^ lol. Firstly, Gervinho isn't dragging out personal terms - the deal is all but done. BBC's David Ornstein and Young Guns Blog both suggest it's simply a matter of the website staff getting off their arses and doing the PR + waiting for the main window to open, whereas other sources say that a deal is still being arranged with Lille. Asking price is €15m, we're paying more like €13m. Seydoux said:
"We know that Gervinho has a personal interest in joining Arsenal... We have maintained contact but still the Londoners have not presented us with a formal offer. Negotiations are ongoing but Gervinho has demanded a solution to the situation soon."
Secondly, Mata story is BS. I think there's a hint in that only The Sun and Daily Mail are reporting this, with the latter claiming an exclusive (= false most of the time). Wenger likes him, but was put off a few months back by the asking price. €20M (= roughly £18m) is his release clause, but Juve, Inter, Real and Barcelona at the head of the queue according to Sport.es...
(EDIT) AS report that the clause doesn't apply to non-English clubs and they haven't received an offer.
Thirdly, Wenger rates Walcott. He's had his best season in an Arsenal shirt and is clearly getting better. Interest in Gervinho and Chamberlain doesn't signal end for Walcott at all.
Fourthly, Wellington Silva is getting a chance in pre-season. He could go on loan to Levante (although, despite new manager, I doubt he's keen after his last experience). The Levante story is about 2 weeks old, but as usual the tabloids may have re-circulated it because they have nothing else to talk about. Pedro will go on loan - probably to Levante because they now have the same manager as Pedro had at Cartagena.
Ryo won't stay at Arsenal next season. He was withdrawn from all of the Japan NT squads (Snr., U21, U20) for some reason and now the only question is whether he'll go on loan to Feyenoord or somewhere else. Arsenal want a fee this time, though and Feyenoord now claim they have other options for his position. Anderlecht is a possibility with Arsenal forming some sort of partnership with them a month or two ago.
And Botelho, not Motelho
---------- Post added at 12:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:17 PM ----------
OH and via Young Guns (among others), Away kit is official:
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Couple of points on that 'interpretation' before I go...
As for Wellington Silva I'm pretty sure he STILL has no work permit and Arsenal are the ones pushing the loan move of him and...Botelho (I did say probable mispell) to Levante so that is almost a given especially with their development
I said that the Gervinho deal is 90 pct done but the personal terms are not agreed and the fee we are talking about is around 16 million euros which is around 13-14 million pounds so its more pricier than you reported. The clubs have agreed deal terms, none of my reporting comes from tabloids it comes from the opposite of that to be fair and when you have the SOURCE of the story that the Daily Mail ran with as an exclusive yesterday the actual source was local Valencia news agencies reporting that a bid had been made so that isn't a tabloid rumour I think there is alot of truth to it. And Walcott's position at Arsenal isn't assured I mean he has barely progressed in the past 18 months at all injuries and all I suppose but Gervinho+Mata tells you that the wing area is going to be changed around quite a bit if those both come through.
I would just say to you wait and see on the latter points but the Gervinho deal I believe is being held up by the agent and neither club, the only thing stopping him being officially transferred is his signature and a medical and the paperwork of an official bid to go through so its pretty minimal I suppose but we both agree its 90 pct done..
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