Arsenal striker considering Summer Exit

Arsenal’s summer activity in 2011 saw the London club add to their strike force with 26 year-old Park Chu-Young from AS Monaco for a fee of around £3-£5 million.

It was something of an odd signing, as it soon came to light that the South Korean forward would be forced to leave Arsenal within just two years as he needed to complete compulsory military service for his country: "My national service is inevitable and there is no point in thinking anything else." It was assumed therefore, that the striker would be utilized as much as possible during his short spell with the club.

Well over half way into Park’s debut season in England, and this has evidently not been the case. Whether it be down to the sensational form of Robin van Persie or the fact that Wenger does not trust his new signing to deliver the goals required to impress the Arsenal faithful with an immediate impact can be debated, but with just one league appearance, it seems something isn’t right.

The situation also isn’t something Park himself anticipated when he decided to move to Arsenal from Monaco. he had another another option to consider at the time, with French side Lille close to his signing just before Arsenal swooped, and he may now be regretting choosing England over France, with the prospect of first team footbal far more likely with Lille.

The recent January transfer window saw him linked to fellow Premier League side, Fulham, who apparently attempted to take Park out on loan although no deal materialzed. During the summer, if his situation in the first team does not improve, Park will be looking for a new club as he said: "If the current state continues, we will have to look at the transfer market in the summer.”

It is a far cry from a few months ago when Park joined the Gunners, with Wenger claiming: "He will add true quality to our attacking forces and will be a valuable addition to the squad,"  whilst Park exclaimed with evident delight that: "It is a dream to be here and I am really proud to be an Arsenal player."

A total of five first team appearances with even less full 90 minutes, scoring just the one goal against Bolton in the League Cup has not been the desired start to his England career, and a move looks on the cards for the player who is running out of time.

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REAL MADRID PRE - SEASON 2011 SUMMER WORLD TOUR

Real Madrid 2011
SPANISH FOOTBALL Club REAL MADRID started on Monday ( yesterday ) their pre-season & flew off immediately to Los Angeles (USA) to begin their training sessions . Four players stayed back in Madrid that indicate the Coach Jose Mourinho does not count with them for 2011-2012; Pedro Leon, Sergio Canales (also with U-20 Spain duties), Drenthe & Lass Diarra.

Said this what it also signals is an intense couple of weeks of Friendly games & travelling that the actual Club has called the Real Madrid World Tour 2011. The Club Marketing Department has whipped up this video below to advertise their upcoming Friedly matches in the US , Europe & in Asia (China).

Although the video is a bit pretentious & at times "over the top", it is true to the marketing  policy of the Club & does do its work in informing fans across the World about dates & cities that the Spanish Football Club will be attending. With this last bit in mind & knowing that this site receives a big number of readers from USA & China I though I put on the video as an informative piece. Hope the team lands soon in your city.

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The Glazers To Hand Sir Alex £160 Million For Summer Signing

Reports have surfaced that Manchester United owners, the Glazer family has told Sir Alex Ferguson that he can spend big this summer.

The Scottish tactician has spoken about finding at least three major signings during the close-season transfer market.

According to The Guardian, Ferguson has a substantial transfer budget at his disposal for big-name targets during a summer in which the club’s bank account is expected to swell to more than £160m.

Club insiders say that any acquisitions will have to fit the template followed by Manchester United under the Glazers, with an emphasis on younger players who will retain value.

The club has bought one player in the past 14 years who was over 27 and cost more than £3m – Dimitar Berbatov for £31m.

According to Manchester United’s most recent accounts, the club have £113m in the bank and that has fuelled suspicions that the owners will withdraw some of it in dividends but insiders claim it is there for transfers and to guard against unforeseen events.

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This Summer in Italy: The BEST Transfer Window EVER

The Italian national team did play yesterday, pulling off a comfortable 1-0 win away against Slovenia- the first time Gli Azzurri had ever won away there. Cesare Prandelli’s rebuilding continues along a smooth pace, with more answers than questions being delivered. The Italian newspapers can only talk about that one game for so long, for so many pages, however, and the subsequent result is massive, massive amounts of transfer talk. How these papers know which team is going to buy who so far ahead of time is impressive, but all fans of Serie A should be incredibly excited. Your team of choice is going to buy everyone you want, and then some!

Take Roma, for example. The side are currently undergoing their busiest transfer window in nearly a decade, despite the fact that the window has yet to open. Jeremy Menez? Surely on his way out, to either Napoli or Juventus based on which report you read. Giallorossi faithful have little reason to despair, however. Incoming to replace the Frenchman is Lucas Podolski (if Napoli don’t take him first). And also Gareth Bale, Didier Drogba, and Alex Sanchez. Possibly Cesc Fabregas, Javier Pastore, and Jose Boswinga as well. Gigi Buffon is nearly a certainty to head to the capital side, unless Arsenal take him first. Those English bastards.

The irony being, of course, this is Roma. The team whose biggest acquisition last summer was $10 million AC Milan reject Marco Borriello- for free at first, only having to buy him at the end of this campaign. The same Roma that never had any money, up until Thomas Di Benedetto was linked to the club. The same Di Benedetto who doesn’t even officially own the club yet, who has not ever had a transfer window to judge him on. And yet, because Roma need new players, and because the club has a new owner, they can suddenly go after any and every-one.

Di Benedetto must be quite angry. He had a fantastic mercato lined up, and the papers just had to go and spill the beans.

Other teams look likely to suffer similar fates this summer. Juventus? Despite a massive transfer campaign last summer, the Turin side are going to spend massively again this summer. Giuseppe Rossi? Sure. Alex Sanchez, Jeremy Menez, and Neymar? Why not? It’s going to be difficult for Sanchez to play two games every weekend, once for Roma and then once for Juventus, but that seems irrelevant. Both clubs want him, both clubs certainly have the cash (they must, it says so on the internet), so both will buy him. Rules? Rules are for losers.

It’s the same all around the peninsula. Inter and Milan will BOTH sign Ganso. And why not? If Sanchez can play for two teams, surely he can as well. The Rossoneri will also take Philippe Mexes from Roma’s hands, though they will have to share him with Liverpool. It’ll be tough, sure, but owning half a defender is surely better than owning none at all. Not happy with the side’s attack, Milan fans? No worries, Bayern will fail to make the Champions’ League and ship Arjen Robben your way.

For Udinese, life after Sanchez will be difficult. Luckily the club have already found the NEW Sanchez (my that was fast, no), so there should be no problems there. Fiorentina? Marco Van Basten will take over and sell Juan Vargas to Barcelona. And on and on and on. Safe to say, if there’s a big name player out there, he’s moving this summer. The one exception may be Lionel Messi, but even that’s no guarantee.

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The papers are ruining this summer! The most exciting transfer campaign that any league has ever seen has already been spoiled by the internet. Manchester City and Real Madrid will look over at Italy and only wish they were part of a league with so many transfers. They’ll try, oh yes they will, to match the spending, but it seems inevitable now.

Serie A will return to greatness. And you’ll have to thank an American owner at Roma for that.

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Arsenal In £50 Million Summer Spending Spree

Plagued with injuries throughout the season to the extent that a new/old goalkeeper had to be brought in for back up, as well as being tormented with off form players slipping up a crucial times in massive matches, and Arsene Wenger is understandably frustrated. He must be wondering what he has done wrong to deserve the punishment of seeing his loyal but exhausted players suffer in this way. It isn't all bad when you consider Arsenal's position in the table - three points behind the leaders with a game in hand - but this season could have been about so much more than just the Premier League crown.

It is perhaps no wonder then, that Arsenal are being linked to two big money players to boost the squad this summer - give it some well needed depth, diversity and energy. These two players are Bolton's Gary Cahill and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. I honestly cannot see it myself. It isn't that the two players wouldn't fit into the squad; Cahill, a strong, reliable, often goal scoring centre back would be welcomed in the beleaguered defence, while Benzema will have no shortage of fellow countrymen to communicate with (not to mention being a top class front man).  The rumours really get unbelievable when the price is quoted.

Cahill and Benzema are being valued at £25 million by the news sources. That's £25 million each. Probably around £40 million more than Wenger would dream of spending. His cautious, low profile approach to the transfer market has caused plenty of frustration among even patient supporters, as they await their first trophy for six years. It may yet come this year, but it will undoubtedly be very close, and with all of the teams around them certain to improve their squads in the summer, Arsenal do not want to be left behind at the start of next season in a year which looks to be even more competitive and tight than even this year has been so far.

Manchester United are apparently Arsenal's competition for the 25 year-old Cahill. United have seen a Vidic - Smalling partnership blossom in the absence of the seemingly always injured Rio Ferdinand, and if Ferdinand ever does receive further injures which is highly likely, United will need a top quality replacement. There have also been unsettling murmurings of Vidic's future as a United player as his wife apparently doesn't like it in Manchester. The Wes Brown - Chris Smalling defensive partnership has been poor so far, and Sir Alex will look for a new defender to banish any defensive worries in the future.

A bidding war is something neither side would want however, with Arsenal's reluctance to spend, and United's crushing debts reducing the possibility of big money signings.
"The Trotters [Bolton] are bracing themselves for bids in the summer, and both Arsenal and Manchester United are expected to come to the table at some point with an offer for the England international.Chelsea are also thought to be keen on landing the player, with the west London outfit also interested in the 25-year-old former Aston Villa defender.Arsenal are still thought to be favourites though, although the Gunners will have to fight hard to see off Manchester United if these claims are to be believed."

Meanwhile, Wenger is supposedly a "big fan" of Benzema who was bought by Madrid from Lyon for £35 million two seasons ago. It is easy to see why, as Benzema has masses of exactly what Wenger is always looking for, craving for, searching for: "potential".

17 goals in 52 appearances this season isn't to impressive, but his previous form is far more impressive, with one season amassing 20 goals in just 36 appearances. A partnership of van Persie and Benzema would also be a vast improvement to what they have at the moment, and would add he depth up front which has been lacking.

Sir Alex Ferguson had tried to bring Benzema to United before he joined Madrid, but I doubt he would be after him again after being turned down already.

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