News

Welcome to January transfer deadline day 2011. With Arsenal are still in the market for new players, including Southampton’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and with some potential outs on the cards, it promises to be a fantastic final day of the window.

You can follow live real time updates right here on Young Guns brought to you by two of the most well informed Arsenal writers around. Young Guns editor Jamie Sanderson, and editor of The Goon Blog, Martin Cafferty. The duo ran a similar service in the summer, where they exclusively announced the signing of Ryo Miyaichi.

Feel free to get in touch with the guys by leaving a comment in the live updates section. They’ll publish the best and hope to answer all your questions. Alternatively you can tweet Jamie at @YoungGunsBlog and Martin at @TheGoonBlog. Enjoy.

To view the live feed, click here.

Welcome to this weekends Loanees Watch – Young Guns’ analysis, reports and updates on the progress of the young starlets currently plying their trade away from the Emirates Stadium. You can read all the latest reports below.

Craig Eastmond started and played 70 minutes on his debut for Millwall as the Lions beat Barnsley 2-0. Eastmond only had a handful of training sessions but went straight into the squad. The midfielder was lucky to avoid a booking for two poor tackles, but will be happy with his debut.

Henri Lansbury played the full 90 minutes for Norwich City as they drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace. Lansbury had two fantastic chances to win the game for City, first lashing a volley wide in the first half, then a flick header in the second.

Mark Randall came off the bench to play the final five minutes of Rotherham’s 4-0 win over Stockport County. Randall recently extended his deal with the Millers until the end of the season.

Vito Mannone missed Hull City’s 0-0 draw with Queens Park Rangers through injury.

Benik Afobe was ineligible as Arsenal knocked Huddersfield out of the FA Cup. Afobe was not able to play due to the terms of his youth loan, but was watching on as the Gunners edged the game 2-1 thanks to a late Cesc Fabregas penalty.

Gavin Hoyte came off the bench to play stoppage time for Lincoln City as they beat Port Vale 1-0. Hoyte has been back at Arsenal for treatment on a hamstring problem.

Nacer Barazite was not in action for Vitesse Arnhem this weekend. The Dutchman only returned to Holland on Saturday morning after having a trial with Austrian Vienna. Barazite is expected to seal a transfer to the Austrian side on transfer deadline day.

Francis Coquelin not not included in the Lorient squad that beat Brest 2-0.

Armand Traoré was not included the Juventus squad this weekend due to injury. Traoré claimed the record of the fastest ever substitute in Serie A on Sunday, when he was taken off just 52 seconds in.

Wellington Silva played 90 seconds of normal time on his debut as Levante beat Getafe 2-0. Wellington came on with both sides down to 10 men. He played on the right of a front three and showed some glimpses of quality. The 18-year-old first drove at the Getafe back four and passed for Juanlu who shot and won a corner. Silva then helped win another corner with some lovely tricks and skills.

Pedro Botelho played the full 90 minutes for FC Cartagena as they lost 2-1 to Xerez. Botelho continued in his left wing birth but saw little of the ball as Cartagena suffered their third concentive defeat.

Samuel Galindo was not in action for UD Salamanca this weekend. The midfielder has only just returned to training after breaking his right ankle.

Aaron Ramsey and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas were not in action this weekend, as Cardiff City were not in action. Nor were Sanchez Watt‘s Leeds United or Kyle Bartley‘s Sheffield United. Elsewhere, Cédric Evina had his contract mutually cancelled on Friday. He signed a short term deal with loan club Oldham Athletic the same day.

Editors Note: Due to popular demand, the always well informed Martin Cafferty from The Goon Blog and I will be running a live Arsenal-related blog on transfer deadline day tomorrow. We’ll be following the latest on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, plus news on a selection of youngsters who could be on their way on loan. The action gets under way from 10am.

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has criticised the conduct of agent Eduardo Hernández after a move for Carlos Vela collapsed. The Mexican joined West Brom on loan yesterday.

Coyle has revealed that Bolton had agreed to sign Vela on Thursday, but the move broke down over personal terms. The Trotters had agreed to pay all of Carlos’ wages on top of a loan fee, but Hernández then stepped in and told Coyle he would not complete a deal unless Bolton agreed to pay relocation and housing costs as well as appearance fees.

A move to West Brom then emerged as another option, although it’s not thought they have matched the original demands Vela’s representative made. A furious Coyle explained the situation today.

“We had permission from Arsenal regarding Carlos Vela. We agreed with Arsenal that we would pay the players salary, we also agreed to pay a loan fee to Arsenal. I then had a chat with his agent who informed me that there was more finances to come on top of that in terms of another fee and player appearances.”

“We’d agreed a deal with the football club and then outside influences meant that the deal was going to be financially far too much. I said to the chairman ‘well that’s it we’ll leave that’, and I stepped away from it.”

“I never spoke to the player himself so I stress there’s no fault at the player’s door or indeed Arsenal football club. It’s just it was getting far too much and I thought it was getting ridiculous and that’s why I stepped away from it.”

“It was getting far too much and I thought it was getting ridiculous and that’s why I stepped away from it.”

Vela has signed with the Baggies until the end of the season.

Carlos Vela is in talks with West Bromwich Albion over a loan move, agent Eduardo Hernández has confirmed. The Mexican international is expected to complete a switch away from the Emirates in the next few days.

Hernández arrived in London earlier in the week and held talks with both Arsenal and the player. Arsène Wenger has already given his blessing to the move, but a club has yet to be decided on. The striker has had over 15 offers, from all over the world. However, he narrowed them down to three earlier in the week.

Bolton have been the front runners for a number of weeks, along with Spanish outfit Valencia. Vela himself has refused to return to La Liga, and wants to continue to adapt to life in England. Owen Coyle has spoken to Hernández extensively, but is yet to offer to the guarantee of regular playing time he needs.

West Brom emerged as a realistic option in the last few days, and Hernández has confirmed to the Mexican press his client has been in the Midlands for talks. A decision either way is expected shortly.

Welcome to this news round up on all the latest goings on surrounding Arsenal’s Reserves and Youth players, for Thursday January 27th.

Benik Afobe will not be eligible to face Arsenal in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Huddersfield manager Lee Clark told the media on Tuesday the youngster has been given permission to play against his parent club, but Arsenal confirmed today he will not be eligible due to FA rules on youth loans.

In transfers news, Dinamo Zagreb Director Zoltan Mamić has confirmed Arsenal have been in Croatia to discuss a deal for right back Šime Vrsaljko, but he says talk of a deal being agreed is not true.

Craig Eastmond has joined Millwall on loan until the end of the season, as Young Guns told you on Twitter at half time of the Arsenal v Chelsea Reserve game. He’s gone straight into the Lions squad to face Barnsley on Friday night.  On the back of Eastmond leaving, another piece of information we brought you has been confirmed; Martin Angha has signed a new deal with the club.

Nacer Barazite is in talks with Austria Vienna about a loan move. Barazite is currently on loan with Eredivise outfit Vitesse Arnhem, but the Dutch club will allow him to cancel the agreement if he can find a better offer. Young Guns shared some thoughts on Nacer with Austrian news outlet ‘Sport 10′ today, you can read that here.

Elsewhere, you can listen to an exclusive interview with editor Jamie Sanderson on the latest edition of the Arsenal Review USA Podcast. Jamie talks about the youth development at Arsenal, and gives updates on the futures of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ryo Miyaichi. Listen here.

Ryo Miyaichi is on the cusp of completing a move to Feyenoord. The 18-year-old will sign a loan deal until the end of the season.

Miyaichi flew to Holland last Sunday with club executive Richard Law, who is putting the final touches to a development partnership between Arsenal and Feyenoord. Ryo was handed a week long trial with Eredivise club, with first-team coach Mario Been putting him through his paces ahead of a potential transfer.

The Rotterdam based side have agreed to look after Miyaichi, as he is not eligible for a work permit so can not play in England. Been promised the Japan Under 17 international a chance to prove himself, where he would then decide if the winger was good enough for the first-team, the Reserves, or instead be more suited to joining SBV Excelsior on loan.

The youngster did enough to prove his worth after just one training session, but Been confirmed to Dutch radio that he would continue to analyse him. Technical Director Leo Beenhakker sent off his documents to the Football Federation last week, but the club are just waiting on the final paper to be approved before he officially joins.

The De Kuip based club are currently 14th in the Eredivisie table and battling relegation. Things got worse for them last Monday, when club legend Beenhakker offered his resignation. Despite media speculation, it’s not thought he asked to because because of the imminent link up between Arsenal and Feyenoord.

Arsenal are not close to concluding a deal for Southampton winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsène Wenger has confirmed.

Wenger revealed his interest in the 17-year-old on Monday, but rebuffed speculation sourced from a selection of English newspapers that the deal was all but done. The Frenchman paused and replied ‘No’ when asked if the transfer was close to its completion on Tuesday evening.

Arsenal began talks with the League One outfit on Sunday, but negotiations have been slow, with the two sides yet to compromise on the financial details. Wenger is willing to part with a figure close to £10 million for the player, but only wants to pay around £5 million up front, with the rest in installments. Southampton want closer to £7 million, and Oxlade-Chamberlain on loan until the end of the season.

A number of rumours then circulated that Manchester United have made their move for the winger, despite Alex already telling friends and family he is only interested in a move to North London.

The potential transfer looks set to drag on, with Wenger also suggesting to the media he wasn’t sure if any transfers would go through in the remaining days of the window.

Benik Afobe could line up against parent club Arsenal in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on Sunday, after Arsène Wenger granted the 17-year-old permission to play for opponents Huddersfield Town.

Afobe is on loan to the Yorkshire outfit until the end of the season, but under the terms of his youth loan, he is currently back at Arsenal recovering from a trouble some knee injury. He played 90 minutes in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday, and over an hour for the Reserves yesterday.

Terriers manager Lee Clark confirmed to the press this morning that they’d been given the green light by Wenger to select the youngster, just like the Frenchman did for Sanchez Watt in the last round. Afobe, who earned mass praise from Arsène when the draw was announced, told The FA’s official website that he would apologise to the players and manager if he scored against the Gunners.

Benik is expected to return to Huddersfield later this week for a fitness test.

Arsenal are the ‘ideal’ destination for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, according to the players father. Mark Chamberlain, who enjoyed a fruitful playing career, has backed his son’s decision to favour the Gunners over other interested Premier League sides.

Arsène Wenger opened talks with Southampton on Sunday afternoon, but contrary to reports in a selection of English newspapers, both clubs are yet to formally agree on anything. However, Oxlade-Chamberlain has privately told friends and family he is only interested in moving to North London. His proud Dad agrees with that choice.

“Arsenal, with the manager there, the way they play and how they develop players, I think they are the ideal choice.”

Arsenal are happy to match the South Coast clubs £10 million valuation, but they are still negotiating over the up front price and how much will follow in installments. Wenger confirmed nothing had been agreed, but remains hopeful.

“We need an agreement with Southampton and we need an agreement with the player. We are not the only ones on his case, but we try as hard as we can.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain has scored six goals from 24 appearances in League One.