Premier League - Gossip Shop: Van Buyten to Arsenal

Eurosport - Fri, 21 Nov 07:39:00 2008

Gossip is not merely a trivial diversion from the soul-crushing drudgery of everyday life: it is fundamental to human social and psychological well-being.

FOOTBALL 2007-2008 Bundesliga Bayern Van Buyten - 0

When you feverishly scan our pages every morning for Gossip Shop, you are doing much more than searching for your daily fix of transfer rumour and chit-chat from around the globe.

In fact, you are stimulating production of endorphins in your over-worked brain; relieving stress, seeking a return to more natural communication patterns from simpler times.

Reading GS is the human equivalent of grooming among primates.

Every time you Post a message, you are meticulously picking out an ectoparasite from deep in a fellow reader's skin. Every time you click on the Thumbs Up button, you are lovingly massaging GS's shoulders and stroking his head. Every time you Email this story, you are gently scratching dead skin and insects from your Yahoo! buddy's matted fur.

So Gossip Shop thanks you. And, though transfer tittle-tattle is a bit thin on the ground this post-international morning, here's your daily fix of up a bit... down a bit... no, left... left... ooooooh, yeah, right there... right there.

Sift out the international fall-out from today's back pages and you'll find a bit of a 3-2-1 situation going on, except without the politically-incorrect stylings of nylon-suited former Butlins Redcoat Ted Rogers.

Arsenal are featured in a triple-bill of speculation and hearsay; Blackburn Rovers are featured twice; and Tottenham Hotspur just once.

Arsenal appear to be considering their legal options following the injury to Theo Walcott whilst on England duty. The forward's dislocated right shoulder could require an eight-week recuperation following an operation (Daily Mail), although the Independent suggest a specialist will decide this week whether Theo actually needs to go under the knife or not.

The Gunners are mulling over whether they should pursue compensation from the FA over the injury. The figure - based on Walcott's wages for the time he is out - would be around £200,000, some way short of the £10 million Newcastle United received after Michael Owen suffered knee ligament damage while on England duty at the World Cup in 2006.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror report that Arsenal and Aston Villa are set to compete for the £8m signature of Standard Liege playmaker Steven Defour. What's with the sudden clamour for Belgian midfielders? If they were all as good as people think, wouldn't Belgium be higher than 55th in the FIFA rankings?

And Arsenal's final mention comes with the news that they could be interested in a January move for another Belgian, veteran defender Daniel van Buyten (pictured) - who appears very open to a move from current club Bayern Munich.

"Arsenal are a very attractive club," said van Buyten, who has played in England before with Manchester City back in 2004. "That goes without saying. When we reach the mid-season break I will take stock of my situation at Bayern. There is still time for me to make a decision."

The giant centre-back has barely featured in the Bundesliga this season, a factor sure to influence his thinking.

Up north to Blackburn, where not even a likening to Manchester United legend Eric Cantona appears to be enough to keep Roque Santa Cruz at the club - the striker is reportedly still "keen" to leave to join his former Rovers boss Mark Hughes at Manchester City in January.

Blackburn are also keen to jump aboard the Egyptian bandwagon following the raving success of striker Amir Zaki down the road at Wigan. Paul Ince has taken right-winger Ahmed Al-Mohammadi on trial from ENPPI with a view to signing him in January as the club look to fill the literally-tiny-but-metaphorically-enormous boots of David Bentley.

And finally, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp appears to have realised what everyone else has known for the last three months - that goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes is about as much use as a pair of breasts on a bull.

Redknapp will choose between West Ham's Robert Green or a loan deal for Manchester United's Ben Foster in January.

Alex Sharratt / Eurosport

Comment 14 - 33 of 33

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Heurelho Gomes..more like Hilarious Gomes. really bad start to his career st spurs but im sure he'll find his way back somewhere else.must be communication problem

    From edu, on Fri 21 Nov 1:27AM

  2. greatmuta24 is obviously a glory-hunter who probably lives somewhere insignificant like Bury St Edmonds! Certainly not from Mcr anyway!

    From jaykyn, on Fri 21 Nov 12:07AM

  3. Whats really finny about English clubs is that they aint picking the best Egyptian players to play in the EPL.. We are double African champions so we have good players; actually good enough to thrash Cameroon and Ivory Coast 4-2 each in the last cup of Nations but common rovers el Mohammadi aint good enough for the EPL he cant cross the football; you should try Fathi or Eid AbdelMalak or Even shikabala but el mohammadi stinks; plus he aint a wide out winger he is more of a wing-back..
    GS you should have watched the African Champions League final; we have a great team in Al-Ahli; likely enough most of our players want to keep playing for that African Club of the century who won 15 Different championships in the last 4 years alone including 3 African champions league that's what i call domination :)
    Cheers everyone

    From Fadel, on Thu 20 Nov 11:18PM

  4. spknott, marc M, and james_gardenloser, get back to me when Man.City WIN some silverware. Until then, keep yer traps shut!!! You speak yet you NEVER win silverware. Hey at least West Ham and Wigan have gotten to cup finals, why cannot you City losers??? And you even have a United legend at your helm. Smells like you want to be United........

    From greatmuta24, on Thu 20 Nov 11:04PM

  5. I find that i sometimes get angry with Arsene over how he coaches the team out on the pitch and it's hard to imagine that this is the same manager that we had back when we had our undefeated season. Arsene needs to drop this beautiful game theology that he's kept inspite of the lack of silverware and then we need to pick up x. alonso so that way we can show spain what they are missing when they dont play alonso and fabre at the same time.

    From Russ Man, on Thu 20 Nov 8:59PM

  6. Keith R: referring to your comment (No 8), pot kettle black springs to mind! I've just received an Email from the Ticketmaster website advertising man utd's home game against Blackburn, tickets now on sale to the "general public"! It smacks of desparation to entice even more Bandwagon jumpers! Be dare enough to reply back!

    From Stephen, on Thu 20 Nov 8:15PM

  7. least we can afford it marc m

    From donkeykong, on Thu 20 Nov 7:18PM

  8. its a shame , isnt it , for man united fans. Because of rising petrol prices it's gonna cost more to drive up from london every week. ;)

    From marc m, on Thu 20 Nov 7:02PM

  9. Oooh Keith R can you tell me the name of a football club that is so well supported that they have to force their season ticket holders to have cup tickets whether they want them or not (and who's supporters trust is taking them to the office of fair trading LOL!) Or perhaps you'ld like to try naming a club that has been reduced to approaching people in the Trafford Centre to ask if they would like to buy a season ticket? I understand that the credit crunch and high petrol prices means that most of your fans can no longer afford the round trip from London to old trashford but come on mate, no need to be so BITTER about MCFC!!!!!

    From james_gardensolutions, on Thu 20 Nov 6:29PM

  10. im no spurs fan but i think gomes is a good keeper and he just needs some good fortune to go his way to build his confindence if all the press slag him off thats some big pressure on anyones shoulders i hope he prooves you wrong yahoo!

    From chris, on Thu 20 Nov 5:58PM

  11. Van Buyten should come and gallas should leave, gallas is giving wenger a headache!!!!!!

    From Patrick, on Thu 20 Nov 5:09PM

  12. to comment 21!! beckford and beechio have scored this many but who are they playing against??? maybe if in premier league then yes maybe called up to play for england.

    From JIMMY, on Thu 20 Nov 4:45PM

  13. What do u mean belgian midfielders are no good? These players are the same ones who finished fourth at the Olympics... Which means they are ALL under 23!!! Does that make sense? Steven Defour is only 21 and already captain of the side (Standard de Liège) which took Liverpool to the 27th minute of extra time in the last qualifying round of the Champions' League b4 Kuyt got a goal!! Are they any good?? They (standard) whipped Everton's 'derriere' in the last round of the UEFA cup... One of them is Witzel and the other is Fellaini, who by the way, was at Standard de Liège and is doing quite well at Everton!! Watch out, they could be whipping the English Under-21 sidez behind since these are the same players are qualified to play such a match!! There aren't a lot of them but those Belgian midfielders are hell GOOD. Their country's 55th world ranking should not prevent you from thinking and looking at the players' records!!

    From Belyab, on Thu 20 Nov 4:40PM

  14. well i think that ashley young is the best young player in england by far and i'm gobsmacked that he only gets a fifteen minute run out. Gabby Agbonglahor played outstanding too, Villa have some outstanding talent there. But i think premiership teams should be looking at the ultimate strike force of beckford and beechio. 25 goals(ish) between them this season, better than anyone!!

    From bradleykendrick1990, on Thu 20 Nov 4:16PM

  15. HAHA at comment 17* obvious you know nothing about football.....

    From kwok m, on Thu 20 Nov 3:42PM

  16. who the f..k do u think u r Nr 3
    Arsene and Fergie r finished
    You either brainless c..t or u support Chelski Liverpool or Tottenpig(ham)

    From DELPHINE R, on Thu 20 Nov 3:40PM

  17. EnglAND STARTING 11 SHOULD LOOK LIKE THIS IN MY OPINION.

    Kirkland, Terry, Ferdinand, Bridge, Brown, Gerrard, carrick, young, j Cole , Agbonlahor, Heskey.

    No room 4 moody , arrogant Rooney 4 sure .
    The same applies 4 him at man utd.

    Tevez is 10 times the player that rooney

    From DELPHINE R, on Thu 20 Nov 3:34PM

  18. the best english striker at the moment is gabby Agbonlahor, and I,m a Man Utd fan

    From DELPHINE R, on Thu 20 Nov 3:28PM

  19. Wenger should play his youth team, with some older ones, Fergie did and won silverware to the annoyance of the "you can't win anything with boys" brigade!

    From jonathan g, on Thu 20 Nov 2:56PM

  20. Maybe Arsen Wenger should play his youth / reserves team for all the remaining Premier league games, at least they will play without fear and even if they don't win anything this time their time will come. Alex Ferguson played a bunch of young ones even to the annoyance of some "you don't win anything with boys" BBC commentators!

    From jonathan g, on Thu 20 Nov 2:50PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account