Arsenal should use their deadwood positively this summer.
Arsenal have a huge clearing out job to do this summer, and it begun yesterday with Manuel Almunia released from his contract.
Today they have been linked with selling Nicklas Bendtner to Borussia Dortmund of all people, the German champions.
Agent talk? Or the real deal?
The Danish striker will certainly hope so, after travailing at Sunderland on loan all season, scoring eight goals.
Dortmund face losing striker Robert Lewandowski to Manchester United as he has just one year left on his contract, so it is right that they will be looking for a new striker.
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Normally we would be urging Arsenal to in fact hold off on selling Bendtner, because of his role at Euro 2012.
Of course it could go either way, he could go there and get injured, scuppering a sale leaving them paying his wages for the next year, or – he could score a couple of goals and add a few million to his price tag.
We’d say it’d be worth the gamble, and the club should keep him until after the tournament, except because it is Dortmund who are interested, Arsenal should try and do a deal now.
Arsenal are interested in Japanese playmaker Shinji Kagawa, who has also been linked heavily with Manchester United, and reports have been made that the Gunners submitted a formal offer last week.
It sounds as if he is almost certain to come to the Premier League, and it is down to a straight fight between United and Arsenal.
Arsenal should play their trump card and offer Dortmund a part-exchange deal with Bendtner for Kagawa to get the upper hand.
The Gunners have so many players they want rid of, Fabianski, Denilson, Arshavin, Chamakh, that it is time for them to start using them as pawns in bids to make signings.
A Chamakh for Ljajic deal between the Gunners and Fiorentina was mooted in the press yesterday, and one of our readers suggested on Monday that if Arsenal are forced to sell Van Persie they should broker a deal with Real Madrid to see Higuain and Canales plus cash in part-exchange.
Negotiations between Dortmund and Arsenal are likely to progress on the issue of Bendtner if the German’s interest is serious, and the two clubs should get on the same page when it comes to their respective targets and do a deal. It can’t be long until the suggestion crops up in discussions.
Arsenal would be the clear winner in this deal, and should try their best to push it through.
Which swap deals would you like to see Wenger negotiate if any?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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