Top Stories

Tuesday Kickoff: Wenger to sign new Arsenal deal; PSG agree transfer for Cabaye; and more

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

Arsenal’s longest serving manager is set to remain in London for life.

At a press conference to announce Arsenal’s latest jersey sponsor Puma, Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis revealed that Arsene Wenger has agreed to stay with Arsenal into the future and sign a new deal. Reports in England speculate that the deal could be a three-year contract worth £24 million.

“Arsene will be extending with us and, at the right time, we will make that announcement,” Gazidis said, via the Telegraph. “We have always supported Arsene, the board and Stan Kroenke have always been completely behind him. Arsene has always been committed to the club. He’s the right person to see us forward.”

Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996 from J-League club Nagoya Grampus. Since moving to North London, the 64-year-old manager has turned Arsenal into a consistent English Premier League power, finishing no worse than fourth in every season he’s been at the club. Though they haven’t won a trophy in eight years, Wenger has Arsenal atop the EPL and still alive in both the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

Last summer, reports in England and France stated that Wenger was considering leaving Arsenal for Paris Saint-Germain, though the job ended up going to Laurent Blanc.

Here are some more stories to start your Tuesday:

NEWCASTLE TO SELL CABAYE TO PSG, READY TO ACQUIRE DE JONG

Yohan Cabaye’s time in Tyneside appears to be coming to an end.

Reports emerged in England on Monday evening that Newcastle have agreed a transfer fee with Paris Saint-Germain for the French midfielder, thought to be around £20 million. Cabaye, 28, is expected to arrive in Paris on Tuesday for a medical before signing with the club ahead of the end of the January transfer window.

But while Cabaye looks to be on his way out of the club, Newcastle already have a replacement lined up. Forward Luuk De Jong is reportedly on his way to Northeast England for a medical at Newcastle ahead of a transfer deal from Borussia Mönchengladbach. De Jong, 23, has found himself outside of the starting lineup all season long, making all 13 Bundesliga appearances this season off the bench.

Last season in his first year in Germany he scored eight goals in all competitions.

HERRERA TIPS MARQUEZ FOR WORLD CUP PLACE

Of the 23 potential players that will make up the Mexican National Team squad at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, El Tri manager Miguel “El Piojo” Herrera believes there’s only one player who has locked up a place.

Speaking to members of the press ahead of their trip to San Antonio, Texas for a friendly match with South Korea, Herrera claimed that only Rafael Marquez, formerly of Barcelona and the New York Red Bulls, is guaranteed a spot on the World Cup roster.

“I’ve given a place to no one,” Herrera said, via Univision. “For me the only safe bet right now is Rafa Marquez. Hopefully he’ll be fit. For me it’s the only certainty because he is the captain.”

Marquez, who was left out of Jose Manuel de la Torre’s El Tri squads after June 2012, made his return to El Tri last October to try and help the squad qualify for the World Cup. Stepping in for youngster Diego Reyes, Marquez helped Mexico rout New Zealand in the World Cup qualifying playoffs last November before leading Club Leon to the Liga MX Apertura title.

While Marquez looks like he can pack his bags for Brazil, Mexican midfielder Gerardo Torrado thinks he’s on the outside looking in. The 34-year-old midfielder has not represented Mexico since their loss at Costa Rica and has precious little time to prove to Herrera that he should be in the El Tri squad.

QUICK KICKS

Mario Balotelli has been fined 10,000 for making an inappropriate gesture towards the Cagliari fans during last Sunday’s match. (REPORT)

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp is considering signing either Tottenham’s Lewis Holtby or Hoffenheim’s Kevin Volland as a replacement for the injured Jakub Blaszczykowski. (REPORT)

Filippo Inzaghi is rumored to be the leading target to take over at Sassuolo if they fire manager Eusebio Di Francesco. (REPORT)

Bayer Leverkusen is closing in on signing Mexican winger Andres Guardado from Valencia. (REPORT)

———

What do you think of these reports? Did you ever expect Wenger to leave Arsenal? Think that PSG are paying too much for Cabaye? How far can Mexico go in the World Cup with Marquez as captain?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Tells you the state of Mexican soccer that the one roster-assured player — just because he’s captain — is the biggest waste of money in North America. We left Bocanegra by the curb several months ago and drove off. Can’t afford to be sentimental.

    Reply
    • he should never have joined Rangers. he was a starter for a small club in France but it kept him a spot on the NT. after rangers got downgraded to the 4th division and he refused to lose and then loaned to a 2nd division SPANISH club, he lost the captaincy and returned to MLS

      Reply
    • I think it says more about the inward-looking turn the FMF and Herrera have taken. Not sure that the formula for beating New Zealand is going to work in Brazil. But we shall see.

      Reply
  2. odd. Wenger has spent nearly 20 years with the club. hasn’t won anything since 2005 and usually helps them qualify for the CL in the 3rd or 4th CL spot. and he still gets to remain?

    are arsenal fans just proud of EFFORT?

    Reply
    • Checked the table lately?

      I think the more trenchant critique is he’s wandered down the Barca road of many technical players and not enough strikers, which seems to be a less successful strategy in England. Sometimes you need a RvP type finisher.

      Reply
      • Indeed. 2013-2014 might actually be the year for Arsenal. I wouldn’t bet my life savings on it, but they look the best they’ve looked in years.

        Arsene’s gravest sin has been selling Arsenal’s best players; players that fit well into the team, and were probably worth more to Arsenal than the transfer fee they brought. Ozil was an excellent step in the right directly, but I agree, they need better pure strikers.

      • As an RSNL lover I have been decrying the sad state of affairs on our outgoing transfers for years.

        No one replaced Henry (had to bring him back on loan)
        No one replaced Adebayor/RVP
        No one replaced Nasri (had a great year last year)
        No one replaced Song (Diaby never got better/Gnabry is just coming into his own)

        We finally replaced Cesc and IMHO Ozil is the only incoming target who has been a genuine difference maker in our side in years. I hold out hope for Poldoski.

        Giroud is underperforming and at this moment not what we need to win Silverware… He is underperforming and aggs the Heck out of me.

        Lukaku would have been a better buy.
        JOZY would have been a better buy.
        Torres would have been a better buy.
        Huntlaar would have been a better buy.

        Sorry for the rant.

        In Arsene(al) we trust

      • With regards to Giroud, there’s a case to be made for either Huntlaar or Lukaku, but Jozy and Torres? Really? I understand that Giroud’s finishing leaves a bit to be desired, but he scored eleven league goals last year and has ten so far this year. He also brings many of the little things that Jozy brings, in terms of moving the ball around. He also does a fantastic job of winning aerial balls both offensively and defensively.

        I’m not unsympathetic to the idea that striker is the position Arsenal need to upgrade the most, but let’s not pretend like Giroud is total crap.

    • Wenger is great manager. He is perfect for Challenging for the title every year but not actually winning anything. He develops flashy talented players and they look good while slightly under achieving. Basically he is perfect for an owner who isn’t willing to spend $1 dollars to win the Premier league once. He gives you the ability to compete with the money without the money. Rarely succeeds but the point is all about money.

      Reply
    • I think the fact that Arsenal has never finished worse than 4th should be enough to keep the guy. He’s never had the big money to play with that Chelsea & Man City used to buy their championships.

      Reply
  3. so Newcastle pick up a Dutch striker who was a HIT in Holland but a flop in Germany and yet people hark on about Sunderland picking up Jozy who was a HIT in Holland but a flop last time in England?

    why so much opposition and lack of faith in American players in Europe? It’s 2014. The past 20 years we have had Wynalda, Harkes, Reyna, Cherundolo, McBride, Dempsey, Gooch make it over there in various leagues and still there is a lack of belief in our technical abilities.

    Reply
    • I think the more reasonable version is maybe certain Americans are more suited to certain leagues or certain styles. McBride did well in England but was more of a pure target striker with soft feet. Dempsey did well at Fulham but was more of a second striker. Jozy has always struck me as more of a wing runner and poacher — despite his size — but people want to use him like he’s McBride, because he looks like he should be a center striker. AZ used him the way he should be, but when a lot of other teams acquire him, they see a big body and they assume he’s a target man.

      IMO the players who find a European home suited to their qualities — AND STAY THERE — are the ones who prosper. The ones who keep trying to climb the ladder seem to have peter principle issues…….Gooch, Jozy, Donovan. I think the prodding to find a team playing “Champions League soccer” is one of the most counterproductive theories out there, because a good chunk of the time the player ends up moved on shortly after.

      I also think there is a type of player like Parkhurst who is good enough to attract attention but only really good enough to play in a league like Denmark, because they are more like MLS-level. A smart MLS journeyman can make a career abroad if he chooses his landing spot well. Places like Scandinavia or Holland. You go to one of the serious leagues and you don’t play well or a new coach comes in and you can be toast fast.

      Reply
  4. It’s odd that if it’s a politically inflammatory gesture like some of the French players have done, the news will tell you exactly what the gesture is and what it means, but if it’s merely “vulgar” it is very hard to find out what happened.

    Reply
  5. So Balotelli got fined 2 euros for every person in the stands? I tried to watch that match but its just plain depressing seeing that many open seats.

    Reply

Leave a Comment