Summer Transfer Window 2013 (General)

[Fosterbloke]

He's averaged 25 goals in each of the last 3 seasons

[kingfunk]

It would make me very happy if we signed him, he is something different, can hold the ball up, can play the ball, got skill and is big and strong, oh and scores lots of goals.

[Shaggy]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2013/05/24/4000198/arsenal-agree-terms-with-swansea-city-defender-williams

Arsene Wenger has prioritised a move for the 28-year-old as the Gunners look to tie up the deal that will cost the club between £8 million and £10m
EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief correspondent

Ashley Williams has agreed terms to join Arsenal from Swansea City this summer, Goal can reveal.

Arsene Wenger has prioritised signing the central defender and is hopeful that an offer between £8 million and £10m can close the deal after reaching a basic agreement with the player.

It is understood that Arsenal have agreed a three-year contract with Williams' camp that is worth £60,000-a-week.

Preliminary negotiations have taken place between Arsenal and Swansea on a fee for the Wales captain, with the Londoners confident of completing the signing in the next two weeks.

As revealed by Goal, Arsenal stepped up their interest in Williams in April and moved in to pole position to capture him ahead of Liverpool after holding two rounds of talks with the player’s representatives.

The 28-year-old’s desire to move to an elite club had not been dependent upon the guarantee of Champions League football, which Arsene Wenger’s team secured on the final day of the season.

The Gunners are poised to start the bidding at around the £8m mark and, although Swansea are likely to hold out for a fee closer to £12m, it is not expected that the final cost will be much beyond £10m.

Wenger is a big admirer of Williams, who he believes has the calibre and battle-hardened Premier League experience to beef up a defence that had been found wanting at times last season.

[Red_Polo]

Delight thus swept the forum

[Fredo]

Let's wait till they officially get him.

[Shaggy]

Seen a few Arsenal fans on Twitter going ****ing mental

[Phoenix07]

Ridiculous sums of money there.

[Shaggy]

Wenger's really **** at buying defenders. It would be so awesome if we got Papa and they got The Blue Square Lump

[Sarb]

Really hope Goal.com are right this time. They are usually way off the mark with their exclusives. This would be great...it really would

[Pablo]

Mertesacker and Williams at the back for them next season with Vermaelen sold. You couldn't make it up

[dww]

Mertesacker and Williams at the back for them next season with Vermaelen sold. You couldn't make it up

The Arsenal defence started looking pretty good at the end of last season. Really don't see Williams as an improvement though.

I think Wenger has more problem blending a good defence that buying good defenders - there is a pretty long list of good players he has bought in. Finding someone to lead and organise them has always looked to be more of a problem. I would guess that Williams is an attempt to solve this - but I think he will have the opposite effect.

[Chazza]

Arsenal after Rooney

EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal ready to break the bank and lure wantaway Rooney to Emirates

Arsenal are growing increasingly confident they can finance a record-breaking move for Wayne Rooney.
Sportmail exclusively revealed the Gunners’ interest in the unsettled Manchester United star last week.
A move for Rooney was first discussed in a scouting meeting in March, but there was an acknowledgement that his £250,000-per-week wages could be a stretch too far for the club.

However, Arsenal are refusing to dismiss the idea of landing Rooney this summer. He has just two years to run on his existing Old Trafford contract, and the Gunners hope that the security of a five-year deal worth close to £200,000-a-week will be an attractive proposition for the striker.
Arsenal are also willing to hand Rooney a multi-million pound signing-on fee to supplement his wages.
The deal would make Rooney the club’s best ever paid player.
Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott are Arsenal’s current top earners on around £100,000-a-week. But outgoing United chief executive David Gill still expects Rooney to start next season with the Premier League champions, despite Arsenal’s interest.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a move from Old Trafford after retiring manager Sir Alex Ferguson — who has been replaced by Everton’s David Moyes — said the player had submitted a second transfer request in nearly three years.

But Gill said: ‘I think that he’s a great, great player at a great, great club and the club doesn’t want to lose its star player.
‘I’m sure every bit of work is being taken with Wayne and his advisers to ensure that happens. I am not a betting man but I’m confident I’ll sit at Old Trafford next season and see Wayne Rooney running out.’
Liverpool-born Rooney agreed a five-year contract running to June 2015 after changing his mind over leaving the club in October 2010.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s talks over Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic are at a crucial stage. The Serie A club are unwilling to take less than his £25m buyout clause, but Arsenal are only willing to pay £20m.
Juventus are also in contact with Fiorentina and there is a growing concern at Arsenal that the Montenegro striker, 23, will opt to stay in Italy.
Arsenal are also interested in the 25-year-old Real Madrid and Argentina striker, Gonzalo Higuain.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2330621/Wayne-Rooney-chased-Arsenal.html

[-V-]

Mertesacker and Williams at the back for them next season with Vermaelen sold. You couldn't make it up

Its actually Koscielny who is their main man now, he's been superb for them over the last 5 months or so. Surprised me because he was **** when he arrived

[-V-]

The Arsenal defence started looking pretty good at the end of last season. Really don't see Williams as an improvement though.

I think Wenger has more problem blending a good defence that buying good defenders - there is a pretty long list of good players he has bought in. Finding someone to lead and organise them has always looked to be more of a problem. I would guess that Williams is an attempt to solve this - but I think he will have the opposite effect.

Its actually Koscielny who is their main man now, he's been superb for them over the last 5 months or so. Surprised me because he was **** when he arrived

[Shaggy]

Neymar going to Barca.