Tag Futebol

Light and dark. Fast and Slow. Tea and coffee. Sat in a north London pub, I delved into another pair of opposites that has arguably become as famous across the last few years with the emergence of fan channels – Claude and Ty from Arsenal fan TV.

Cult figures primarily through an apparent innate to disagree about pretty much anything regarding the Gunners, we got to know the pair at the Ladbrokes #ForTheFans Transfer Deadline Day party.

Ladbrokes invited Ian Wright, Chris Kamara, Peter Reid, Jason McAteer and 50 fans to a north London pub to take part in the Ladbrokes #ForTheFans Transfer Deadline Day party, fans were treated to free bets, the latest reaction to transfer moves and news by our panel of legends, a singing Kammy and a free bar to keep the night flowing.

The consequences make for YouTube gold, meaning that whilst everyone around us was desperately seeking late deadline day transfer, we were busy dissecting the Gunners’ season over a pint…

So I start with the obvious question, what did you make of the January transfer window for Arsenal?

Ty: It’s a non-event for us really, we’ve signed Gabriel Paulista and we’ve done our job but I think it’s disappointing because all we seemed to be getting from the press and media is ‘who is he?’ We’re getting criticised for signing a defender when we needed one. We didn’t sign a defender, midfielder or striker. We signed a defender but were still getting stick, obviously we’d like to sign more but it is what it is. A lot of our players are getting back to full fitness.

Claude: I think ideally we need two or at least one big central defensive midfield player because although Coquelin is playing well at the moment I’m not sure he can do the whole season. I still think he’s got a lot to learn – though he has been playing brilliantly we still need that world class central defensive-midfielder. Maybe Wenger is right but we will see at the end of the season.

Ty: Yes there should have been (a central-midfielder signed) but we have Francis Coquelin who has been a revelation since he has come back on loan spell at Charlton. We do have Mikel Arteta and Matthieu Flamini (said with an emphasis on both that suggests a feeling they are underestimated).

Claude: I think Wenger has been lucky because I don’t think we be in this situation if Arteta was fit but luckily Coquelin has come back from Charlton and done a brilliant job. However I just think that’s fortune because I don’t think Wenger had even thought of bringing him back. I don’t think Arteta can get around the park like he used too.

Ty: We don’t know what’s happened with Abou Diaby because he’s been destroyed by injury. We have a few players in that position though obviously that would be nice, but if we’re going to sign someone big it should be at the end of season, because it’s not the managers remit to sign big players now.

Claude: I think there was possibilities of Carvalho and Schneiderlin didn’t quite get over the line, but I think we need that experienced world class midfielder. I don’t think Arteta has been a great player but he’s now coming to the end. Sometimes you’ve got to be a bit ruthless and not offer them a new contract.

Ty: I think it’s going to be at the end of the season, hopefully we’ve got enough to equal or emulate what we did last season- if we do that I’m sure everyone will be happy.

FFC to Ty, as Claude is busy re-charging his glass: What have you made of Arsenal recently having less of the ball in various fixtures, such as Manchester City and Aston Villa?

Ty: It’s nothing something he’d really do but he’s looked at us playing all the football and not getting the results. If we play less football and get the results then were happy. The funny thing is it’s the players that apparently suggested we should change our style but the thing is Claude said Wenger can’t take credit for that. But, they always say a good leader is someone who is prepared to listen, it showed he is not too arrogant and too big headed to not listen to what players say to him. That shows humblesness, co-operation and an ability to listen that only endears me to him more.

(At that moment both Ty and I inevitably turn towards Claude and laughter erupts) Naturally leading FFC to ask him: Do you think it’s fair that you are often known as ‘the negative one’ as such?

Claude: If you call negative wanting to win the league, challenging for the league that’s up for people to decide that but I want my club to do better. I think this club is big enough to be challenging for the title not settling for 4th each season.

Ty: Look at who were competing with Chelsea, Man City and Man Unitd who have all spent more money than us and he (Wenger) has still kept us competitive in the top four.

Claude: The mentality is coming, and of course players make the difference. I think the future looks good if we can just add those one or two special players it looks too late for this season but in the summer we’ve got to look at that again.

FFC: Turning to you as the ‘optimist’ Ty, recent months have seen speculation surrounding Wenger largely quell, things seem to be going well?

Ty: Absolutely because he’s doing his job and getting all the players fit. I don’t think since the invincibles that he has ever had his best 11 players fit so can you really judge him? I think you can only really judge him when he has had his whole first 11 fit for the season because if he did we would win the league. Obviously injuries happen and he has his faults which is far enough but you’ve got to look at the whole job the man has done.

Claude: At the moment he’s slightly turning me around but let’s wait to the end of season and we will see.

FFC: What would it take this season for you be convinced that Wenger is still the right man?

Claude: 3rd/2nd in the League and a really good run in CL, I mean at least the semi-finals. We’re capable but it’s early days yet.

Ty: All those things would be good obviously but, to me, even if we didn’t achieve any of those things, I would give Arsene another year, because of everything he has done for the club. It has been nothing short of incredible, to create an invincible team, it’s like a dream, if anything had told us we would go a whole season unbeaten we’d have never ever in our wildest dreams have believed them.

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FFC to Ty: So what would it take for you to say Wenger out?

Ty: I would never say that even if we got relegated, god forbid, out of Europe, and go down to the championship, because of what he has done for the club I cannot turn against him. What he has done for the club has been incredible, he is the reason why we are here because of the football we have played and seen – its been incredible, its been a dream, nothing could really turn me against him.

FFC: Finally, who has been your player of the season?

Claude: Alexis Sanchez, no doubt about it, he has been brilliant, absolutely outstanding.

Ty: Alexis Sanchez.

FFC: Nice to see I finally managed to find something you two agree on, thanks for your time guys.

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It’s amazing what happens with Arsenal fans when you propose to give them exactly what they want. Young, inexperienced players are not good enough; those who will take an age to come good and then speak out of their desire to move on to the silver halls of rivals, both domestic and abroad. It’s not good enough when the player is an unknown that may or may not be totally fabricated. Fans want excitement, a player they know they can put faith into and whose status is well-known around European football.

The reaction, then, to Arsenal’s reported interest in David Villa has been staggering. It was unbelievable when people dismissed Fernando Llorente earlier in this season because he apparently couldn’t get a game in Marcelo Bielsa’s side, but this is something else.

David Villa is injury prone and over the hill, according to some. He’s not the same player he once was and why would Barcelona be willing to let him go if he was that good? Well that’s not the whole story or the whole truth. Barcelona don’t want to let him go because they know exactly what his worth is and how much he can contribute. The player, on the other hand, wants to play every week like he once did and is more than keen on the idea of a move away.

Injury prone? Hardly. Arsenal fans should know exactly what injury prone is. It’s the Abou Diaby three-week injury which lasts half a season. It’s the Robin van Persie ankle injury picked up every time Holland make the call. It’s most definitely not one bad injury in a near spotless career.

Thomas Vermaelen and Jack Wilshere have picked up lengthy injuries in the recent past, does that equate to them being dispensable? David Villas is exactly what everyone has been crying out for over the past six years, and now, with the possibility of signing him, the reservations and questioning of the manager’s decision come to the fore.

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David Villa still plays like one of the best strikers in world football. His worth to Barcelona was evident last season when he was out from December onwards. Would they have retained their La Liga title had he been fit? Possibly. Does he still have the same movement, lethal finishing, calm under pressure? Of course. He grabbed the crucial winner in an epic encounter with Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan; a fight back that seemed hugely unlikely until Cesc Fabregas got the important equaliser with less than a minute left of the 90. But there was David Villa, back from injury to bring home the winner in injury time.

Isn’t he exactly what’s needed to guide a young pretender like Theo Walcott? There was nothing wrong with Thierry Henry going back to Arsenal last season, nor was there anything wrong with Didier Drogba winning the Champions League for Chelsea with his kick in the penalty shootout. Both of those players are older than Villa, and yet there’s an idea that players’ careers come to an end once they hit 30.

Van Persie is around 18 months younger than Villa, but if it were the case, no fan would oppose the idea of giving him a four year contract extension. Everyone wanted experience and now the club are looking to add more. They’re not only doing that but bringing in a big name, one of the biggest in fact, to drive the team on to fourth.

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Villa’s most recent birthday hasn’t forced him to forget how to move in the final third, how to spring the offside trap and how bag 20 goals in a season. With so much excess cash reported to be laying around the Emirates, is £16 million too big a fee to part with for one of the world’s best who has won everything there is to win in the game?

It would have been great if he were arriving as a 26-year-old, like when he was linked with the club in 2008 but Arsene Wenger went on to say he wasn’t interested. But football doesn’t always work how you want it to. Would the excitement be any less if he were to arrive now? Certainly not, and it really shouldn’t be. How often do Arsenal have the chance to prize an experienced player of that calibre away from Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich?

Tottenham Hotspur face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow in a match that could go a long way towards determining who finishes in the top four of the English Premier League this season.

With UEFA Champions League qualification so important to both clubs and the Blues in fifth place, five points behind Spurs, it’s a huge fixture.

One of the talking points going into the match is the fitness of star Spurs striker Harry Kane, with Mauricio Pochettino revealing this week he has a ‘small possibility’ of featuring against the reigning champions.

He suffered an ankle injury against Bournemouth on 11th March, a problem which was thought to be more serious than allowing a return just two matches later.

Fans would of course love to see him back in action, but they’re wary of rushing him back to action too quickly, fearing he could suffer a setback and be out for their crucial FA Cup semi-final.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his potential return tomorrow…

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Loan deals: they might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they can be valuable in giving a player the chance to gain first-team football elsewhere.

The parent club are not forced into an immediate decision over the player’s future, whilst the player involved can experience another option that may develop into something more permanent.

The Premier League is filled with players who could benefit from a loan elsewhere.

So, without further ado, here are FOUR stars who should consider leaving on loan before the Monday night’s 11pm transfer window deadline…

Stevan Jovetic

Jovetic is undoubtedly talented, having arrived at the Citizens from Fiorentina after scoring 40 goals in 134 appearances across all competitions. However, City have a track record of leaving many promising players to warm the bench, and this £22million recruit appears to be the unfortunate latest casualty of their strength in depth.

This season Jovetic has already made nearly as many Premier League appearances as he did in the entirety of the previous campaign (15 with only two starts). The striker has finally had a chance to represent City in the Champions League too, though these opportunities have only come through Alvaro Negredo being loaned to Valencia.

Similarly, new January signing Wilfred Bony will probably be accommodated at the expense of Jovetic, for whom a loan move could be a great chance to get the regular football his talent merits.

Definitely worth a look for top European clubs as there is every chance of the move becoming permanent.

Roberto Soldado

They say insanity is trying the same thing repeatedly and hoping for a different result, and this certainly appears to apply to Roberto Soldado.

The forward arrived having scored 24 in 35 for Valencia in 2012/2013, leading to a hefty £26million price tag that Soldado has not yet lived up to.

At Tottenham he has mustered an average of just one league goal in every six games, though Mauricio Pochettino still vehemently supports the striker.

This does not necessarily mean a loan move will not happen, and particularly familiar pastures in La Liga may give Soldado an ideal opportunity to rediscover his form and obvious capabilities.

Adnan Januzaj

How the mighty have fallen. Just six months ago Januzaj had enjoyed an outstanding first Premier League campaign with Manchester United. The 19-year-old appeared a rare positive to emerge from a dire season as the Red Devils struggled under David Moyes.

However, Louis Van Gaal evidently does not fancy the winger, who has still not made over two full games worth of Premier League appearances concerning minutes this season.

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The winger is evidently capable, and was one of the few players to not disgrace themselves when the Red Devils could only draw at League Two Cambridge United in the FA Cup.

Januzaj is surely too precocious a talent for United to sell, so a loan move could be ideal in showing Van Gaal what he is missing out on.

Petr Cech

This needs little explaining – Cech is a world-class goalkeeper who deserves regular football, though Mourinho may be reluctant to lose him permanently.

The Chelsea stopper would be a number one at most, if not every, top European club. The only thing preventing a loan deal to one of them will be the willingness of the Blues to let him go, even temporarily.

What exactly do you say to your team after an 8-0 drubbing. Thats the problem Paul Lambert faced at the weekend after the Aston Villa were humiliated by Chelsea just a week after they pulled off an astonishing win over Liverpool at Anfield. With such a young team at his disposal, one that is still learning the Premier League ropes, Lambert will be aware that inconsistency of extreme fluctuation goes hand in hand. The sobering reality is that the irregular nature of Villa’s performances puts them at serious risk of relegation. Thats not to say they haven’t impressed at varying stages this season but Lambert needs to start turning his kids into men.

Spurs, whilst picking up wins, are also blowing hot and cold on an alarming scale under Andre Villas-Boas. Of course that can be put down to the transitional period expected to take place when a new manager arrives. But with the campaign reaching its halfway point Villas-Boas should be expecting his side to be fully integrated with his ideas and producing a steadier flow of performances. Four points from the last two games against Swansea and Stoke looks excellent on paper but the football served up by the North London club was far from vintage. They’ll need to get back into their groove sooner rather than later if they’re to stay in touch with the top-four.

Team News

Villa trio Ron Vlaar, Gabby Agbonlahor (thigh) and Charles N’Zogbia (knee) will all be assessed before kick off.

Clint Dempsey is suffering from a groin complaint and may not be risked but Benoit Assou-Ekotto could feature after recovering from  a knee injury.

What the managers said…

“I’ve experienced that a few times. I’ve been absolutely tonked before, as player and manager. Thanks for reminding me! You just try and win the next game. It’s how they react now – that’s the mark of good players. It’s up to me to get the players up for Wednesday. I won’t have a problem doing that because they’re really hurt by that. None of them will be feeling great. I expect a reaction.” Paul Lambert wants a reaction from his Aston Villa players (Daily Star)

“He has been outstanding, for sure. He has eight goals so far. I think he is surprising everybody. To his credit he has come up strong. He has strong competition from Bent. I think Paul Lambert was courageous in his decision to keep on persisting with a player that he got so well in the transfer market so credit to them. But it is good to see him up there.” Andre Villas-Boas commends Paul Lambert’s handling of Darren Bent (Independent)

Pre-match Statistic

One win in their last 11 Boxing Day games should ensure the writing is clear on the wall for Villa fans especially given Spurs are the only team in the division to score in every away game this season.

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Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

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Everton and Spurs are leading the way to offer Luke Shaw a way out of Manchester United according to The Times.

What’s the word?

Shaw’s relationship with Jose Mourinho has completely broken down, after the young full back was withdrawn at half time in Manchester United’s FA Cup win over Brighton.

Mourinho attacked Shaw after the match, claiming the youngster lacked class, personality and tactical nous.

Everton and Spurs have emerged as leading contenders to offer the 22 year-old a way out of Old Trafford, but could face competition from several Premier League clubs.

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Is he worth the hassle?

Shaw moved to Old Trafford from Southampton in 2014, but has never really made the desired impact at the club. A horrific double leg fracture derailed his season in 2015, and United fans are still waiting to see what he promised before the injury.

The 22 year-old left back was once criticised by former United manager Louis van Gaal for his lack of fitness, and has barely played at all since Mourinho took over.

Still, if the youngster could get a fresh start at a new club, there is no reason he could not recover his previous form. When fully fit, Shaw has the technical ability to slot into any team and is solid enough defensively as well.

Spurs could opt to go for Shaw as a replacement for the enigmatic Danny Rose, but Everton need to be front of the queue for the youngster. With Leighton Baines reaching the end of his career, an opportunity like this may not come around again.

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Quality young left backs do not grow on trees, and given Shaw’s current situation he could be reasonably priced as well. Everton must do everything they can to convince Shaw that coming to Merseyside is the best thing for his career.

Everton fans, would you like to see a deal for Shaw? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

With Arsene Wenger keen to make ‘at least one signing’ in the January transfer window, it appears the Gunners will be choosing between two German internationals.

It remains to be seen just which department Wenger believes requires strengthening; his opinions often clash with the rest of the footballing world, and in addition to Arsenal’s worrying lack of physicality and defensive awareness in midfield, the Gunners’ defence is in need of bodies too.

But Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny are both set to return from injury in the new year, at which point, we’ll all likely be once again reminded that a returning crocked star is the equivalent of a new signing, and Wenger told French publication beIN sport earlier this season that he desires “a physical presence with prodigious ability like Vieira or Petit”.

So striking an ideal equilibrium between price-tag, availability and Arsenal’s intrinsic needs are German midfield duo Sami Khedira and Christoph Kramer. But who should the Gunners choose?

Kramer is best known for his surprise inclusion in the summer’s World Cup final, only to come off with a head injury after just half an hour. Certainly the 23 year-old’s greatest claim to fame thus far, but that shouldn’t overshadow his brisk development at club level over the last two seasons.

On loan at Borussia Monchengladbach from Bayer Leverkusen, Kramer has established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest prospects in the last 18 months. This season he’s averaged an impressive 2.8 tackles and three interceptions per match – the latter statistic is actually the tenth-best return out of the entirety of the German top flight.

The only Arsenal midfielder to come anywhere close to matching that this season is the much-maligned Mathieu Flamini, with 2.7 tackles and 2.6 interceptions per outing, so there’s no doubt the German international would bring vital variety to the Gunners’ engine room, providing the kind of industrial service Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey cant.

But he’s by no means the finished article – rather miraculously, Kramer netted an own goal from the centre-circle last month, lobbing goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Perhaps unfortunate, perhaps an act of god, yet still a symbolic gesture of his inexperience – especially in terms of decision-making.

Meanwhile, Sami Khedira has belonged to world football’s centre-mid elite for quite some time – essentially since his promising performances at 2010 World Cup, which quickly triggered a move to Real Madrid.

But the German international isn’t the tough-tackling enforcer he’s often made out to be by the English press; Khedira’s influence is better felt in a box-to-box capacity, through his athleticism, strength, aerial ability and elegant footwork. This is something Wenger commented on during the summer and the stats are incredibly telling. In sharp contrast to Kramer, the 28 year-old hasn’t averaged two tackles per match or more or two interceptions per match or more in his last three La Liga campaigns.

Considerably less dynamic than in his younger years however and boasting many natural requisites for that role, there’s no reason Khedira can’t transform himself  into a deeper-lying, more disciplined ball-winner. Furthermore, his contract is up at the end of the season and a Bernabeu departure in January now seems inevitable, having seen just 65 minutes of action in the Spanish top flight and Champions League combined under Carlo Ancelotti this season – although Khedira has missed significant chunks of the campaign through injury.

So who should Arsenal choose in this case of Kramer vs Khedira? Well, in my opinion, neither – because they both come with huge flaws.

Kramer, although an enormously talented prospect, is not the proven winner that can transform Arsenal from eternal-fourth-placers to genuine Premier League title contenders. He’s also on loan at Gladbach and although that temporary switch could be conceivably cancelled to accommodate an Emirates move in January, it will likely take some added compensation on Arsenal’s part in addition to his rumoured £12million valuation.

Likewise, Khedira may fall rather firmly into the ‘proven winner’ category, having won both a Champions League title and a World Cup only this summer, but he’s not a natural defensive midfielder and the last thing Arsenal need is yet another one of Wenger’s pet projects in that position, like Mikel Arteta or Abou Diaby. They need the real deal – someone who can hit the ground running.

The German international has also spent the majority of the last two seasons injured – do the Gunners really want another injury-prone high-earner on their books amid a campaign that’s already seen 15 players sidelined for significant periods?

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In my opinion, the answer to Arsenal’s defensive midfield conundrum, albeit a considerably more expensive one, is a lot closer to home – Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin.

The France international is easily the Premier League’s most talented enforcer outside of Chelsea and Manchester City, averaging 2.93 tackles and 2.67 interceptions per match over the last three campaigns.

He sits deep, controls the middle of the park with both mettle and the ball, boasting a pass completion of 90% this term, and simply lets the Saints’ more attacking options get on with it. He’s been a major factor in the St. Mary’s outfit rising to third place in the Premier League this season whilst also commanding the best defensive record in the division.

Southampton were reluctant to sell in the summer it’s believed they value Schneiderlin around the £30million mark. Still just 25 years of age, however, proven in the top flight and representing precisely what Arsenal currently lack in midfield, any alternative to Schneiderlin the Gunners target – including Khedira and Kramer – is an unnecessary, likely fruitless compromise.

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Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has claimed that he is flattered by reported interest in him, but he is happy to stay at Stoke to be successful.

Begovic has been in fine form this season, attracting interest from the Premier League big boys along the way, but it is clear that the Bosnian stopper is happy to stay with Tony Pulis and Stoke for the foreseeable future.

The Potters would bag a huge profit if they were to cash in on their ‘keeper in January but with three and a half years left on his current deal, it seems Begovic is going nowhere as the improving club do their best to hang on to their star players.

Begovic has dismissed the transfer talk as just speculation for now despite being flattered, but he also reveals that Pulis will not let him get carried away with his current form and he is extremely focused on continuing to push Stoke in the right direction.

“As far as I know it’s all speculation. It’s always nice when the biggest teams in the world are looking at you,” Begovic told the Stoke Sentinel.

“It’s a compliment, but it doesn’t mean anything.

“We keep our feet on the ground here and the manager wouldn’t let that change.

“I have three-and-a-half years on my contract and I am concentrating on playing and staying in the team and trying to help the team be successful.

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“I am happy here so there are no issues with that.”

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has provided a puzzling update on midfielder Harry Arter via the Bournemouth Echo, with the Republic of Ireland international a reported transfer target for West Ham United.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Express reported on March 2 that the Irons are ready to make a £10m bid for the 28-year-old this summer with David Moyes keen to have a shake-up of his midfield options at the end of the season.

While Arter has been a key player for the Cherries in recent years, he has found first-team opportunities hard to come by over the course of the last couple of months, potentially throwing his future with the south coast outfit into doubt.

His manager, Howe, has explained the situation of the Sidcup-born player via the Bournemouth Echo, in order to explain his recent absence from the XI.

What did Howe say?

The 40-year-old said, via the Bournemouth Echo: “He is not totally out of the picture at all. Harry’s still very much part of our plans.

“I have to make decisions, pick teams, pick squads and Harry’s only focus is to try to get back to his best.

“Harry has a challenge on his hands to displace Dan Gosling and Lewis Cook, who are performing very well in the team at the moment.

“Everyone who is here has a future. They can change their future in the short term or the long term depending on how they train and play.”

How has Arter done this season?

While he was a regular earlier in the campaign, the 28-year-old has found himself sidelined in more recent times, and he hasn’t played a single minute of their previous eight Premier League matches, leaving West Ham fans unimpressed with the link to him.

Would he be a good signing for West Ham?

He would certainly bring some energy and character in the middle of the park for the Irons – something they have been badly lacking at points this season – but his recent non-involvement at Bournemouth would have to be a bit of a worry for the club and Moyes.

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They need to be signing players that are improvements on what they already have and who can be key first-team players for a number of years, and it is difficult to see Arter fitting into that category.

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Arsenal can go all of the way this season and win the Premier League if Arsene Wenger snaps up Sami Khedira in January, according to Gunners hero Robert Pires.

The north London giants have been heavily linked with the German World Cup winner in recent weeks, with rumours suggesting that they are ready to revive their summer interest in the 27-year-old.

Khedira is set to be available at a knockdown price in January, with Real Madrid ready to sell for around £8m-£10m if they cannot tie him down to a new contract, with his current deal due to end next year.

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And even with the Gunners nine points off of league leaders Chelsea already, Pires – who recently came out of retirement to sign for Indian Super League side Goa FC – believes that his old clib have the potential to win the big trophy with the midfielder on board:

“He [Wenger] needs a big player in the middle, like Viera, strong, tall, because this position is very important for the balance between attack and defence,” he told The Telegraph.

“The quality is there but you need more, maybe [someone] like Yaya Toure in middle. He reminds me of Patrick Vieira, maybe they have an opportunity with Khedira. It is likely in the January window. He played very well with Germany. My advice is if he can buy Khedira he can be the [new] Vieira, more aggression in the middle.

“He has a lot of experience. When you play in the middle you need experience, especially when your midfield is young like Arsenal’s.”

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