Gooner's Lab

Arsenal after Liege star

2008-10-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Arsenal and Lyon have entered the race for highly-rated Standard Liege captain Steven Defour according to his agent.

The Belgium international, rated at £8 million, impressed many Premier League viewers during the Champions League bond with Liverpool and then during the elimination of Everton in the Uefa Cup.

His agent has now confirmed England could be the next instruction for the 20-year-old, with Everton and Middlesbrough both reportedly interested, patch Arsenal’s scouts prefabricated the activate to Belgium in visit to monitor Defour’s improvement.

But Premier League sides are not the exclusive ones fascinated in the midfielder, as Ajax, as well as Palermo appear to be stabbing on his services according to representative Paul Stefani.

Lehmann wants a last chance

2008-10-19T10:15:00.000-07:00

“I would love to play against England, the adversary means something to me, after these years in London,” he told Welt am Sonntag.
“I cannot wait to see how the ones who decide will react.”
Former Germany international Jens Lehmann is hopeful he module be given the chance to represent his country for the last instance when the National Mannschaft foregather England in Berlin.

The friendly mettlesome is due to take place on November 19 and former Arsenal shot-stopper Lehmann wishes to fete his years as a Premier League contestant and Germany international with a symbolic last cap.

The Stuttgart star wishes to say goodbye to his international career on a broad and does not undergo yet if the German FA module fulfil his dream.

Denilson wants to replace Flamini

2008-10-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

There has been a clean amount of conjectured speaking most the central midfield pairing and in particular the effect that the changes have prefabricated to Cesc`s game. I was interested to read an article in today`s match programme, in which Denilson gives his view on the role that he plays.

Apparently he is aware that he needs to work hard to develop the defensive lateral of the mettlesome with Wenger pinpointing marking as an area on which to concentrate.

Cardiff chairman Ridsdale again defends Ramsey's Arsenal sale

2008-10-18T21:18:00.000-07:00

Cardiff City chairman saint Ridsdale has again defended the sale of Aaron Ramsey to Arsenal.

Ramsey was the grapheme performer for Wales Under-21's during their play-off clashes with England and many are today tipping the 17-year-old for greatness.

Cardiff chairman Ridsdale has defended his selection to accept a straightforward change deal from the Gunners despite the fact other interested parties, like Liverpool and Manchester United, were offering more profitable packages in the future.

Ridsdale told the Western Mail: "There was no sell-on clause in Aaron's contract because Arsenal paid the full price which we thought Aaron was worth at that moment in time, plus Arsenal paid in full, in cash.
"You don't have sell-on clauses when you're talking moves of this nature. When we were talking to Liverpool and Manchester United about Aaron they were talking about a down payment in the region of £1.5m and a sell-on clause.
"At the time Aaron had played 14 games for Cardiff and Arsenal were prepared to pay the asking price in a cash sale, and I make no apologies for bringing that amount of money to the club for an up front cash sale."

Fab Reject Barca Move

2008-10-18T21:16:00.000-07:00

CESC FABREGAS has rejected new £90,000-a-week contract talks at Arsenal — covering the way for him to quit the Emirates at the end of the season.

Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have been place on signal after Fabregas turned down the quantity to negotiate his existing deal.

The Gunners want to offer Fabregas (left) a £35,000- a-week pay hike nonnegative a two-year spreading to his deal, which runs until 2014.

They want to make him the club’s highest-paid player and tie their prized quality to an improved deal in keeping with his position as digit of the best young players in the world.

But Fabregas, 21, has place off talks as he wants to see what Barcelona and Real Madrid offer next summer.

His present deal, which was signed two years ago and has period increases shapely in, still leaves him a long way short of the club’s top earners William Gallas, Emmanuel Adebayor and politico Arsene Wenger, who all pocket £80,000-a-week.

Fabregas wants to command a lawful starting place in the domestic team.

He expects to earn around £100,000-a-week at Arsenal if he stays — but believes Real Madrid will bid around £40million for him if they can’t get Cristiano Ronaldo.