Reports in Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport suggest that Arsenal are closing in on Lazio midfielder Hernanes after he turned down a big money move to Anzhi Makhachkala.
Arsenal scouts have apparently been tracking the Brazilian international all season as we consider whether to sign Yossi Benayoun on a permanent deal for next season and whether to invest what appears to be quite a substantial amount of money in a younger winger/attacking midfielder.
Lazio paid £9 million to Sao Paulo for Hernanes in 2010 and it is thought that they would want around double that to let him leave the Stadio Olympico this summer. The 26-year-old has scored 9 goals this season for the Italians, but is apparently frustrated that he is not always in the starting line-up for the team as they push for 2012/13 Champions League qualification.
In my opinion this transfer is possible but unlikely. Hernanes is just one of several midfielders (e.g Marvin Martin, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Shinji Kagawa, Younes Belhanda) linked to Arsenal within the last few weeks and there is not much evidence that any of them are nearing a deal to join the club. That said, we are still a month away from the end of the season and about 10 weeks away from the opening day of the transfer window. A lot could change between now and then.
Bar any serious injury problems (which is almost impossible with Arsenal players) we already have a very strong midfield. It’s not about finding players to fill the squad; we already have Ramsey, Diaby and Coquelin – all of whom are very capable midfielders in their own right. Wenger has already said that he is prepared to spend big if he can find that one superstar that finishes off the team. Mario Gotze is the player that is constantly being mentioned, but I don’t know enough about him to be able to judge whether or not he justifies the £35m price-tag.
Has anyone actually seen where hernanes has said that he is waiting for arsenal because I have seen this story in many places throughout the last few days but none of the stories have included quotes or anything that he has actually said.
Let’s be honest everyone. Hernanes has never said this and its the papers trying to sell papers
and besides why would we want a player who isnt getting into the starting 11 of a team nowhere near as good as us….
Because this is Italy and this is Lazio…imagine Kenny Daglish with a slick and greasy hairstyle and impeccable shoes. Besides that, world-class players typically don’t help teams when they are in redundant positions with other Italian world-class players that are preferred.
so you are saying parsimonious Wenger is paying 18m for someone who cannot get a regular spot in Lazio team, oh do behave
Pipe-down would you, Hernanes is definitely a more proven asset than 95% of the names on the wire. Unlike Wenger, there are teams that know when to sell players. They (Lazio) have too many players…most importantly Italians in that same position. Also they don’t want the tax hit for him soon to come. Trust me he is solid…much better player than Arteta…and especially Ramsey…who needs his feelings hurt.
One of these days we gonna hear Arsenal finally done some business, until then we wait!
i ‘ll hapi if wenger cn dose mentioned player.
We’ve known arsenal to be linking 2 several players but at d end of d day nothing is materialise,so fingers crosed until something happened.
Completely agree with silentstan – pay £18M for someone who currently sits on the bench at age 26? Right.
I disagree. £15 million is a more realistic price-tag, and that isn’t even that much money these days when you consider that players like Jordan Henderson are £20m+.
Hernanes looks to be a fantastic player and this deal could be right up Wengers street.
Also, he doesn’t sit the bench, he doesn’t like averaging about 72 minutes a game in the league. Not too much to ask. If you check his stats, he’s scored 19 goals in 66 appearances for Lazio. Do remember they are 3rd in Seri A as well…
Gylfi Sigurdsson is the best option from above choices
Would necessarily say that…he is a better version of Ramsey IMHO…great foot.
More paper talk … He is not a bargain and he is not on a free and we cant get him on loan so AW will not be interested
Wilshere + mario gotze would dominate the world.