Arsenal will attempt to sign Chelsea triumvirate Florent Malouda, Yossi Benayoun and Alex as they embark on a late spending spree ahead of the transfer deadline at 11pm on Wednesday.
The Gunners have come in for some fierce criticism for their capitualation against Manchester United at the weekend which saw them beaten by a remarkable 8-2 scoreline. The calls for manager Arsene Wenger to spend some money on new players were fairly loud after the combined £60m sales of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri but they have been defeaning since Sunday’s debacle and a response is inevitable.
The Gunners have already moved for defensive pair Andre Santos of Fenerbahce and Per Mertesacker of Werder Bremen but with only Thomas Vermaelen out of the existing centre backs at the Emirates Stadium filling Wenger with any confidence at the moment, an approach for Alex will reportedly be made. The Brazilian is available for transfer and it is hoped his commanding presence will provide a suitable antidote to the dithering indecision that Johan Djorous and Laurent Koscielny displayed at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Benayoun is also bound for the exit door at Stamford Bridge with the player having revealed on Twitter that he was weighing up a number of offers. The Gunners are believed to be one of the teams interested in the former Liverpool man but they will have to fight off interest from arch-rivals Tottenham if they are to be successful in their pursuit.
The attempt to sign Malouda is the most ambitious as Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas is known to be an admirer of his despite the acquisition of Juan Mata who is likely to take over his place in the first team. At 31, the France international does not fit the traditional mould of an attacking Wenger signing but that could change should Malouda be available at a cut-price £6m as has been reported in the Italian press.
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