this way...

Robin Van Persie to Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain

Arsene Wenger used the Arsenal annual general meeting to let it be known he is confident that club captain Robin van Persie would be signing a new contract.

That quote was soon widely reported as a sign that talks have opened with the Dutch striker over a new deal taking him beyond June 2013. Except, he hasn't.

Instead, RvP remains coy about his future at the Emirates Stadium, with Real, Bayern and PSG reportedly waiting in the wings to rob the Gunners of yet another star.

Carlos Tevez to Corinthians

The ostracised Manchester City striker's return to former club Corinthians has been an on-off saga, much like his love affair with the club he captained to the FA Cup and a Champions League place less than six months ago.

However, while his relationship with City looks to be most definitely off, The Corinthians move could be back on.

According to The Daily Mail, the Brazilian club is still interested in signing Tevez in January, and the Argentinian international is considering mounting a legal challenge which could force City to let him go for free.

Nicolas Gaitan to Manchester United

The Daily Telegraph reports that Alex Ferguson was so impressed with the Benfica midfielder when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last month that he is considering smashing the club's transfer record to sign him.

Gaitan's contract at the Estadio da Luz includes a hefty £40m release clause, and with Inter Milan and the nouveau riche Paris Saint-Germain also keeping a close eye on 23-year-old, Ferguson will have to spend to get his man.

The ace up Fergie's sleeve is that he could use the Lisbon side's visit to Old Trafford in November to lay the groundwork with Benfica officials before other suitors can get involved.

Fabricio Coloccini to Liverpool

Liverpool may boast more tattoo-covered skinheads than most if not all other clubs in the Premier League, but as a result they have a distinct lack of players with long hair to keep Andy Carroll company.

To that end, the club are considering making a January bid for Newcastle centre-back Fabricio Coloccini in January in a bid to find a long-term replacement for Jamie Carragher, according to the Daily Mirror.

The poodle-haired Argentinian defender has been a major part of Newcastle's unbeaten start to the season, though the reaction of Tyneside fans to a third star leaving for Anfield (after Carroll and Jose Enrique) in little over a year does not bear thinking about.

Theo Walcott to Barcelona

Despite often being derided as little more than a "sprinter without a football brain," it seems that the Walcott has a big admirer in the form of Barcelona boss Theo Walcott.

The England international's lightning pace has caused the European champions problems whenever he has featured against them over the last two seasons, and the Metro reports he could be zipping up and down the Camp Nou touchline on a regular basis if Barca get their way.

However, the 23-year-old has stated his intention to sign a new, long-term contract at the Emirates to try and realize his ambition of becoming a central striker.

Marko Marin to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool

The Germany midfielder may only be knee-high to a grasshopper, but what he lacks in stature he more than compensates for in creative guile.

Tottenham were heavily linked with him throughout last season, when they played Werder Bremen twice in the Champions League group stage. That speculation grew in the summer when it looked as though Luka Modric was on his way to Chelsea.

Liverpool may be blessed with a whole host of quality midfielders, but nowhere among their ranks do they have a playmaker who possesses the sort of vision and subtle craft of the 22-year-old.

The Daily Mail reports that both the aforementioned clubs are monitoring the Bosnia-born maverick, while Arsenal and Chelsea are also keeping their eye in.

Andrei Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci to Anzhi Makhachkala

That Arshavin: he's rubbish isn't he? That is the commonly-held consensus of a player who set up 11 goals in the Premier League last season–only Nani, Didier Drogba and dearly-departed teammate Cesc Fabregas claimed more assists last term–and scored the winning goal against Barcelona to boot.

Still, that Sebastien Squillaci: he really is rubbish, isn't he? Well, yes. Since joining Arsenal in 2010 his luck with injuries has been hopeless and his performances on the pitch have been hapless.

Aside from both playing for Arsenal, what has linked these two players this week is that, according to Russia Today among many sources, they are both being targeted by Russian football's new superpower, Anzhi Makhachkala.

A move for Arshavin makes plenty of sense. He still has more than enough talent to bring back to the league he shone in for Zenit St Petersburg, while signing the captain of the Russian national team would be a major coup for Anzhi. Why they would want Squillaci, however, is anyone's guess.