KEISUKE HONDA
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| After his World Cup goal against Cameroon. |
While transfer rumors can keep you up all night with wild fantasies of a front three of Hazard, RvP, and Ronaldo, most of the time the rumors are simply made up to get some attention for the evil-rumor-starter. For example, this Keisuke Honda rumor.
After Arsene Wenger's comments made regarding Nasri and Cesc, it seems he is more than confident Fabregas and Nasri will remain Arsenal players for at least one more season. While I think Nasri should give up his aspirations to play in the middle and turn into a winger, when Cesc is out Arsene usually puts Nasri there.
So with Nasri, Cesc, Wilshere, and Ramsey all capable of playing in that role, I highly doubt Wenger would bring the Japanese international in. It would just be unnecessary, and our money would be better off spent on a striker or a holding midfielder, or a defender.
I've looked into this rumor quite a bit, and it lacks backbone. Arsene once said that when Honda is on the ball "the magic starts". That's about as far as the rumor goes. All The Mirror can say is that Honda wants to leave CSKA Moskow and that Honda had been linked with Arsenal in the past.
Don't get your hopes up.
Stats:
(Russian Premier League, 2011/2012 season)
Games: 7
Goals: 3
Assists: 0
ROGER JOHNSON
There seems to be slightly more concrete behind this rumor. Paul Smith, Johnson's manager, spoke on TalkSport and said this:
"Without breaching any confidences I've had a call from Birmingham to declare that they would have to let him go, and at 28 years old and having played every game in the Premier League for two seasons running he is in demand for sure. It's just a matter of who he goes to I think."Other than that, all that can be heard as of now is that Arsenal is "interested" and "linked". I'm not a big fan of Johnson, but perhaps his attitude is something this Arsenal team could use. You may remember when we played them in the Carling Cup Final, Johnson was slightly injured but played through the pain. We need someone with a pair of balls. Also, Brum need money since their relegation (haha) so perhaps Arsenal could get a decent second string center back for cheap.
Stats:
(Premier League)
Games: 38
Goals: 2
Assists: 1
SCOTT DANN
Scott Dan is the better center back of the Brum pairing, and as a result would cost more, apparently 15 million. (Yeah right). At 6' 5" he could help with our set piece defending, but by no means would I want him as a starter. A good fourth choice center back if you ask me.
Like Johnson and Honda, all the evidence is that we are being linked with the player. I still think Samba and Cahill are the priorities for Wenger, and Heitinga could still be a back up for Wenger like last summer.
I'd like him on the team for the same reasons of Johnson: his mentality and physicality, but only if neither Samba or Cahill can be signed.
Stats:
(Premier League)
Games: 20
Goals: 2
Assists: 1
DENILSON
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| No no no, you're a "winner", right Denilson? Credit: Srseblog |
The latest I've heard on our Brazilian starlet (sarcasm) is that we could make a swap with Shaktar Donetsk for their young midfielder Willian plus four million. The only real problem with this rumor is that it's from The Sun.
If this rumor is true, Arsene should pounce on this bargain. While Willian still has some work to do before he could try and break into our first team, he has the potential. Denilson wants out, and Shaktar and Ukraine sound like something that could work for him.
Denilson has also been linked with Sevilla for eight million pounds. If true, what on earth is wrong with Sevilla? Eight million? They're bonkers, luckily for us. And a great move for Denilson if it's true. The only thing that would lead me to believe the Sevilla rumor is a fake is that I haven't heard much of the rumor since.
Stats:
(Premier League)
Games: 16
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
SUMMARY
Honda is a world class player that I would like to see more of, but with Nasri, Cesc, Wilshere, and Ramsey, he would either take chances away from the young lads, or it would be hard for him to break into the first team.
FINAL DECISION: Don't sign him.
I don't like Johnson or Dann very much, but they're two decent, no nonsense, center-backs. They can give us leadership and a better attitude to the "routine" matches, since, being at a club like Birmingham (no offense), every match is a very important one in order to stay up.
Brum needs to get money, and these two players are some of their top assets. Lets try and take advantage of this.
FINAL DECISION: Get one of them, depending on the other center backs we sign beforehand.
Denilson... Sevilla are willing to pay eight million? Shaktar will give us four million and Willian?
FINAL DECISION: I don't care, just get him off our hands!
In other news, Ivan Gazidis had an open Q&A today, the first under the new ownership of Stan Kroenke. Tomorrow, I'll publish the meeting and my thoughts. Make sure you check back, because some very good questions were asked an answered.
That's about it for today, make sure you comment and leave your thoughts.
I leave you with this lovely video:
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