Peter Turner

This summer will see Arsene Wenger lead his Arsenal squad on a money-spinning jolly to the Land of the

According to Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, and football website Inside Futbol.com, Atletico Madrid are planning a summer swoop for Manchester City’s Sean Wright Phillips. Atletico are known in Spain as the Mattress Makers (because their red and white shirts resemble the colours on old mattresses…apparently) and they’ve set their sights on a Top 4 finish in La Liga next season. They’re convinced that Little Sean is the man to help them achieve that goal.

Just when you thought we’d forgotten all about Aston Villa, speculation is mounting across the internet that the Midlands club may be preparing a move for Barcelona’s unsettled defender Gabriel Milito. Villa could even get the player on a free (despite the fact he joined Barcelona for 20 million Euros in 2007), and are keeping their fingers crossed that the Catalonian club decide to let Milito go.

A respected national newspaper (scratch that…The Daily Mail) is reporting that Wenger is mulling over a deal for Swedish teenage sensations Kristoffer Olsson and Robert Mirosavic. The lads have been on trial at Arsenal twice now, and have impressed the coaching staff so much that the Gunners may want to offer them both contracts.

There’s an interesting story about Shefki Kuqi, which few people know, and has left me with a grudging respect for him. The story originally featured in Sunday’s edition of The Observer, so I’ll try not to copy and paste too much. But if you’ve missed the original, here’s my take on the Finnish journeyman’s life story.

Over the weekend, plans were leaked regarding changes to the structure of the FA Cup and Football Supporters Federation have expressed their immediate disapproval. It’s felt that the Cup is losing it’s appeal, and the planned changes will see it become more popular with fans used to the razzamatazz (good Don King word there) of Champions League football and Sky Sports HD, 3D Avatar style graphics.

Wenger failed to sign anyone of note during January, but is reportedly interested in Montpellier defender Emir Spahic. The Bosnian had been linked with Aston Villa earlier this season, but reports have emerged to day suggesting that Wenger may well have reached a verbal agreement with the 30 year old, and could be ready to make a move for him during the summer window.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Arsenal are reportedly planning a summer swoop for Ajax pair Jan Vertonghen and Maarten Stekelenburg in a deal which could cost £17 million.

Arsene Wenger is interested in signing Belgian centre-back Vertonghen, whose current price tage lies at a very modest £6.7 million. Vertonghen is also wanted by AC Milan, but Arsenal are leading the race to sign the player, because of his close friendship with fellow Belgian Thomas Vermaelen. A Goal.com source claimed, ‘he wants to join Vermaelen. He fits the bill for Arsenal because he is calm, comfortable in possession and has a strong mentality.’

Barcelona are preparing to offer Arsenal Spanish starlet Thiago Alcantara plus a hefty transfer fee in a bid to land Cesc Fabregas from the Gunners over the summer. The Catalonian giants are desperate to land Fabregas and it’s rumoured that the fee could rise to over £50 million for the Arsenal captain.

Over breakfast this morning thousands of Manchester United fans have learnt that Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly interested in making a bid for Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi. If that wasn’t enough to make them spit out their cornflakes, they also learnt that the move for the Italian playmaker could cost up to £35 million.

Another day, another transfer rumour makes it’s way around the Tavern. This time the subject of the speculation is Palermo’s 21 year old Argentine midfielder Javier Pastore. The young Pastore has been the subject of much interest from the big fish in the Serie A pond, but Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini does not see the player’s future in Italy.

Following last night’s Brit Awards which saw good awards (Cheryl Cole didn’t win anything!) and bad results (Take That won best British group) we at Football Transfer Tavern thought it might be nice to ponder on what might have been, had music not won out over football, for 5 young men: