After weeks of hearing that Manchester City are set to ‘snap up’ Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie, it’s a little weird to hear a rumour suggesting that the Gunners are looking to snatch away one of City’s own strikers. We’ve become too accustomed to City as a buying club – and they do have a history of buying from Arsenal: Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri – so it’s weird to think of another club actively targeting one of their players in the transfer market.
Yet Sports News Ireland claim that Arsenal are lining up a move for City’s Edin Dzeko. Can the Gunners really be interested in Manchester City’s £27m signing, or is this just an unfounded act of speculation?
The main reason there’s any speculation regarding his future seems to be the result of his inability to hold down a starting spot at the Etihad. It’s not like he has been sidelined, he has still made 31 appearances in all competitions for Man City. The problem is that it’s clear he’s not top dog as Sergio Aguero has led the way with 41 appearances this year. Now that Carlos Tevez is back in the running, he’s likely to pick up even less time and this consideration may weigh heavily on his mind.
Whilst his situation has hardly reached crisis point, he may well fancy further opportunities. However, I just can’t see him moving from Man City to Arsenal – it just doesn’t make sense. He’s getting enough games at City and he’s much more likely to pick up silverware with his current club than he would be at Arsenal. It’s not like his style of football is even suited to the kind that the Gunner’s play.
In more ways than one this appears to be completely nonsensical transfer-babble.
The worst thing about this rumour is that it’s likely to spawn a bunch of conjecture over a potential Dzeko – Robin Van Persie swap. That’s like trading in your new Ferrari for a used BMW – Wenger’s just not going to go for it. I don’t mean that as a slight to Dzeko, who’s clearly a quality striker and a natural finisher, but he’s on the same level as RVP.
Arsenal’s main concern this summer will be keeping hold of the Dutchman at all costs and they wont want to get roped into any swap deals. I doubt the interest in Edin Dzeko is true, but if it is, City fans shouldn’t get excited about the potential of RVP joining them in return.
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