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 50 - 69 of 129

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  1. Emma just keep smiling and keep the comments
    to others­ who understand at least a little of
    what they are­ talking about.
    Thanks Emma

    From Nicholas, on Mon 8 Dec 7:20PM

  2. I dont think liverfool will let him go that would only­ leave them with 2 quality players & not even Rafa­ is that stupid

    From U R SOLES, on Mon 8 Dec 7:08PM

  3. LOSERS????? LOSERS????? How are Arsenal losers i ask in­ disbelief??? This coming from supporters of a team who­ have only ever won anything remotely important BY­ DEFAULT...... ie THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP.......­ This is what is written on the actual cup for all you­ so called liverfool fans in case you were­ wondering......... It was aimed at those who actually­ won their league........ SO........ When was the last­ time you were deemed champions??? EH??? ANYONE??? At­ least ManUre can say they have won it by being league­ champions too... TWICE i may add..... Liverfool will­ NOT win the league this year... They will not win the­ champions league either.... They will stumble and fall­ off their little perch soon enough and EVERYONE will be­ laughing at them. EVERYONE

    From emma, on Mon 8 Dec 7:01PM

  4. Alonso has already stated he wants to go to Juventus.­ Would have happened in the summer but NO-One wanted to­ go to Drivelpool to replace him.

    From Andrew, on Mon 8 Dec 6:55PM

  5. if alonso leaves ill be so p%$£"!. he is probably­ the best passer in the league. i would welcome aaron­ lennon at anfield instead of that stupid s$£!bag robbie­ keane, who cant score more goals than samii hypiia. we­ could have spent 20 million on david silva or someone­ who isnt below kop standard

    From sonaososami, on Mon 8 Dec 6:53PM

  6. Alonso has got higher standards than the gunners can­ ever reach, to all you armchair supporters this is all­ gossip and nothing more alonso is not going no were.

    From rezwanasif, on Mon 8 Dec 6:41PM

  7. alonso wont leave

    From clive munyaradzi, on Mon 8 Dec 6:25PM

  8. bahktair---dat cant happen can it...if liverpool dont­ sell him.....i doubt alonso would go because why would­ he want to leave liverpool for a bunch of LOSERS..

    From sunil p, on Mon 8 Dec 6:15PM

  9. INK +BENITEZ IS RIGHT TO LEAVE ROBBY KEANE ON THE BENCH­ AS HE DID TO PETER CROUCH.HE PROBABLY NEEDS A KICK IN­ THE BACKSIDE, LAY OFF HIS GIRLFRIEND AND DELIVER. FROM­ CULTURE-*+*

    From GEORGE, on Mon 8 Dec 6:13PM

  10. maybe bernitez should sign some america latin's­ player..like marcelo, diego (bremen), heinze, or sergio­ aguero.. or african player..no need to sign from­ spanish only..

    From koquro, on Mon 8 Dec 6:12PM

  11. to martingran..how about pele, diego maradona and­ Michael Platini..? wiil west brow sign this player too?

    From koquro, on Mon 8 Dec 5:57PM

  12. why benitez would ever want to sell alonso? his scoring­ crucial goals at the moment and luckypool r on top he­ would a big idiot if he does sell him

    From Mr.Geo, on Mon 8 Dec 5:50PM

  13. i think that West brom will sign these players and win­ the premier league,
    ­ Buffon
    Daniel alves, ­ John terry, Rio ferdinand ­ Marcelo
    Lionel Messi Francesc fabregas ­ Kaka David Silva
    ­ Zlatan ibrahimovic ­ Sergio Kun Aguero
    West Brom is the best team in England­ and would be a atractive club for the players

    From martingran, on Mon 8 Dec 5:41PM

  14. Redknapp better not give away Lennon or O'Hara,­ because they are thre future and Keane is the past, if­ he were to come back he would not be the same player­ and would not fit into the team again, knowing the only­ reason he's back was cause he couldn't make it­ at liverpool. COYS.

    From KJ, on Mon 8 Dec 5:38PM

  15. As I said prior to the season starting Xabi Alonso is­ one of the most cultured midfield players around, and­ Rafa would be wrong to sell him. Its not as if Xabi is­ coming to the end of his carear. He's only in his­ early 20's, and will surley get even better. A real­ downer to imagine that another team, particularily one­ in the premiership, might benefit from what are sure to­ be his summer years.

    From proud to be british, on Mon 8 Dec 5:35PM

  16. Ha ha all you luckypool supporters when alonso and­ keane is gone, who will come maybe louis garcia? :o)

    From martingran, on Mon 8 Dec 5:34PM

  17. Come on Wenger, sign Alonso.

    Even though I support­ Manchester United, Arsenal is my second favorite team­ and would like them to beat liverpool and chelsea. Cant­ wait to see what happens. Manchester United to win the­ Premier League with Arsenal finishing­ second.

    Fabregas+Alonso= total destruction of Chelsea­ and Liverpool

    From bakhtiar_1996, on Mon 8 Dec 5:29PM

  18. alonso will never go to that s..t team

    From Tony, on Mon 8 Dec 5:21PM

  19. That is a lie ALONSO will never come to arsenal we do­ not need liverpool scum his to S**T.
    This is too you­ ALONSO : NEVER come to are club your too @#$% we got ­ better players @#$% off !!!

    From t.walcott_14, on Mon 8 Dec 5:13PM

  20. OMG, --- Tallhub Co m --- which is a hot club for tall­ singles to find their romantic love. Come on and you­ can enjoy romantic love here.

    From lebujames02, on Mon 8 Dec 5:11PM
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