Transfers - Gossip Shop: Arsenal eye Alonso

Eurosport - Tue, 09 Dec 07:27:00 2008

"You'll never win anything with kids". So claimed a television pundit at the beginning of the 1995-96 season before Manchester United's youngsters went on to sweep all before them.

2008-2009 Liverpool Xabi Alonso - 0

Alan Hansen may have been horribly wrong in his assessment all those years ago, but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger , having championed his kids for so long, finally appears to have come round to the Scotsman's school of thought.

Arsenal have struggled for consistency so far this season, a fault has been attributed to a lack of experience in the side, particularly in midfield where fellow team-mates have even started tackling each other in dying moments of games.

Wenger may be one of Cesc Fabregas's fans but the Gunners boss has realised his new captain, just 21, needs a helping hand from a more experienced sidekick in the middle of the park.

Enter Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

Wenger is a keen admirer of the Spain international; the Gunners would have snapped him up last summer if it were not for Aston Villa's refusal to allow Gareth Barry to go to Anfield.

But having continued to impress this season, and with Liverpool still interested in Barry, Wenger is preparing to make another bid for Alonso once the transfer window opens in January. The Daily Mirror claims a fee of £12 million should be enough to tempt Rafa Benitez to part with his countryman.

Meanwhile, Robbie Keane's rumoured return to Tottenham is likely to rest on who Harry Redknapp can offer Liverpool in part exchange.

The Reds have claimed there is still a job for Keane to do at Anfield, even though he was dropped for the weekend's game against Blackburn and has been struggling for goals ever since his summer move up north.

But Redknapp is willing to hand over £10m-rated Aaron Lennon and £5m-rated Jamie O'Hara - plus £5m in cash - to seal a dramatic return for the Irishman to White Hart Lane just six months after he left.

With Keane featuring so prominently on their list of new year targets, Spurs have moved to distance themselves from stories linking them with Wigan striker Emile Heskey, whose future is up in the air what with his current deal at the JJB Stadium running out at the end of the season.

"He's a free in the summer and I think he will wait to be a free agent," Redknapp told The Times. "Then he has the power.

"I can see him waiting until the summer unless someone is really desperate to take him."

Someone like Aston Villa perhaps. Or Liverpool. Both teams are, according to the Daily Express, monitoring the England man's situation. But Wigan boss Steve Bruce will not take anything less than £10m for a striker he regularly describes as "the best centre forward of his type".

Redknapp's former club Portsmouth featured heavily in this column not so long ago, 'Arry's departure from Fratton Park prompting fears he could be followed out of the door by a number of players loyal to him.

But with Tony Adams having assured said players of Pompey's aspirations for the future, the south coast club's name has been conspicuously absent in the Gossip Shop over recent weeks.

And that looks set to continue (except for today, of course) after owner Alexandre Gaydamak assured Adams there will be no large scale offloading of staff in January, despite his decision to put the club up for sale.

Adams said: "Is there pressure on me to sell in January? The owner has said nothing changes with that and, like it was with Harry, he has said to me 'I'm totally supportive of you.' He thinks I'm doing a great job.

"If a ridiculous offer comes in, I'll accept it to be honest but he has not said to get rid of anyone."

In other news, Hertha Berlin striker Marko Pantelic has appeared on the radar of some of the Premier League's 'finest', with the Daily Mail fingering West Brom, Wigan, Everton and Middlesbrough as those clubs.

Blackburn are considering a swoop for former Liverpool defender Steve Finnan, currently in Barcelona with Espanyol , while Michael Owen has blamed "hysteria" on Tyneside for his protracted contract negotiations with Newcastle.

And finally, it wouldn't be a proper edition of GS without a mention of Manchester City. Today's titbit from Eastlands has Robinho trying to persuade the club's owners into splashing out on Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero, one of a long list of 'new Maradonas', and Milan ace Kaka.

The Brazilian said in The Sun: "Sergio and Kaka are fantastic players and if either of them came to the club I'd be very happy."

Which pretty much equates to: "Aw, go on, get me at least one of them for Christmas. Please. Pretty please. With a cherry on top."

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 110 - 129 of 129

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  1. hohoo, I am not that surprised at all. I saw his­ profile on the tall men&women seeking affairs site­ ~~~TallLoving~~~~ last week. It said he is interested­ in seeking a tall woman for fun on that site! ...

    From li J, on Fri 12 Dec 2:10AM

  2. yeh !! i know that xabi alonso interested to go to­ arsenal ..
    dunt u think so ??

    From Khairul, on Fri 12 Dec 1:08AM

  3. ALONSO WILL NOT GO TO ARSENAL.COMMON WENGER U­ R NOT GOING TO WIN THE TITLE ANYWAY LOSING TO PORTO­ HULL STOKE FULHAM MAN CITY BURNLEY OMG. WAT A­ EMBARRASSING.JUST GIVE UP ON UR YOUNG GUNERS. NXT YEAR­ .U CAN DREAM.BUT NOT NOW.ALONSO IS DOING WELL WITH­ LIVERPOOL AND AFTER 20 YRS THEY ARE DOINNG WELL AND­ PLS LEAVE THEM ALONE.LET THEM WIN IT.FIRST THEN THINK­ ABOUT ALONSO. WHY ALONSO WHEN U GOT FABREGAS DENILSON­ ROSICKY SONG DIABY NASRI . WHO ELSE U WANT RONALDO ­ RONALDINHO GERRARD LAMPARD .COMMON GROW UP WENGER.I­ KNOW U R THINKING SO CHILDISH AS U MIX AROUND MORE WITH­ YOUNGSTER.PLS LEAVE THEM ALONE.PLSSSSSS.IBACK U­ LIVERPOOL THE TITLE IS URS

    From dhinesh.anfield, on Thu 11 Dec 3:04PM

  4. hohoo, I am not that surprised at all. I saw his­ profile on the tall men&women seeking affairs site­ ~~~TallLoving~~~~ last week. It said he is interested­ in seeking a tall woman for fun on that site!

    From yuuiiiii, on Thu 11 Dec 2:08AM

  5. Arsenal should swoop for xabi alonso who is clearly not­ appreciated as much at anfield, and for the rumours of­ arsenal financial state. The gunners owners have given­ arsene wenger over 50 mill to spend, just because we­ dont beg with money doesnt mean its not there.

    From nikkmartnedita, on Tue 9 Dec 7:15PM

  6. alonso for 12 million that is a bargain. if liverpool­ get rid of him i would be gutted. he is a fantastice­ player and always performs to an acceptable level.­ bringing in barry and losing alonso would be a big­ mistake. barry is a good player but nothing compared to­ alonso. just look at keane barry would come in and take­ time to settle. i also feel it would be to big a jump­ for barry to come into ma big club. stay where you are­ barry and become a legend. dont jump ship and become a­ flop. as for heskey what a joke 10 million. hahaha.­ akready had him dont want him again. as for selling­ keane noway. y pay that money to just sell him. spurs­ players i would look at bale, woodgate, bentley forget­ any of the others.

    From scott, on Tue 9 Dec 3:35PM

  7. If that's true it's not a bad news anyway. i­ think it's high time wenger should realise that the­ game is not all about young boys alone. except he would­ prove to us (supporters) that he's some how­ commonising the ability of the old men. i will once­ more congratulate him for his choice of the old men. i­ cann't imagine a mid feild where the youngest­ ueropean mid feilder (Fabregas, the dynamic­ captain)emerges.Wenger should be wise. But is Alonso­ the right answer to ARSENAL's mid feild problem or­ this report is a dude.

    From Abel, on Tue 9 Dec 1:42PM

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    From , on Tue 9 Dec 1:15PM

  9. Lennon and O'Hara plus 5million for Keane??? Are­ they havin a laugh? Lennon looks a different player­ under Harry and seems to be hiitin some form. Also­ Spurs need a squad player like O'Hara there,­ justified by his cracker against the hammers last nite.­ There is no way in hell Spurs would benefit from that­ deal.

    From VinnyZZZ, on Tue 9 Dec 12:08PM

  10. Splash the 12 million Arsenal.. love to see Alonso in a­ Gunners top. Sprayin balls about. Then hand Song the­ holding role.. we be alright wit that..

    From mr.dbradshaw, on Tue 9 Dec 9:14AM

  11. I agree about the Viera comment. They have really not­ challeaged in the League since he left.

    From george, on Tue 9 Dec 8:44AM

  12. arsenals inconsistancy can be traced all the way back­ to when patrick viera left the club.

    Since then­ arsenal have lacked a STRONG midfielder, someone who­ can make the tough challenges and win 50/50­ balls.

    Arsenals team is talented no doubt, but the­ whole set up is a bit soft around the edges, given­ arsenals low january budget don't expect a big­ name, they simply cant afford it.

    Arsenal don't­ seem to have the goal poaching ability any more either­ since Bergkamps retirement (well over 4 years since­ that now)

    In short Arsenals woe's are because of 2­ players they never replaced

    Bergkamp and Viera

    From Mike S, on Tue 9 Dec 8:36AM

  13. Arsenal need a Makalele or Essien type player, not­ Xabi. And I'm Man Utd, not a Goner; but I do like­ they way they play, poetry in motion!

    From optimus prime, on Tue 9 Dec 8:22AM

  14. Robbie Keane should've stayed at tottenham. 20 mil­ was way too much for a 28 year old thats pretty­ average. david villa or zoran tosic (18 year old who­ just signed for man u =( ). Dont let alonso go, hes a­ gun. Alonso 1 - 0 chelsea. that result speaks for­ itself. remember his goal vs newcastle a few season­ ago. 10/10. aaron lennon, o'hara and 5 mil would be­ good enough for keane whos been a flop this season. 4­ goals in quite a few games.

    From srbwpn, on Tue 9 Dec 8:17AM

  15. NO DEAL Keane will have to stay at Liverpool Lennon­ and O'Hara are needed at spurs to push on up the­ table selling those 2 would be a diasaster!!!!!!!!!!

    From Mr Nightwolf, on Tue 9 Dec 7:35AM

  16. keanes been our worst signing yet

    From RYAN, on Tue 9 Dec 6:03AM

  17. the day i see alonso in a Arsenal shirt then i will­ believe this story. obviously i would love to have him­ at The Arsenal heck i would have viera, freddie, pires,­ henry and lets go for broke adams as well back right­ now the way we are.
    cesc obviously has had a word being­ his partner for Spain. brilliant player as well.

    From Raul, on Tue 9 Dec 5:58AM

  18. yeah!!!!don't let my Alonso go...dont ever let him­ goooo...

    From fufu86fila, on Tue 9 Dec 3:04AM

  19. Robbie Keane return to Tottenham.In exchange liverpool­ will get Aaron Lennon and Jamie O'Hara is a good­ offer liverpool should take it. £10m for Emile Heskey­ is to much and liverpool should not let Xabi Alonso go.

    From davekooi, on Tue 9 Dec 2:15AM

  20. hmmm yep a load of rubbish, the only thing worse than­ the stuff this guy writes is the fact there is people­ above him paying him for it. fair enuff he gets the­ stick but cmon someone has to read this before hand to­ give it a thumbs up....whoever he/she is he doesnt know­ anything about football. Lennon and O'Hara are 2 of­ there best young players why would they want rid of­ them??

    From derekf, on Tue 9 Dec 2:10AM
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