The Arsenal Blog

Arsenal fans are not used to this sort of thing from Arsene Wenger during the January transfer window, as we are usually left with shredded nerves and no fingernails on the transfer deadline day, feverishly checking the internet every few minutes and hoping that the Frenchman has something up his sleeve.

This year the Gunners boss seems to have got his work done with almost a week to spare, as an ESPN report reveals that the transfer deal to bring the Brazilian defender Gabriel Paulista to the Premier League has been done. It has still to be confirmed officially by the Arsenal website but the report explains that Paulista’s La Liga club Villarreal have confirmed the move, which just needs a medical to be done before it is all wrapped up.  ...........Read more

After the Arsenal boss was uncharacteristically honest and open about the ongoing negotiations with the Spanish club Villareal about their defender Gabriel Paulista, it did seem to be highly likely that the deal was close. Arsene Wenger, quite rightly, likes to keep his transfer plans as quiet as possible until they are done.

But the Frenchman also admitted that the Gunners and Paulista’s current La Liga club were not in agreement over the transfer fee, although he did seem hopeful. But there is strong evidence today that the two clubs have come to terms and so the Arsenal fans will hopefully soon have official confirmation that the versatile defender is heading to north London to sign on the dotted line.  ...........Read more

It has been a painful 10 years or so for Arsenal fans. After the Gunners really hit the heights by winning the Premier League without a single defeat in 2004 and lifting the FA cup in 2005, we had to wait nine long years for another trophy. Even though we reached a few finals, including the big one of the Champions League in 2006, Arsenal fans expected more.

And the same has been true of the league, despite being in a great position a few times like last season and in 2008 when Eduardo’s leg break saw us falter at the final hurdle. And the team that has made the most of our struggles, in more ways than one, is Chelsea.  ...........Read more

On the same day that Arsenal officially announced the completion of the transfer deal for the 17-year old Polish midfield prospect Krystian Bielik, in a deal thought to be costing the club around £2 million, the Arsenal fans could have a second signing to celebrate.

According to a Metro report, Arsenal have agreed terms with La Liga’s Villareal. The report has news from the Spanish media that we will pay the release clause of 20 million for their brilliant Brazilian centre back Gabriel Paulista.  ...........Read more

With Arsenal having been hit by the bad news about the club captain Mikel Arteta suffering a setback to his recovery from an ankle injury, Arsene Wenger’s need to use the January transfer window to strengthen the Arsenal squad in this area was made even more clear.

It was widely reported that the Frenchman was already looking to sign a player to cover us there, so you would think that the boss was even more determined. But at the same time, we have seen the emergence of Francis Coquelin who was recalled from a loan spell with Championship club Charlton and has been getting better and looking more composed at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield ever since.  ...........Read more

Some Arsenal fans have reacted with frustration and are exasperated by the throwaway comments made by Arsene Wenger yesterday about his search for a defender, as reported by Arsenal.com. But I would take the manager’s comments with a pinch of salt if I were you.

Wenger said, “We are still looking, yes.

“Unfortunately no [progress], but if you have a good idea, you can text me somewhere to the club!”  ...........Read more

While the Arsenal fans are understandably feeling a bit impatient and are keen for Arsene Wenger to get some good signings made in the January transfer window, I am sure that the manager and his back room staff are working hard to get the right players into the club.

Wenger has said before that he would not make transfers in the January window just for the sake of it, so he clearly does not like a stop gap solution, even if the Gunners are looking seriously stretched in a few key areas. One of those, clearly, is in defence, especially now that Mathieu Debuchy has dislocated his shoulder and looks set to miss the next three months of the season.  ...........Read more

This Arsenal transfer rumour was supposed to have been a done deal a week or two ago, but there have been some recent complications as the Gunners tried to complete the signing of the very promising young Polish player Krystian Bielik.

The Bundesliga club Hamburg have thrown their lot in and tried to hijack the deal, which was apparently being held up as Arsenal and his current club Legia Warsaw could not agree on the transfer fee. However, the defensive midfielder now looks like becoming a Gunner very soon as a Metro report claims that we have finally agreed terms and had our latest transfer bid for the 17-year old accepted.  ...........Read more

Get ready to be happy Arsenal fans! At least if the latest Arsenal transfer rumours about our search for a central midfielder to add the steel to the Gunners creative but somewhat lightweight midfield are true that is.

Because the Metro and other media outlets are reporting that Arsenal are on the verge of completing the transfer of the Borussia Dortmund and Germany star Ilkay Gundogan. The report says that officials of the two clubs are due to thrash out the details of the 24-year old’s move from the Bundesliga to the Premier League this week.  ...........Read more

We are all used to Arsene Wenger being very tight lipped and playing his Arsenal transfer cards close to his chest, so when you get a straight answer from the Frenchman it is a pretty good sign. Hopefully that means that the Gunners will soon have another defender in the squad, as Wenger admitted after the weekend win over Stoke City that he was in the market for a defensive transfer.

As reported by Arsenal.com, the boss revealed his intent to move for a defender in the transfer markey was strong before the match, so after losing Mathieu Debuchy to a shoulder injury that could keep the French right back out for a while, that need is even more urgent.  ...........Read more