Arsenal Set to Offload £14m Pair

Arsenal defender Sebastien Squillaci is a target for Espanyol – but the Spanish side are struggling to meet the club’s £4m valuation.
The Gunners centre-back only joined the north London club last summer but he has been made a scapegoat for the defensive frailties in Arsene Wenger’s side, leading to the purchase of Per Mertesacker in August.
West Ham wanted to take the 31-year-old to Upton Park on loan in October but Arsenal are only interested in shifting the Frenchman on a permanent deal.
Spanish newspaper Sport reports that the mid-table La Liga side have approached Arsenal with an offer that is being considered.
Russian club Anzhi are also reported to be monitoring the situation, with the £4m asking price posing no problems for the mega-rich Russian side.

SOURCE: talkSPORT

Sunderland striker Nicklas Bendtner is open to staying on Wearside.

Arsenal are prepared to sell him for £10million, but Sunderland feared Bendtner’s desire to play in the Champions League would wreck any attempt to sign him permanently.

However, the 23-year-old said: “As a player you should have ambition – I’m sure every player wants to play in the Champions League – but I haven’t ruled out staying here at Sunderland.

“As I’ve said before, I just want to enjoy the year I have here and then see what happens in the summer.”

SOURCE: Tribalfootball

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger can probably happily afford to offload both of these back up options as long as the club’s valuations are met. Nicklas Bendtner has fallen way down the Gunners striking pecking order and was therefore loaned out to Sunderland where the Danish international has impressed.

With Robin Van Persie being in excellent form and with the likes of Gervinho, Park Chu-Young and Marouane Chamakh to offer support Wenger will look to offload Bendtner and Steve Bruce would do well to secure the funds needed to meet the £10m valuation, especially as Asamoah Gyan, currently on loan to UAE side Al Ain, is apparently unlikely to return to the Stadium of Light.

Sebastien Squillaci is similarly surplus to requirements with the Frenchman failing to adapt to life in the Premier League. Though Arsenal’s back-line has been porous this season the 31 year old centre back is unlikely to assist in correcting the problem. Per Mertesacker is taking a while to find his feet in the Premier League but the German should do so. Wenger has the ever improving Laurent Koscielny and stable but injury prone Thomas Vermaelen to call upon as well as Swiss international Johan Djourou.

Cerdit / Source : Caughtoffside