Linked heavily with Arsenal, said to have held talks with Fulham and on the radar of Spurs and Manchester City, but would snub Sunderland. The Bordeaux striker has been tipped for a move to the Premier League this summer. But who is Marouane Chamakh? The Transfer Tavern asked Football Fancast columnist The New Voice of Football to investigate.
Marouane Chamakh is destined for the Premier League this summer following an impressive season in Ligue 1 with Bordeaux, where the Moroccan International helped Les Girondins to the French Championship.
The striker openly declaring his interest in a move to England over the past year since being linked with a plethora of Premiership sides. Manchester City the first club to come sniffing around Chamakh last summer and before the January transfer window. Spurs then the Black Cats and Arsenal, following suit this year, with differing responses from the Moroccan.
Chamakh told setanta.com last November: “Of course I am interested in Manchester City and hopefully, one day, I will end up playing in England.
“A London club is always exciting. I really like Arsenal, but a club like Tottenham would be magnificent for me too. It all depends on the circumstances.”
“Tottenham, why not! If one day I was to move away from Bordeaux, it would be to play in the Premier League.” Chamakh told Tf1 in March.
“To be clear, a team like Tottenham could interest me but not Sunderland.” Chamakh told L’Equipe in April.
The 25-year-old Moroccan, who came through the youth system at Bordeaux is said to have held talks with Fulham in June and Sunderland in July, but no agreement was reached. The Gunners now touted as the hot favourites to lure Chamakh to the Emirates Stadium as a replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor, who has decided to take the riches on offer by Manchester City.
Reports in June by The Mirror suggesting Wenger already had an £8million deal in place to bring Chamakh to Arsenal, but needed to sell Togolese International Adebayor first.
Chamakh now claimed to be on the verge of a switch to the Gunners, despite Arsene Wenger making a cheeky £5million offer for him, which Bordeaux branded ridiculous. The Moroccan said to be fuming over Les Girondins turning down the bid, with the striker said to have flown into London to force through a deal.
“I am angry, I am disgusted and I do not understand why they have done that,” Chamakh told L’Equipe when asked about Arsenal’s offer being rejected.
“Joining Arsenal is my dream. My agents are in talks with Arsenal and I really hope it will go off smoothly. I don’t want to start a trail of strength with my officials.”
So Wenger wants him, but on the cheap and Chamakh is desperate to join Arsenal. But what would the Gunners be getting for £5million or perhaps a little more once the haggling stops?
[youtube O3kQc4fNc1A nolink]
As you can see Chamakh appears to have good pace, awareness an ability to finish with either foot and at 6ft 2’ is understandably good in the air. However, Chamakh is not prolific as seen by some of the sitters missed in the video and has only found the net 56 times in 214 appearances since making his debut at the Stade Chaban Delmas in 2002.
The Moroccan achieving his best haul for Les Girondins last season with 14 in 42 matches and his record for Morocco is only slightly better, scoring 15 goals in 50 caps since making his International debut in 2003.
Chamakh is a good target-man, who has the ability to hold the ball up well and bring midfielder’s into play and is a tireless worker for the team. At 25 though, Chamakh is certainly not a youngster anymore so it is debatable due to his lack of goals if the Moroccan is the finished article Wenger has claimed he needs at Arsenal.
It is probably down to this lack of goals that Wenger opened the bidding at £5million. For a striker that manages just 1 in 3 in a Championship winning season in Ligue 1 must surely have some question marks over his ability to perform in the toughest league in the world. That said Chamakh could thrive under the guidance of Wenger in what is one of the most creative free-flowing sides in Europe. Should as widely expected Chamakh sign for the Gunners.
So should he arrive, will Marouane Fly in the Premier League like his namesake (Fellaini) before him at Everton, Marouane Fellaini? Or will he Die on his backside in making the transition from France to England?
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Its sad that Blanc and Chamakh have seemingly rejected us as not a big enough club.
Turth is that, if we get Bent (which seems to be so now), Chamakh would not make our starting eleven.
i still cannot fathom why on earth people think this guy is worth signing. his record is distinctly average
Signing Chamakh makes no sense in my opinion. Ive watched Ligue 1 football for many a years and he hasnt distinctly unimpressed. Admittedly, last season was his best to date but he scored only 13 goals. Secondly, you cannot put it down to age because he should be at the peak of his career at aged 25 approaching 26.
Huntelaar, on the other hand would be a much better acquisition. Madrid are desperate to offload and reports have emerged that Milan have agreed a few of 11million euros. In my eyes, thats a bargain! I doubt we’ll get Chamakhh that cheap. Huntelaar’s a proven goal scorer and would add a new dimension to our attack.
Huntelaar over Chamakh any day or the week.
*hasnt impressed
If this player is being considered by Arsenal then he will have been scouted not on his acheivments but his ability to become a great player. Wenger doesn’t often get it wrong and don’t forget that Thierry Henry had a poor record and poor form when he signed. I am not suggesting Chamkah will be the ‘next Henry’ but I’m sure he has the potential to improve on his record.
The most important thing for Chamakh at this moment is find ways to settle his transfer to Arsenal, well at least before Wenger changes his mind. Money is the least critical at this moment, even if he gets lowest salary because with his desire to performance I am certain his value will jump 5 to 10 folds if his performance is great. Remember Ashavin have so much desire to join Arsenal he paid his club off with his own money but he is worth much more now on the transfer market after his quality is proven. The same can happened to Chamakh, so please push until you are a Gunner !
I agree nick McD. completely & we need a second option to bendtner