After a largely uneventful January transfer window, I’m sure Arsenal fans are already looking to the next transfer window for an opportunity to build a winning squad.
It strikes me that this squad isn’t too far off being title-competitors, but it’s missing a couple of world-class players. A couple of smart additions could take the Arsenal team from a ‘could be’ to a ‘should be’.
As it is, however, the Gunners are languishing outside the top four and don’t have too much to look forward to this season. Does even the most optimistic Arsenal fan think they have any chance in the Champions League? Can they really succeed in the FA Cup when they dropped out of the Carling Cup due to a defeat at the hands of Bradford City?
Next summer will offer an opportunity for re-birth. Another shot at the top. Arsenal have to grab it. They need to be ambitious in the transfer market.
According to Le10 (via Sports Witness), Arsenal are looking to sign Newcastle United’s unique talent, Hatem Ben Arfa. Now I’d say he’s a player who would fit the bill. According to this source, Arsenal are already working on bringing Ben Arfa in this summer.
That’s good to hear. Arsenal are notoriously slow in the transfer market and if they’re already at work, that can only be a good thing.
Ben Arfa looks like a player who was destined to play at Arsenal: young, French and talented. He’s the kind of player that Arsene Wenger used to sign on the cheap, but who comes at a premium nowadays. It would take a lot of money to persuade Newcastle to sell.
But with the Magpies struggling this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if more of their talented players went the way of Demba Ba and flew the coup.
Newcastle would miss him, but they’d get a decent price for him which could be reimbursed into the squad. That could be more healthy than the constant media speculation that seems to surround Ben Arfa.
Arsenal already have a talented midfield, but Ben Arfa would take it to the next level. The thought of the Frenchman playing alongside Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla is almost mouth-watering.
I’m taking this particular rumour with a pinch of salt, but that won’t stop me getting excited about the possibility.
What’s your take? Could Hatem Ben Arfa be an Arsenal player by next summer?
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Not Fussed about him. Ben Afra is known to have a poor attitude. His record in the league is inconsistent at best . He scored 5 goals and got 7 assists last year. He would literally be another Asharvin , High wages and not willing to fight for the cause. Plus where would he play in the Starting XI ? I wouldnt play him over Santi, Jack or Walcott this season.
Don’t get me wrong incredible talent on his day, but an attitude like balotelli which means he wont ever realise his full potential.
Ben Arfa would be a terrible signing with his injury record. May as well just give Diaby / Rosicky bumper new contracts with that line of thought.
Leave matter for mathias! That’s a popular saying in Nigeria. As for me i don’t think meddling with arsene wenger’s cheque book is a healthy business, the frenchman knows what he i doing and nobody tells him what to do. I can tell you i dissappointed i was when arsenal failed to sign players like huntelar, holtby, m’villa, remy. Diame, ba, david villa, goucourf, cuenca etc inspite of all the media speculations and hypes. I have made a resolution of never expecting any signing from wenger.
Ben arfa is a fine and quality talant player but i’d think assen wenger can spend the money and sing him we wait untill the end of the season.
Why would Demba Ba fly the COUP? Wouldn’t he be more likely to fly the COOP? Anyway, semantics aside, would Arsenal really try to sign Hatem Ben Afleck, when there’s a lot of old bad blood between him and Abou Diaby?? I really doubt it!