Transfer and contract rumour is the order of the morning which does make a change from all the takeover stuff.
Let’s start with Jens Lehmann who has apparently decided to stay with Arsenal and accept the one year contract on offer. His performances in the second half of this season have concerned me, I have to say, but as has been pointed out elsewhere we need to strengthen other areas before that of the keeper. However, that Times article suggests we’ll be after Hearts Craig Gordon in the summer despite Lehmann’s acceptance of a new contract and just the other day I was told from a very good source that our interest in Yohann Pele is very real and at an advanced stage. So, we shall see what happens there. If he does stay then we need to see the Jens of last season, a player who was motivated and focused and not the Jens of the last couple of months who looks unsure and increasingly erratic. Perhaps having his future settled, one way or the other, will do that for him.
The other thing to bear in mind is that if Arsenal tell him, which I’m sure they will given his age, that they’re looking to bring in another keeper who might usurp his position then his decision to stay might be reversed.
The Guardian is repeating the Gallas to Madrid story that appeared in the Mirror the other day and looking around the Spanish papers they’re only using the Mirror story as a source so I doubt there’s very much in this, at the moment. Also in AS yesterday was a highly speculative piece about Cesc joining Real Madrid this summer because he wouldn’t stay if Wenger left. They seem to have completely overlooked the fact that Wenger won’t be going anywhere and Cesc has an eight year contract.
Yoan Gouffran is a French striker who appears to be quite good so naturally we’ve been linked with him. Not much more to it than that.
Not much more happening to be honest. In relation to tomorrow’s Arsecast (sponsored by OleOle.com) I’m going to try something new and different this week. It may work, it may not but if it does work it’ll be completely and utterly awesome. Or possibly quite good. Or maybe just about listenable. Or crap. There’s rather a lot of scope for it not to work. Hmmmm.
Anyway, I’ll get about my business and try and sort that out. You can spend all day discussing whether or not we need a new keeper or, perhaps, whether you’d prefer to be an anteater or an armadillo. I’m easy.
