Arsenal are making regular checks on Saint-Étienne midfielder Blaise Matuidi, but no contact has been made regarding a potential transfer, with French newspaper L’Equipe firmly saying there is not likely to be one.
Arsène Wenger is known to be a long term admirer of the classy youngster, and with several central midfield options leaving the Gunners over the summer, Matuidi’s name has been constantly linked.
But French based news agency L’Equipe claims Étienne are not willing to part with the starlet unless a huge offer arrives, as Les Verts have been left with little time to find a replacement. Blaise is considered one of the rising stars of the future, and would subsequently command a large fee with only three days of the transfer window left.
Matuidi played 67 times for ES Troyes, scoring on 4 occasions before a 2007 move to the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Having made 36 appearances so far for ASSE, he has attracted interest from across Europe, with Arsenal considered in the driving seat.
Blaise is a box-to-box style central midfielder, with an excellent range of both passing and tackling. He is probably a little off the specification of an orthodox defensive midfielder, but at just 21-years-old has time on his side.
However, should he eventually arrive at the Emirates Stadium, it will seemingly not be this summer.
Article By – J.Sanderson
tbf, a box to box midfielder is exactly what we need.
JS, do you expect a CM to arrive before the window, even though it looks like it wont be this guy?
I think we HAVE to have a new central midfielder. It’s not a do we need? it’s not a question anymore, it’s a definate.
I think most people would prefer somebody with more experience.
I for think a new cm will be arriving but we will only come to know about on sept 1st . Who might it be , you say ? I think we all have no ideas really. Lets just wait and hope Wenger spends a busy couple of days and gets a bit of activity going. I heard we sneakingly in for corluka , he could a decent option , but only Wenger knows!
As J said not relevant at the moment, maybe next year…
What did Wenger say on Jonathan De Guzman and the four injured players on Arsenal TV Online?!!
He said.
“No, it is not true”
He seemed a little aggressive in saying No, like he is bored of speculation
eager to know about wengers interview as well
Well J, I don’t mind if that person is experienced or not.
It’s more about the player being suitable for Arsenal’s style of play.
Experience is certainly one of Wenger’s required criteria in the potential new signing, but quality will always be the top thing that Wenger looks in a player.
Thanks J, cause I read in some articles he’s a tough tackling midfielder. He’s certainly not, he’s a small playmaker, with great passing and a good shot. I wonder did he look like a manager who was buying a player or like a manager who wasn’t thinking about buying a player at all?!!
*he=Arsene Wenger
The interview was actually done yesterday in between an interesting part on Nicklas Bendtner.
And i agree Mouhsin, ive always regarded him as an athletic Cesc type rather than a defensive midfielder.
KevlineFM, there are a lot of quality players around the world. I don’t believe that there are only a few players who can play for Arsenal. At the moment I think experience is the most important thing we have to look at. PLayers like Xabi Alonso, Toulalan, Nigel De Jong and even Miguel Veloso are experienced and at the same time quality players. So we have a lot to choose from, and I don’t think all of those players are impossible to sign for us?!!
I just hope we sign one of those four players :(
Now Blaise’s name has been splashed all over the media, other richer clubs will come in for him in Jan or next summer and Arsenal wont be able to compete. Either buy him now or say goodbye to the chance forever, thats just the way it is these days.
I also think Nigel de Jong is a class player and would give great balance to our midfield.
There was an interesting interview with David Miles (Club Secretary) in the programme on Wednesday night and he was saying the amount of deals that literally start on deadline day is amazing so lets not give up hope even if Arsene appears more stubborn than ever!
NO THANKS…..WE ALREADY HAVE ALEX SONG WHO IS SIMILAR
CAN WE JUST BUY EITHER DE GUZMAN,VELOSO OR XABI ALONSO PLEASE
ID RATER VELOSO BECAUSE HE’S BIG.STRONG,TALL WHICH WE NEED IN MIDFIELD
what did wenger say about bendtner J?
Mouhsin, I mean Wenger might pick quality over experience first.
Ya, we do need experience but unfortunately, we’re not the manager of Arsenal, Wenger is. :(
He has some experience, nearly a 100 games for a 21 year old is very good. But yep i don’t see experience as a vitial asset in a potential signing.
I understand and I hope he is able to get Quality and Experience at the same time this time… not a very odd combination or is it?!! ;)
Wenger didn’t say anything mate, it was an interview, very entertaining.
The reporter asked him about his pet’s, Nicklas said he had a dog and the reporter told him Senderos has a fat rabbit, that was the size of a dog and Nick responded by saying.
“Bloody hell”
Do you think it was the experience of Alonso/gerrard that got Liverpool into the CL in the 117th minute or was it just a jammy freak goal for lucky liverpool!
JS – Xabi Alonso has CL experience even up to the final, he has international experience with spain. Nigel Cl, Uefa Cup and International experience, Toulalan CL Experience, Miguel Veloso CL experience. If you play at that level in such big games that’s where you get vital experience from to be player with confidence and ability to carry a team in hard times… That’s what I would like to see in our squad, don’t you?!!
Frichie – Liverpool is lucky!! As they have always been, against Sunderland, against us last season!!
Alonso is experienced but i worry that he is not really what we need. He is sort of Liverpool’s Cesc, he brings calm to the midfield and picks out passes, i don’t see him being the perfect man for us.
Let’s get Diarra back :) haha
“But French based news agency L’Equipe claims Étienne are not willing to part with the starlet unless a huge offer arrives;
Well it’s a non story then he not coming any time soon then, I’m guessing AW has only one eye on his current contract @ this point in time, where his current one is probably coming to an end, we all now know how AW works theses things don’t we???
JS – He’s not the balance type of player but I remember Xabi Alonso, Ruben De La Red and Fabregas playing in one midfield at the Eureopean Championship and doing really well so it might work though… Still my first choice would be Nigel De Jong! Not that expensive but good value for you money!! I saw Miguel Veloso last night and he is really a class player, he won balls in midfield time and time again and he’s a natural defensive midfielder, probably not as expensive as he was before and certainly worth as much as Nasri. Toulalan is really good, endless running (filling gaps), tough tackling, calm on the ball and has a good passing range, Lyon won’t sell easily and probably the most expensive of the three. Still I believe he’s worth it…
I like De Jong because i like that simple, physical, powerful option. He can play in defence too i believe, so yes i would agree.
So J whats the chances of us signing of us signing someone? I personally feel thats 60/40 no
[quote]JS – Xabi Alonso has CL experience even up to the final, he has international experience with spain. Nigel Cl, Uefa Cup and International experience, Toulalan CL Experience, Miguel Veloso CL experience. If you play at that level in such big games that’s where you get vital experience from to be player with confidence and ability to carry a team in hard times… That’s what I would like to see in our squad, don’t you?!![/quote]
–and Song has reached 2 highly professional international finals (Olympics & ANC) recently and been named in team of the tournament for both, and this i believe is the important thing, in the DM role.
That means that he has been the DM of the tournament in 2 of the most recent professional Internationals in the world…
if it went to some guy we have never heard of we would be beggin wenger to sign him.
I agree we should buy nigel de jong i said this a while ago, he looks a good player powerful and good on the ball and i think wouldnt be to much 7/8mil. I think from our current squad song should play DM and no denlison, reasons being he stronger and more powerful and good in the air and would be a much better partner for cesc because of that. When is Rosicky back any 1 know? Nasri looks pure class aswell great signing!!!!
i’d just like to throw another name into the hat. Hernanes from Sao Paulo. He is left footed so would give obvious balence can easily pick a good pass out and is great at retaining the ball. I think he would be perfect for us. The only problems i can see with this player however is he would need time to adjust to the pace and tempo of the premiership and also may not get a work permit.
the thing about song…is that he looks slow and i dont think he will be able to get round the pitch if were playing a high – temp game….say against man utd…
i must say i like the idea of signing nigel de jong aswell…but hes very short…isn’t anyone worried about our physical presence??
or when we have to defend corners….only sagna can really head the ball in defense and adebayour and bendtner
I would love Arsene to sign a CM but I don’t think we are in desperate need. I say this because I rate Diaby very highly and I believe he should be given the chance to play alongside Cesc. Song I believe could turn out to be an outstanding DM for us, he can come in for those tight games where a bit more protection is needed. Signing a CM could work against the development of these two (which is probably what Wenger is thinking).
I dont even really care who we get now as long as we sign someone
wouldn’t mind wenger gettin someone on loan either possibly an older player that can fill in with out killing of one of the youngs eg. diaby denilson song who i think is the real deal would love to see him in beside FAB
I BRING GOOD NEWS LADS!! ITZ WHAT WE’VE ALL BEEN WAITING TO HEAR TODAY!!!
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11670_4065632,00.html
I agree that De Jong would be really good. I think we need a defender like Huth, who doesn’t give a sh**. Just boot it out! Ideal would be Gattuso for £4m and Huth on loan! Adds a bit of strength and personality to the side!
we need veloso or de guzman to add some strength.we also need to give the partnership of vela and bendtner a chance they done it pre season and adebayor and rvp at the moment dont deserve a place in the first team.i dont agree with the man who said get huth he wasnt good enough for chelsea so what message is it going to send out if we sign him.
Wenger will buy two midfielders:
A Fabregas cover (attacking midfielder)
A defensive midfielder
If not hey, let’s just dump Denilson for MERIDA! or Eboue for RAMSEY/COQUELIN!
Let’s have the balls to play the young guns
Sounds like he is the kind of player we need and you neva know, we might get him or some1 else in before the window closes, wenger has said he wont rule it out and he’ll keep looking and bidding until the window closes.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-happy-to-leave-it-late-on-new-signing