Scott dann heading to Arsenal or Liverpool

With Scott Dann being left out of Birmingham's side for Tonights Europa League match with National from Portugal, this is the clearest hint yet that the Defender will be heading out the exit door or St Andrews but where he goes no one is quite sure.

Dann is well know to be a Liverpool fan but would the allure of 1st team football at the emirates take him there.

So where will he end up?

Personally i think he'll end up at Anfield

They've done it so his value doesn't drop as both Liverpool and Arsenal could be in that competition and would be cup tied, he could stay at Brum then be eligable to play for them after the window

As long as we don't pay over the odds for him I'm happy for him to come in, although I think if Agger and Carragher are both injury free he won't be first choice.

I'd quite like him at Arsenal as I think he'd be cheap enough to allow us to buy another defeneder and should have enough left over for a midfielder/striker.

I still think, with Evertons money problems, we should make a cheeky bid for Baines and Jagielka!

as Invincible says I doubt he's be 1st choice in either team

If what is in the paper's is to be believed and Liverpool are looking at Dann , Shawcross and Cahill then i think they are likely to sell either Agger or Skrtel if not both . Wouldn't want that to happen but you dont bring in 2 ch to sit on the bench .

Dann would be a good fit for Arsenal. They can buy him at a sensible price and is likely to improve in the future.

Likely to get a lot of starts too as both Gibbs and Vermalen are injury prone.

It is clear that both teams need him, Kocielny looks weak, and Carragher is getting so slow he looks like he is pulling the QE2 behind him.

I'll go for Arsenal though

I think Koscielny is a decent player to be fair. But Carragher is a bit shaky nowadays.

Dann would probably get a start at Arsenal though. Maybe that would factor in his decision. But Wenger seems keener on Jagielka.

It would be astonishing if Wenger didn't buy at least one defender.

Kocielny look a good 'player' but Arsenal get bullied too much, and I fdon't think Dann would allow that to happen.

you are right though it will be truely astonishing if Wenger doesnt buy at least one defender

The problem is Arsenal need at least 2 defenders, a CB and cover for LB and RB (which we kind of had in Eboue but for some reason Wenger sold him).

I think Koscielny is going to shine this year, as long as he has a settled CB partner who is quite strong. Hopefully Vermaelen and Jagielka/Cahill/Samba/Other? will be fit and on form for the majority of the campaign.

I think Liverpool need to replace Carragher soon - he's a good player, with a great brain but is slowing down too much IMO.

What's astonishing is that Arsenal have needed 2 CBs for the last 12 months, yet we're approaching week 2 of the new season and no new CB !
If Jagielka is his choice then pay the asking price - something he should have done a month ago and save both Arsenal and Everton the disruption.
Arsenal got lucky on Tuesday and could easily find themselves out of the Champions Lge already - I don't agree with everything Liverpool have done in the off season but at least they identified their targets and went after them in May/June meaning that by pre-season the squad was known.

I agree Grizzly, it's so annoying. If we'd stumped up the cash that we def have, then the defence could have had all summer to bed in and be ready for the new season. Instead we're already into the season with no idea who will be playing in defence next month.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I agree Grizzly, it's so annoying. If we'd stumped up the cash that we def have, then the defence could have had all summer to bed in and be ready for the new season. Instead we're already into the season with no idea who will be playing in defence next month.

Dont want start another thread so will just ask Arsenal fans here , is the lack of signings just down to Wenger ?

Kenny - yes absolutely.
He has maintained that he will only buy someone who will improve the squad and only if he thinks they have a realistic price tag, unfortunately when you;re as desperate as Arsenal are price tags change in the wrong direction as clubs look to take advantage.

I have been a massive admirer of AW and still am, I admire the way the club is run and I'm not as hung up on trophies/success as some fans, but with fianncial security guaranteed, the debt very manageable and virtually gone, the increased match day income the club now enjoys, if Everton want £15m for Jagielka then don't offer £12m, the protracted negotiations help no-one and could already have had a huge impact on the season.
Like I said, Liverpool decided they wanted Adam, Henderson and Downing and got the deals done in June, both the selling and the buying club benefit from early resolution, Arsenal lose Cesc and Nasri with the season already underway must have a hugely unsettling impact on the squad, and as I said all replcements will have inflated price tags

Not wanting to knock him as i think he's a great manager but he does seem very stubborn when it comes to transfers , Benitez was like that for us had his opinion on players and prices and wouldn't change his mind .

Do think the transfer window should only be open during the close season .

I'm not sure - we've definately got cash constraints and could never dream of spending the amounts Man U, Man C and Chelsea do. But I think a big reason is that we won't break our wage structure for big signings, and that leaves us struggling to attract the cream of players. I doubt we could ever afford to spend £20m+ on youngsters who may warm the bench for 2 seasons or so, like Man U and Lpool seem to have done, and we def can't match Chelsea or Man C in a bidding war.

Another is Wenger not wanting to be raped over prices, but there comes a time when he's going to have to just deal with it if he wants to get the players he needs. He's also got a great deal of faith in our youth, but i think he has to realise that sometimes the 1st teamers will get injured and then the youth will be rushed into the 1st team and they are more likely to be injured, setting back their development (Walcott, Eastmond, Djournou and a few others). So he needs to buy players, even just squad players so we can absorb injuries. (at the mo we def need 1st teamers as well)

I can't remember the exact numbers but the repayment of our debt is something like £15m a year, we also have higher match day earnings that any other club, the overall debt could be paid off within a couple of years or they could defer this in favour of investment on the pitch.
On the basis we've sold 3 players (inc Nasri) and received in the region of £60m it's safe to assume that there's £60m min in the pot which is why I struggle with the stance taken over Jagielka.
AW is stubborn, overly stubborn, I admired him for his approach and financial acumen for years, but having missed out on Schwarter for a measly £500k and possibly Jagielka for £3m, both signings could easily have led to trophies which in turn provides extra revenue.
All that said I still trust the guy and say he's the right man for the job....

Well said Grizzly - I get the feeling there could be a lot more than £60m in the pot (if needed) as Kroneke could plow a bit of cash into the team (you don't buy a club to not invest in it), but I think it's a culture thing at the club, the club has been proud to be owned by the same family and a stable set of share holders for decades going back to the 40's, and of running the club properly, and I just don't think they want to break the wage structure or spend huge amounts of money no matter what.

Remember it was only Wengers genius and eye for talent that made us a big club.

But i agree that it's highly frustrating that for a tiny bit extra cash we could have players who would solve big problems. Also the same with some of the players we've let go over the years...

Phil Jagielka is getting on a bit, in footballing terms.

But is proven Premiership quality and he would walk into the teams of their nearest rivals.

Maybe Wenger should suck it up and pay the asking price; because he would be buying an excellent player who would clearly improve the starting line-up.

According to BBC website for game against Liverpool Arsenal will be without Gervinho and Alex Song, both of whom begin three-match bans. Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou, Tomas Rosicky and Armand Traore are all ruled out through injury, while Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby also remain sidelined.

So why no movement in the transfer market this week it was obvious form Tuesday when Gibbs, Djourou and Rosicky got injured that this would be the case. Arsenal seem to have too many players are injury prone. They play a couple of games then miss about 6 weeks. Since Nasri has not been sold yet should he be played. It would be a chance for him to put in a good performance before he goes and at least build some bridges with the fans.

Calder - Nasri will never build bridges with the fans, he has misled them and the club, the rumours around a huge fallout with Wenger on the pre-season tour are surfacing all the time so I think the relationship is irreperable.

'Remember it was only Wengers genius and eye for talent that made us a big club. '

This statement is spot in - sadly it's as statement many Arsenal fans refuse to accept but as a fan who went through the 81/85 period I can assure them that what we have today is a million times better, and our financial security is guaranteed.
My Brother is a little older than me and tells me how bad things were in the mid 70s and that we were genuine relegation candidates.
The George Graham years brought success but not entertainment, so next time anyone is at the Emirates along with 60k people and we're in a Champions Lge game and we've got a shot at the title, think back to previous generations, I therefore find it impossible to be critical of Wenger

Wenger has said Nasri could play. I just saw this on the Guardian website.

Rosicky is fit, according to the official Prem website.

Ok I accept what you say about Nasri and I do think that Arsenal without Wenger would be a lot worse off than with him. So I don't want him to go. I still don't understand though why when it has been obvious all summer that Fabgregas and Nasri were/are going along with a number of others who had not stepped up to the plate when required at the end of last season that the squad has not been been strengthened with more experienced players. Buying youngsters for the future is good but the team needs experience and leaders at the present.

Has done a great job, no disputing that.

But they need to buy 3 players with experience. One CH, one centre mid and one striker.

Just because if nothing else; several of the better players in the squad; Van Persie, Walcott, Vermaelen etc, have struggled with injuries in recent years.

A degree of rotation and keeping them fit will be vital now more than ever.

Calder106 wrote:Ok I accept what you say about Nasri and I do think that Arsenal without Wenger would be a lot worse off than with him. So I don't want him to go. I still don't understand though why when it has been obvious all summer that Fabgregas and Nasri were/are going along with a number of others who had not stepped up to the plate when required at the end of last season that the squad has not been been strengthened with more experienced players. Buying youngsters for the future is good but the team needs experience and leaders at the present.

I couldn't agree more but I'd back AW to be smarter than me so will assume there are valid reasons.
Arsenal do everything professionally, no leaks no transfer rumours nothing, I'm sure that when he write his autobiography in 10 years time we'll all be given the answers, until then I'm prepared to accept that he knows best....

Wenger always manages to suprise me with how well he's brought some players on, and this year I see Szczency, Djournou and Koscieny as well as Gervinho being those players.

But why ohh why can't he strengthen the team in the more obvious positions or just bring in some much needed squad players to, as samevans says, allow him to rotate his more injury prone players.

For example, Scott Parker and Kevin Doyle would both be decent signings. Not earth shattering, but decent players both and would bring a wealth of Premership experience.

Wouldn't break the bank and would be capable cover when first eleven players need resting.

KingKenny7Heaven wrote:If what is in the paper's is to be believed and Liverpool are looking at Dann , Shawcross and Cahill then i think they are likely to sell either Agger or Skrtel if not both . Wouldn't want that to happen but you dont bring in 2 ch to sit on the bench .

I think if we bring in one centre back, we shouldn't sell, Agger seems to be first choice when fit, and Skrtel played every league game last year so seems to be in favour, I think we'll keep playing Carragher as he's got a good brain and his obvious leadership qualities, but I think he'll play a bit less this year, and if we want him to play a bit less we need another centre back. I want us to get rid of Kyriagiakos before Agger and Skrtel though.

I was just discussing with some mates that with Everton being in dire straights financially they'd be fools to reject an offer of £30-£35m for both Jagielka and Baines, and we could get Parker and Danns for around £7m each - thats £45m ish and bang our midfield and defence are sorted with money in the bank (if we sell Nasri, or from the cash we had before the Fad sale), and all we'd need possibly is a ST.

Also got steele and experience and PL experience.

They would be loathe to sell Baines, I feel. Much more likely to see Jagielka though.

Him and Parker would be quality additions.

But I feel that in a month we'll be saying "if only" definately for Parker anyway.

They'd be loathe to sell Baines but they're probably in the position where they'd have to sell him or else.

I am sure Parker would jump at the chance of Arsenal. And he wouldn't break the bank either.

Vastly experienced and last year's player of the season. Seems a good fit to me.

Given todays game Arsenal definatly need a center half to play alongside Vermaelen who had a ery good game . Will it be Dann dont know , looks like Wenger prefers Jagielka

Looks like Jagielka is more likely. Whoever it is Wenger needs to get on with it.

Jagielka is good and worthy of a risk transfer splash but I wouldn't put money on Wenger meeting Moyes transfer price. They are both being unrealistic really. Wenger should offer around £15 million, but Moyes is deluded to think he's worth £20 million.

According to reports today Liverpool are close to signing Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates for about 12 million

KingKenny7Heaven wrote:According to reports today Liverpool are close to signing Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates for about 12 million

He's a class player and with a name like Coates he sounds like he has English family and won't need a passport? It'll help that he has a Uruguayan teammate to gel with. Top 4 is looking very realistic now

Rumour in the Daily Mail that Wenger is in for Yann M'Vila.

A good player, although more of a holding midfielder. Looks likely to cost about the same as Nasri.

It would be good, but there's been plenty of rumours around for almost every player under the sun.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:

KingKenny7Heaven wrote:According to reports today Liverpool are close to signing Uruguay defender Sebastian Coates for about 12 million

He's a class player and with a name like Coates he sounds like he has English family and won't need a passport? It'll help that he has a Uruguayan teammate to gel with. Top 4 is looking very realistic now

I don't think they should, but I think Arsenal will dump Arsene Wenger this season.
Not sure about Chelsea, it might be a good thing to have had a relatively low key transfer period.
Spurs will revert to type: a team that's done very little since 1961.
If we get Coates and Dann, offload some of the deadwood, it would take some terrible form not to make top four.