Portsmouth are leading the race to sign 18 year old Arsenal winger Armand Traore on loan for next season. The Frenchman has spent the last two seasons on the fringe of the first team, and finished the last campaign making several appearances in the Reserves.
Traore joined Arsenal from Monaco aged just 16 and after competing with Gael Clichy for the left back slot, Arsene Wenger decided to use Armand’s abilities on the left wing, something that has been rather impressive in recent weeks. It is expected he will go to Pompey with the specific intention to play on the wing, and learn the trade under Harry Redknapp.
Norwich City and Cardiff City have been linked with Traore’s loan signing recently, but the lure of Premiership football is a much more attractive offer to Arsenal and Armand. It now seems that Pedro Botelho will be the back up for Clichy when he returns from his loan at Salamanca next season, with Justin Hoyte and William Gallas expected to be the back up for next season.
Newly promoted West Bromwich Albion have entered talks with Arsenal about loaning Alexandre Song for next term as they plan their squad for the rigours of Premiership football.
Tony Mowbray is also expected to ask for a clause to be added to the contract enabling the midlands outfit to buy Song for a fixed sum on completion of the loan should The Baggies remain in the top flight. Arsene Wenger is a huge admirer of the much improved Cameroon international, who has made two Reserves appearances this season scoring once against Chelsea.
Song has also spent time on loan at Charlton two season’s ago, and despite some superb performances he could not stop there demotion to the Championship. It is expected Wenger will hang on to Alex whatever happens but no doubt a year on loan will dramatically help the 20 year old, before then returning to fight for his place with the Gunners.
Article By – J.Sanderson
Not much point losning Song out again.
may aswell keep him in the squad as he would be useful.
What is he going to learn at West Brom that he didn’t at Charlton?
He played central midfield at Charlton, and only got a few games. A full season in the Premiership at centre back, could give him the edge
I can not see Song being alowed to leave the club on loan seeing how versitile he is. Wenger said at the shareholders meeting the other day how highly he rates the lad and that he believes he will become a big player for the club in central defense.
Traore may be allowed to leave on loan, maybe for good as at left back he has been found wanting and at left midfield he has an abundance of competition in Walcott, Rosicky, Vela, Merida and Gibbs – even the left footed Wilshere may get a game ahead of him in the Carling Cup games this season.
I was not aware that Pedro Botelho was able to play in this country yet.
Hence the reason why i put
“Pedro Botelho will be the back up for Clichy when he returns from his loan at Salamanca next season”
He will spend next season on loan with Salamanca, but then he gets his permit and can play
Sorry mate, I mis-interpretated what you said – thought you meant he was coming back in the summer, re-read your article and see what you mean now.
Have you any idea who the two players Wenger said he thinks will make it at Arsenal are who are now in the reserves?
PS – the site is great mate, keep it up as it is one of the only places you can get good info on the next generation.
I met Arsene Wenger at the Cesc Fabregas show last night and he told me that he’s interested in bringing Titus Bramble in to toughen up the defence. He also said to expect the signing to be announced within the next week or two.
No problem Micky, and thank you for your support.
Not sure, he is a big fan of Randall and Wilshere i would expect those pair.
hahaha @ Farrukh
does you mean gallas and hoyte will cover left back next season? i’d rather buy a young left back as cover, netiher are reliable, hoyte needs to cut his losses and leave.
We already have bought a young left back in the fore mentioned Pedro Botelho.
No point in buying somebody to sit on the bench for 1 season, when Hoyte and Gallas can cover.
Scary thing is that we almost signed Titus bafore Newcastle gazumped our bid when he was at Ipswich.
Any sources for this please mate? Sounds like paper talk to me.
Toilet paper talk :-)
I’m an Ipswich fan first, arsenal second-Can we have Traore please? And Randall, and any others ready for first team football with a good passing side. Be thankful you didn’t get Bramble off us to follow in a long line of successful moves between our clubs such as Chris Kiwomya and Richard Wright!
So you think Botelho will ultimately end up at Left Back? I was under the impression he was a winger….
Keep both of them…
They both wont play!
And why would we even consider loosing song next season, just as he is getting good.
And Wenger says he doesnt want to loan players out agian
I cant see traore getting loaned out? having Hoyte and gallas as back up for clichy is not acceptable. Hoyte is terrible at left back and shifting your no 1 centre back to LB would disrupt the entire defence. we need good cover for clichy, like we do for Sagna. it cost us this year when he gto injured.
dont think arsene would let either of them out on loan.
I don’t believe Alexandre Song should be loaned out. With Flamini gone, now is the perfect time for the Cameroon international to capitalize, and his versatility and athleticism could be invaluable in the coming season.
Wenger has been playing Song at centre-back a lot this season; however, I believe this was only done to add aerial presence to our defence in Senderos’ absence, as well as giving Song more defensive discipline. With a great range of passing and excellent directness, it would be a shame not to allow Song to play his natural role in midfield; after all, he was excellent in the role at the African Cup Of Nations where he was voted ‘Young Player of the Tournament’.
Why keep players on the bench? Both are fringe players and both will only get a few games in the Carling Cup, hardly development
Pedro has been playing left back for Salamanca so it seems he will play there,
Traore wont be a left back here, so technically we dont have a back up left back anyway.
I think the loan deal will help Traore but I really do not think it is a good Idea letting song go , he can play from the centre and he can also replace flamini I pray Wenger will not allow him go
join soccerfanbase.com for the best of soccer discussion …J let me know about the links exchange
I wouldn’t have thought it likely that either would be loaned out. Song could be a big, in more than 1 sense, player for us next season.
However I was amazed that Djourou went to Brum & that probably put him back a year.
I assume Titus is a “tongue in cheek” but he did actually have a superb game against us, in his Ipswich days, & also in both games against Wigan, this season.
Nice blog, you seem to be idiot free at the moment.
“I met Arsene Wenger at the Cesc Fabregas show last night and he told me that he’s interested in bringing Titus Bramble in to toughen up the defence. He also said to expect the signing to be announced within the next week or two.”
I heard Wenger describes him as a cross between Baresi and Adams. Except with pace.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT SONG WILL BE GOING ON LOAN. HE IS NOW A ESTABLISHED MEMBER OF THE ARSENAL 1ST TEAM.
cant say it any LOUDER.
wba must be joking to try and take him on loan he is better then any player they have. Song has arrived his performances in the ANC especially against essien were immense. he will be a squad player this that will paly in many positions and be used tacticlly to nullify certain opposition players.
he ahs it all a clam and collected way of playing. he does not get phased and looks immense at the center. he will be developing physically and already shows great strength.
he will be the bedrock of the Arsenal team for years to come i have no doubts about that.
Wenger sees him as a spinal player one that will eb at the core of our team building for the next 6-8 years.
he will be the one that will shine next year wether its at the heart of our defence or midfield.
we need a big squad this year so imo we should not loan out tratore either.
Wenger said as recently as last friday that Song will be one of 3 players in the mix to replace Flamini in central midfield so hes going nowhere. I wouldn’t be suprised he gets the starting job. Loaning Traore seems to make sense from a developmental aspect given his age, but again he is already a first team member. Wenger didn’t want to loan him him this season just gone for that reason, can’t really see whats change that would make it a better option now. If the move to wing is a permenant one and he is no longer considered backup LB, I could see a loan then, because with Vela arriving and Ben Arfa strongly linked his chances would be limited. Haha I guess I can see what might of changed! As for not helping their development by sitting on the bench and therefore sending them on loan instead, if you were extend that logic to every player 21 or younger not in the first team we don’t have much of a squad left!
SONG would do well at The Baggies….we play good football these days.
Song a big player for us now theres no point loanin him out as for Traore its a good idea but i just dont see hoyte beening here to cover Clichy.
I do not believe Song will be loaned. If he will not be the first choice in midfield than he will at least be the first back-up defensive midfielder. Gilberto got quite a playing time this year. It also looks like Song is the third choice central defender. Gallas and Toure will miss some games and then we need Song. He seems much more reliable than Djourou and Nordveit is not there yet.
Traore seems more realistic. He has shown us that he has talent. I would prefer him over Gibbs and Merida on the left wing. But with Rosicky and Vela in front of him, the playing time might be limited. Traore can’t play reserves football anymore, he is too good. He will not be playing very much next season and we need to think about his development. A loan to Redknapp seems a good option, given that he will be in the starting line up. He might be the perfect replacement for Krancjar when he is sold to Arsenal :)
Next season (assuming no transfers in)
GK – Almunia, Fabianski, Mannone
LB – Clichy , Hoyte
CBs – Toure, Gallas, Song, Senderos
RB – Sagna, Eboue
LM – Vela, Traore, RvP, Eduardo
CM – Fabregas, Diaby, Rosicky
RM – Eboue, Walcott, Hleb
STs – Eduardo, RvP, Adebayor, Bendtner, Walcott, Vela
Does anyone think Djourou can make it at Arsenal? Before he went to Birmingham I really rated this guy.
I see Alexandre Song playing the holding medfield role alongside Fabregas next season!! That’s what he played at the CAN and I think that would be his best position… But he is the utility man and can play at centreback and rightback if needed! SO NO LOAN DEAL FOR HIM!! I don’t know if we should sign Yaya Touré I believe in Song and I think he is ready to be our braker in midfield!
What happened to us at RB this year anyway? Last summer no one was talking about needing a new RB and then we got one and had 3 RB’s, but we still struggled in that position this year.
Song won’t go on loan, he’s already gone on loan and has improved massively this year and another loan might just set him back or make him consider options elsewhere. Traore’s loan is a good idea because he hasn’t played much first team football and Walcott, Eboue (dammit!), Roiscky, Hleb and Vela are ahead of him, although one’s a striker, one might leave, one’s a teenager with no experience in the Prem and one’s just, well, crap, although for some reason Arsene’s trying to defend Eboue on arsenal.com. If we get Ben Arfa or that creative player, then Traore should go on loan.
What’s happened with Djourou, Senderos and Hoyte though? None of them have made progress apart from Senderos in January.
If Clichy gets injured, Gallas will play at LB which might give Senderos (or Song) some games if Arsene trusts him.
I think everybody has forgotten that Wenger has openly declared that we need a center back to deal with long balls. Gallas will be our back up left back because we will have a better center back coming in. One of the posts above jokes about Kranjcar coming but I feel it’s a strong possibility that Redknap demanded Traore on loan as part of any deal for Kranjcar.
Also, one full season at Center Back for Song would do him wonders. We are buying a CB so he would become 4th choice, pointless.
what about Kerrea Gilbert as cover for right back ? I was impressed with him a couple of seasons ago when he got a few games , thought he was a better prospect than Hoyte actually.
Song isn’t going to be a midfielder. At the shareholders meeting; Wenger said that Song is going to be a centre back.
On a sidenote has anyone heard any news on Bostock of palace… rumours were he was going to spurs but I couldnt see why he would want to!
Kerrea Gilbert will be leaving in the summer. I can’t see Song going out on loan again. At least I hope not! A loan spell at Portsmouth will most likely do wonders for Traore!
yeah Wenger said he seems him as a centre back but he also said on arsenal tv that he has diaby denilson and song that can play in midfield
Did Wenger really say that about Song at the shareholders meeting? If he converts Song and buys a tall centre back, than it would probably mean the end for Djourou and Senderos. Djourou might stay as a midfielder but we will only have 4 centre back, because Nordveit will be ready when Gallas becomes too old.
If my speculations make sense, than it could also mean that Toure would end up as 4th choice next season. That would be bizzarre, considering that most fan considered him No. 1 before this season.
Isn’t that Bostock guy really overrated? There must be a reason that Wenger went for Freeman instead of him, unless he rejected us of course. He could well go to Spurs, never estimate the power of stupid people (not saying that he is, but he would proof himself to be if he chooses the scums). I suppose it woould not hurt to get him and Ramsey. At least one of them and Freeman must make it.
when traore leaves,who will b a substitute for clichy,in case he gets injury?
This is BOLLOCKS. Song will start the season at centre half, as three of our regulars will be rested after Euro 2008.
What are peoples thoughtson Diaby?? Just curious because i think that from what i saw of him last season he has become a lot stronger physically and was able to hold on to the ball a lot more. In my opinion he could well be a decent replacement for Flamineedmoremoney. I agree with comments that i can’t see song or Traore going on loan, the problem we had this season was our squad depth or lack of so the more players that we can keep the better our chances will be for the quad next season!!
Song is an important member of the first team squad now, he has improved immensely since the Charlton loan, I don’t see what a loan to West Brom will do to help. I’d also be disappointed at seeing Traore go on a season long loan, he’d be useful to have in reserve.
I dont think there will be a grat deal of players loaned out anyway with there being 7 players on the bench next season – we would have struggled at times this season to fill the bench.
I also think that Wenger is pissed off that a few of the loanees were not played.
Ya Song has to stay and on merit deserves to start CDM.
A CB will be signed plus expect a free in the form of Thuram,Slyviniho to add experience and assurance to the backline especially with Traore going on loan.
As regards loanees I think there will be less with the 7 subs however, loan moves would benefit the likes of Denilson(6month),Gibbs(6 month) return as LB cover,Senderos if not sale,Hoytes and Simpson/Murphy.
Imho Djororu is the versatile player AW will keep hold of . Johan can play RB,CB and CDM so this will lead to Senderos and Hoyte being forced out.
i really rate djourou and think that selling him would me nothin but pure madness. remember when he broke into the first squad last season he looked really impressive at times. he has power, pace, is good on the ball and strong in the air. now that sounds like a pretty much complete CD to me but then again im not in charge am i.
btw whatever happend to Vyacheslav Dmitriev who was supposed to sign for us in the summer? any news recently sanderson?
I am not sure what these loans have really given the players. the recent loans have shown that it can have a negative affect on the player. I dont think eiter player NEEDS the loan. Song had hi already at Charlton and now needs to stay. Traore also is good enough to play as back up left winger now. at pompey he will be only be a backup player to Krancjar i.e exactly the same position at Arsenal, so I dont see the point. If he was to go a decent (top 10) club to play as their first choice left winger then fine but otherwise no.
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