In this instalment of our TT Roundup, Football Transfer Tavern have gathered three of the biggest stories to have involved Arsenal recently and have provided our thoughts on the reports published.
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Ceballos talks reportedly stall
Arsenal’s attempts to sign Dani Ceballos on a permanent deal from Real Madrid have reportedly hit an impasse, according to El Desmarque (via Sport Witness).
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is said to be holding out for a sum of €35m (£30.3m) for the 23-year-old, with the Gunners only as yet offering around £26m to avoid the Spaniard making a swift return to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ceballos has impressed at times during his current loan spell, grabbing his first goal for the club in the recent Europa League win over Standard Liege.
Verdict
Reports of this nature may be best taken with a pinch of salt, as it may be rather odd for the Gunners to be willing to spend a substantial amount of money on a player that has not yet nailed down a starting place in his brief Arsenal career to date.
He may have had a positive effect in a handful of games, but it seems hard to believe that he is already deemed worthy of tying down to a permanent deal – and the suggestion that the Gunners are a mere £4m away from potentially coming to an agreement suggests they are not totally convinced the Spaniard would be worth the cash.
Hickey attracts Arsenal interest
Teenage defender Aaron Hickey is thought to be on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs – with The Sun claiming as many as seven top-flight teams are in the hunt for the 17-year-old’s signature.
Arsenal are indeed one of those, although it is thought that Manchester City are leading the race to sign the youngster.
He is also attracting interest from the Championship, but it seems that Arsenal are looking to be considered should Hickey be interested in leaving Scottish Premiership outfit Hearts.
Verdict
Hickey may be a youngster, but it may be slightly strange if Arsenal were to bid for another left-back given the arrival of Kieran Tierney in the summer.
Nacho Monreal’s recent departure does leave potential room for depth in that department, but the size of competition alone may mean the Gunners could be outbid should they pursue a deal for the defender.
Ex-Gunner Sol Campbell named Southend boss
Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has been named as the new manager of League One strugglers Southend United.
Southend have been without a manager since the resignation of Kevin Bond in September, while Campbell arrives off the back of keeping Macclesfield Town in the Football League last season, before leaving by mutual consent earlier this year.
The Shrimps were thought to be close to confirming Henrik Larsson as their new boss, but turned to the two-time Premier League winner after talks with the Swede collapsed at the eleventh hour.
Verdict
Campbell’s managerial record is not too shabby given he steered Macclesfield to League Two safety – and the circumstances leading to his exit from the club looked to be through no fault of his own.
The 45-year-old is not the only former Gunner making a name for themselves in the dugout, with ex-midfielders Patrick Vieira and Mikel Arteta both having roles at top-flight clubs, while Freddie Ljungberg has recently stepped up to the first-team backroom staff at the Emirates Stadium.
This could be another step for Campbell as he looks to continue his own journey in the managerial world, and the predicament his new club find themselves in can only point to the former centre-back’s ambition to succeed as a manager.
Arsenal fans, what are your thoughts on these stories? Should Dani Ceballos be signed permanently, is Hickey worth a gamble – and can Campbell get Southend out of trouble? Let us know in the comments below!
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