Arsenal look set to make at least two Deadline Day signings, with several highly reputable sources (including the BBC & Sky Sports) claiming that we are on the verge of finishing deals for Real Madrid’s Mesut Ozil and Palermo goalkeeper Emeliano Viviano.
Gareth Bale’s transfer to Madrid looks set to have a knock-on effect, with Ozil and possibly Benzema and Di Maria leaving the Bernabeu. Arsenal have made clear their interest in Benzema and Di Maria pretty clear, but the Ozil deal looks to be the only one that will definitely happen, with a reported transfer fee of somewhere in the region of £40-45m. There were rumours that we were also looking at the option of bringing Kaka to the club on a season-long loan, but he appears to be going back to AC Milan.
The transfer of Emiliano Viviano is particularly intersting. Viviano is an apparently highly-rated keeper who has six caps for Italy and spent last season on-loan at Fiorentina from Palermo. Palermo are trying to downsize their squad after relegation to Serie B, and goal.com are reporting that the deal “is likely to be a season-long loan, which gives Arsenal the option to buy Viviano at the end of the campaign”. I can’t say I know too much about the player, but I do have to say that the fact that Fiorentina didn’t want to sign him on a permanent deal is slightly worrying. I guess we will find out if he is any good in due course.
With Viviano and Ozil joining the club, the third signing (if there is a third signing, or maybe a fourth!) is anybody’s guess. I see a deal for Benzema as more likely than Di Maria because we really need a striker to take the weight off Giroud. If Wenger is looking to splash out then it could be also Suarez or Rooney. Other players we are linked with include Juan Mata, Abel Hernandez, Julian Draxler and Demba Ba.
The transfer window closes at 11pm (UK time), so we will try to keep you up to date as quickly as possible. The easiest way to stay up to date is to follow us on Twitter.
What Wenger had to say:
“I am not against spending money, but I want to add super quality to our squad… We need one or two super players and we will try to add that. We have 24 more hours, so maybe we can surprise you. Maybe not – but I am confident.
“[Bale’s transfer] is a little bit like a domino game. Maybe something will happen in the last 24 hours, maybe not. It is very difficult to predict. I am ready to pay what we can afford, even if it is a bit over the market [value] and as long as it is not crazy. I am not against spending.”
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