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projoe wrote:- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is chasing Barcelona's unhappy midfielder Yaya Toure.
The Ivory Coast star's agent Dimitri Seluk revealed the Spanish champions had refused to break their wage structure to meet Toure's demand for a 15 per cent pay rise.
And The Sun says Arsenal are lining up a £15m bid for the defensive midfielder - who can also play at the back - but they face stiff competition from both Inter and AC Milan.
Can't imagine barca's pay structure being a problem can you? He can't be on anywhere near the money of the top earners there? Lazy Journo's
Err no. All over every footy site yesterday was this from his agent
Seluk continued: "Barca have not complied with the gentleman's agreement that we reached.
"(Barca president) Laporta says that Valdes is the best goalkeeper in the world, the same about (Lionel) Messi, with Xavi, with (Andres) Iniesta... but with Toure, never anything,
"If he is not good enough to play in this team then that will be that.
"He has spent two seasons earning a minimum salary. He earns less than many of the first-team regulars and less even than some of those that hardly play at all.
"We have put our faith in the word of the club, but they have not respected it.
Recognition
"Clearly he is a professional and if the club do not respect him then he would to go and that would be a shame because he feels at home at the club and in the city. He has adapted marvellously.
"Toure has done everything for Barca and always thinks about the team. He has never cause any problems and remember that last season he played a number of games while injured.
"This term, after Rafa Marquez picked up an injury, he played as a centre back and did so without complaining, while (Seydou) Keita, for instance, said he did not want to play at left-back in the UEFA Champions League final.
"Therefore, I think Toure deserves more recognition on the part of Barca."
Anyone think the "hardly play at all" comment is a dig at Hleb?
1115 BST: Arsenal and Tottenham are set to start a bidding war for Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong, with the Magpies looking for a fee of £12m for the player.
(Full story: The Metro)
projoe wrote:- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is chasing Barcelona's unhappy midfielder Yaya Toure.
The Ivory Coast star's agent Dimitri Seluk revealed the Spanish champions had refused to break their wage structure to meet Toure's demand for a 15 per cent pay rise.
And The Sun says Arsenal are lining up a £15m bid for the defensive midfielder - who can also play at the back - but they face stiff competition from both Inter and AC Milan.
Can't imagine barca's pay structure being a problem can you? He can't be on anywhere near the money of the top earners there? Lazy Journo's
Err no. All over every footy site yesterday was this from his agent
Seluk continued: "Barca have not complied with the gentleman's agreement that we reached.
"(Barca president) Laporta says that Valdes is the best goalkeeper in the world, the same about (Lionel) Messi, with Xavi, with (Andres) Iniesta... but with Toure, never anything,
"If he is not good enough to play in this team then that will be that.
"He has spent two seasons earning a minimum salary. He earns less than many of the first-team regulars and less even than some of those that hardly play at all.
"We have put our faith in the word of the club, but they have not respected it.
Recognition
"Clearly he is a professional and if the club do not respect him then he would to go and that would be a shame because he feels at home at the club and in the city. He has adapted marvellously.
"Toure has done everything for Barca and always thinks about the team. He has never cause any problems and remember that last season he played a number of games while injured.
"This term, after Rafa Marquez picked up an injury, he played as a centre back and did so without complaining, while (Seydou) Keita, for instance, said he did not want to play at left-back in the UEFA Champions League final.
"Therefore, I think Toure deserves more recognition on the part of Barca."
Anyone think the "hardly play at all" comment is a dig at Hleb?
My lazy journo comment was aimed at the comment of breaking there wage structure to meet his demand of a 15% pay rise.
Charlie! Charlie! wrote:1115 BST: Arsenal and Tottenham are set to start a bidding war for Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong, with the Magpies looking for a fee of £12m for the player.
(Full story: The Metro)
12m
hes useless, whenever ive seen him he doesnt know how to defend and hasnt learnt the offside rule, remind you of anyone
[quote]Luc Castaignos is ready to commit his future to Arsenal, provided he is allowed to stay on loan for a season at Feyenoord.
The 16-year-old has caught the eye of a clutch of teams, but The Gunners are looking to steal a march on rival suitors by tabling a firm bid in the coming days.
Castaignos feels he will be best served spending a further season in Holland and provided his demands can be met, a deal could be concluded in the coming days.
Arsenal join race to sign £17m Goran Pandev as Spurs target tells Lazio he's quitting
Arsenal are reportedly battling Juventus to sign £17million-rated Macedonia striker Goran Pandev.
The 25-year-old has told Lazio he needs a new challenge after five years in Rome and the Gunners are said to have joined the race for his signature.
Last month he was linked to Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Liverpool, while Bayern Munich and Fiorentina are now also reported to be interested.
With so much interst, Lazio will demand around £17m for a player who scored 15 goals in 37 games and won the Coppa Italia this season.
But his agent Leonardo Corsi suggests offers around £13.5m might get his man. Juventus's would step up their interest if France striker David Trezeguet departs, as expected.
Pandev told Sky Italia: 'My cycle with Lazio is over. I want to find other motivations and go and play for another team.
'I have spoken to (club president Claudio) Lotito and I explained to him the situation. The president wasn't happy.
'He still doesn't believe that I want to go away, but I am finished with Lazio. I hope Lotito finds a solution that makes us all happy.
'I have spent five wonderful years with Lazio. I have improved a lot and I always behaved well.
'In the last few months I wasn't all that focused. I thought Lotito would ask me to renew my contract and now I have decided to go away.'
Corsi added: '(Lazio) understand but obviously do not want to sell their prize asset. If there is a team willing to meet Lazio’s financial demands, maybe they will let him leave.
'They retain a very good relationship and mutual respect, as has always been the case.
'For our part, the decision is not based on economic reasons – not least because the chairman has done all he can in that respect – but rather for sporting reasons.
'He wants a change and to test himself in a fresh environment after growing comfortable in his many years at this one particular club.
'Having said all that, it is important that we find a club of the same stature as Lazio. There are several teams interested, but no concrete offers as yet. When we do receive offers, the player will evaluate his options.'
Wolfsburg managing director Juergen Marbach has claimed the club will inform AC Milan that striker Edin Dzeko is not for sale.
Dzeko has been strongly linked with a summer transfer away from Wolfsburg after his impressive goalscoring form caught the eye.
Milan, Manchester City and Arsenal have all been credited with an interest in his services, and the Italian side appeared favourites for his signature.
The Bosnia international was quoted as voicing his support for Milan, and vice-president Adriano Galliani claimed he met with Dzeko's father on Saturday night.
But Wolfsburg look set to fend off overtures from abroad, as they look to retain Dzeko's services for the 2009/10 season.
"We will reply today that we are not interested," said Marbach. "We don't want to give up the player. He is not for sale."
Amaury Bischoff is all but certain to be released when his contract expires at the end of the month, but while Arsenal appear not to be interested in the Portuguese Under 21 International, French outfit Paris Saint-Germain are according to Aujourd’hui Sport.
The news agency reports that the 22-year-old – who spent the whole campaign in the Reserve team – has swayed from his original idea of a switch to Portugal after speaking with PSG legend Pauleta. Yet Bischoff himself claims they did not speak about a possible transfer to his home land.
15.05: Vincent Enyeama is the man being linked with Arsenal. The Nigeria keeper is currently with Hapoel Tel Aviv and had a trial with Bolton some years back. Coming hot on the heels of Lukasz Fabianski's new deal, there is bound to be some scepticism about this but we're looking into it.
Paris St Germain defender Mamadou Sakho could join either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, according to the player's agent.
Sakho has been linked with a move to the Gunners, with reports claiming scout Gilles Grimandi has been casting an eye over his displays.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is said to be in the market for defensive reinforcements, and Ajax centre-back Thomas Vermaelen looks set to sign in North London.
Sakho, 19, could also be a target of the Premier League club, but, according to agent Tim Hager, the Frenchman is being eyed by Bayern.
Hager told Sport: "He will be moving clubs this summer. Arsenal are interested, but the club are too cheap at the moment.
"Yes, I think a transfer will happen soon. He wants to play football in England and Arsenal are a good club but Manchester United is a better club.
"Arsenal want him, but Manchester United not yet. Barcelona in Spain, and Bayern Munich in the German league are also interested. They are all the teams at the moment that are interested in the player.
"But the most interested club is Arsenal, they want him the most. Bayern Munich is a top European club, so I think it will be Bayern or Arsenal."
Arsenal set to finally land their £16million top target?
Arsene Wenger remains keen to bring Yaya Toure to Arsenal Football Club.
The French coach has been linked with the Ivory Coast international for some time, as he looks to reunite him with brother Kolo at the Emirates Stadium.
A deal may have looked possible earlier in the season, but Toure became a key figure for Barcelona in the second half of the season when he helped them win The Treble.
It would be a surprise if the European champions would consider letting the 26-year-old leave, but reports in Spain claim the Gunners are set to table a final bid of £16million.
[quote]Arsenal have agreed to sign FC Zurich starlet Martin Angha in January 2010, according to reports.
According to 20 Minuten, Arsenal first made contact with the 15-year-old defender in 2007 after he impressed scouts during a football tournament in London.
At the time, Angha said: “I trained there once with the under-19 side. On the very first day, the coach said that they would be very happy to sign me.
“I feel very strongly about FC Zurich and, therefore, would not even consider joining another club in Switzerland.
“But if I could join my dream club – Arsenal – then that is something else.â€
