Arsenal are back in the hunt for Yann M'Vila and Lucas Biglia, with Alex Song looking like he could make a move to Barcelona, while Arsene Wenger has made a last-ditch attempt to stop Nuri Sahin from sealing a season-long deal with Liverpool, and instead sign for the Gunners.
With Robin Van Persie already leaving, the Gunner fans would be loathe to see Song also make his departure, but according to Goal.com, Wenger has agreed to sell the Cameroon international to Barcelona for a £15 million fee.
If the report turns out to be true, that would come as a huge blow to the Gunners supporters, with Song, despite suffering lapses of concentration defensively, was one of the most consistent performers for Arsenal last season, forming a formidable partnership with the excellent Mikel Arteta.
Although Wenger has rubbished reports of Song's sale to Barca, it remains to be seen if there is any truth to the repeated rumours, and as Arsenal fans only know too well, there's rarely so much smoke without fire, and the smoke on Song leaving has been blowing for quite a while now. The sale, if completed, would leave Arsenal with at least £35 million ($55 million) in their coffers, and with expected sales of Nicklas Bendtner and a few others, that is only expected to increase before the close of the transfer window. Although the Gunners have spent around the same amount to bring in Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla, Arsenal fans will be hoping there will be more exciting signings to come.
Knowing Wenger, if he is indeed ready to let Song go, the Frenchman already has somebody in mind as a replacement. It is understood, long-term target M'Vila is back on the Gunners radar and it looks like Arsenal will have a relatively free lane in trying to conclude the deal, after Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas admitted Spurs were out of the running.
"(M'Vila) is an interesting player, but I don't think he will join Tottenham," the Portuguese told reporters.
"The player is a player of defensive characteristics. We had initial interest in M'Vila but we have moved on from that one and are now looking for a more creative player."
Wenger is also reportedly keeping tabs on Biglia, and Arsenal are leading the chase for the Argentine international, according to Sky Sports. Biglia will slot in easily as the defensive midfielder for the Gunners, but it remains to be seen whether Anderlecht will be open to selling their player.
Arsenal have made a last-minute attempt to prevent Sahin from joining Liverpool and coming to the Emirates instead. It was believed Sahin was on his way to Anfield, after Real Madrid manager Joe Mourinho expressed his preference for the Turkish midfielder to join Liverpool. However, the Gunners are trying to convince Sahin to sign for them, with the lure of Champions League football a major selling point.
Sahin prefers a move to Arsenal, but was asked by Mourinho to sign for Liverpool, owing to the Portuguese manager's relationship with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who worked under Mourinho at Chelsea.
Meanwhile, promising central defender Kyle Bartley has left Arsenal to join Swansea City on a permanent basis, for a fee believed to be a little over £1 million ($1.6 million).
The move comes as somewhat a surprise as Bartley, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, was expected to challenge for a first-team place this season, after doing reasonably well on the club's preseason tour of Asia. The defender signed a three-year deal with the Welsh club.
