Arsene Wenger has happily admitted that he is desperate to bring in another centre-back after Mathieu Debuchy was ruled out for at least the next three months, but says that he is having trouble locating a suitable target in January.
But yesterday the Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista has revealed that his agent is in talks with Arsenal and trying to broker a deal to take the 24 year-old to the Emirates. He was quoted as saying: “I’m very calm at Villarreal. My head is here and I’m very focused. My agent is working on making sure I continue being calm, but whether I go to Arsenal or I stay here, I’ll continue to be the same.”
The Brazilian, who arrived in Spain from Vitoria two years ago, has been linked with Arsenal for the last couple of weeks, but the snag has been that, because Paulista has not yet played for the Brazilian national side, it would be difficult to obtain a work permit for the UK. This may still be the case, so perhaps the delay in signing may be that Arsenal are trying to get the Home Office to approve a permit before continuing.
Paulista was named the Best Central Defender in Brazil in 2012, but took some time to adapt to Spanish football before gaining his excellent form again this season. If he comes to Arsenal he cannot afford a settling in period, so because of these doubts I don’t think that we should pursue this one, at least not until the summer.
We really need an experienced Premier League player to do the job right now! Winston Reid anyone?
If Wenger can’t find a defender, why not try and get Varane on loan until the end of the season? Apparently he wants more game time than he gets at Madrid, but they don’t want to sell. Then get a proper signing in the summer… When Hummels will be available.
Varane on loan? Bahahaha
Lets try an get cavani on loan too
Perhaps isco is getting bored on the bench-loan time!
Planet earth will still be here when u get back sir
Loaning out young players that need more game time isn’t a thing unheard of, no matter how good they are. Even the best players go on loan sometimes. Courtois went on loan to Atletico last year, Falcao is on loan at United..
but if Pepe or Ramos are injured, he’s their next go to man. So i think Varane is just gonna have to accept that bench time.
Hector moreno. Tough tackling. Mexican international. 26. Available cheap.wants to go
@Gunman………nicely put, well tailored
Yeah but @gunman what you read is what the press say. Do you believe everything you read? If it was true we’d have a squad of 50 players by now and most of the worlds top players all at the Emirates. Wenger never tells the world what he’s planning. If we get someone it won’t be even remotely guessable until 24 hours before they sign….I’m sure we’ll get someone at cb…just a question of who and how good.
This guy has been awful this season
I’d take him-
Rahahahahahaha……..the whole worLd wanna play for ArsenaL…… Awesome! ….. L()L
Reid not good enough I would say Mert is slightly better
Moreno is worth a punt but I’m massively disappointed that we won’t be getting a top DM , I pay top money to see Arsenal I should see top players, this season will be a struggle for fouth, and we shouldnt be aiming for fouth, it’s just that wenger is a master of making the dissapointment of not challenging leaving everyone happy with average.
But it I’ll still support Arsenal as long as I live, just not the way the club is being run
I would take chambers over reid as 3rd choice centre back, personally I would bring back jenkinson so we have 2 right backs (Jenks and bellerin) gibbs and monreal are the left backs with chambers covering the two centre backs. Obviously if we could get a world class centre back like hummels then get him, but winston Reid! Really? He scored 2 own goals and given away 3 penalties in half a season.
I also think we have a Dm as good as most of the garbage we have been linked with. Coquelin always had the potential and now is starting to fulfill it, now he is, everyone wants to sign an untried in the premier league carvalho, who has played less matches than coquelin. If carvalho was available for £1m no one would want him, but cos he has a £25m price tag everyone thinks he is something special. Well i have watched him on at least 20 occasions and I am telling you he is not as good as coquelin.
Reports in some papers claiming representatives of sissoko are in talks to bring him to the Emirates..
If we are in talks then – that translates to – 6 other clubs are ahead of us ..
We miss dein so much.. If we were in talks when he was here.. We usually got them..
I’d love sissoko.. He’s not viera or yaya.. But he would be an amazing signing.. That would elevate us and give us something different to tika taka weak diminutive players that get bullied by the bigger clubs..
After today’s game.. Who knows.. We may be in a crisis??
Hope not..
Agree with you about Sissoko,but I don’t think Wenger will buy because he was offered to Arsenal for2.5 million 2 years ago and Wenger wasn’t interested. He is never going to admit he was wrong as well as having to pay nearly 15 mill, his ego will not allow that.
You’re probably right.. Think I remember his name been bandied about ..
I’d love someone to question wenger on the Abu diaby mystery.. Not just the obligatory question about injuries but a thorough debate as to why he hasn’t played more than 2 consecutive games in almost 3 years..??? It’s a bit of a joke really..
This is one player that when fit could have emulated viera or toure… I feel we will never get that opportunity as he will be eternally injured..!
Sadly had he been fit he probably wouldn’t be playing for us anyway. Probably one of the most complete players to play for Arsenal, he would no doubt have been sold on to Real Madrid or Barcelona etc. Getting a bad feeling about this window. Why leave it late to buy.Surely it is better to bid early so at least the selling club can get a replacement. What do I know?
I am not thinking about no new signing today.. All I am thinking about is Arsenal Vs City later on..
Please and please wenger, make sure you play fighters. battlers and road runners in this game, this is not a game for tiki taki rubbish, we need players that are high energy, have high intensity etc..
My Outfield choices..
The Coq —- Rosicky
…Cazorla…
The Ox ——— Sanchez
Giroud
Don’t play The Ox in Midfield, he is too careless in there and in each match he will have at least 2 mistakes of giving the ball away so carelessly. And he is not disciplined enough in midfield, he has pace but we will need more than that, we need cool heads that can keep possession and attack too.. So I say play him on the wing..
Rosicky if fit has got to start for me, absolutely has got to. He is hight energy and direct when in possession..
But what do I know..
I hate to love Wenger as he can’t stop giving me headache….he is absolutely not a modern manager when it comes to transfer dealings.COYG let’s win today’s game jamani,aah!!!
After game we will all be on here saying the same thing as we do when we get beaten by all the big clubs those who think we can get a result are totally deluded we do not have a prayer they will expose all our weaknesses and win the game comfortably then u can all start the moaning about Wenger the team certain players just face facts we are not good enough!!
Cream with your humble pie sir?
Wenger single handedly ruined our season cause of his transfer dithering.
Now he has excuses to not get 1, what a joke this old man is.
How did we let the Nastasic thing pass us by? Thought we were in the market for him. If we weren’t, then why weren’t we?
I have watched him for couple of games and he is fast,strong,aggresive and he is missing some wheels in his head (shawcross type) 🙂 . I think he would settle in very fast, he’s still young and he has still lots of learning to do,but my opinion is that aw should buy him.
I have already written my thoughts on this part of the field…
Whatever decision made here will be a reflection on Wengers thoughts on Mertisacter. What we can’t afford is another stop gap type of player. This guy can not be also just seen as cover, but as a potential to become the 1st choice.
Push has become shove… With the budget available it rules out a £25m defender… Also because they tend to be top talent, and no one really let’s top talent leave in Jan.
Unless your top talent is Varane who needs games and isn’t getting it. I know if he could speak to Wenger he will definitely want to sign. But will RM let him go?
Only other option is an unknown who is cost effective, can bind his time until he takes over Mertisacter in the summer but has all the credentials for EPL.
Any names?