Arsenal’s injury list continues to get smaller as Wojciech Szczesny returned to training after almost six weeks out with an ankle injury suffered in the 6-1 win over Southampton. He will now press Vito Mannone for the number one spot in The Emirates goal-mouth and looks set to be fit for the big fixture with Manchester United on Saturday.
Crewe Alexandra have developed a reputation for producing quality young talent and one of the latest off the production line may be on his way to Arsenal. 18-year-old striker Max Clayton has been compared to Michael Owen for his style of play and Arsene Wenger has been alerted to his talents by former assistant Pat Rice who is working as a part-time consultant for The Gunners on football league talent. Manchester United are also chasing the talented marksman who could be worth anything up to £3 million.
Arsenal youngster Jack Wilshere is relishing the opportunity to be playing alongside Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at The Emirates and hopes the development of a positive relationship at club level will be a huge benefit to a potential partnership at international level with England. Arsene Wenger insists however that Wilshere should not play a part in the international friendly with Sweden insisting he would even ring the Queen to stop him featuring.
Arsenal continue to pursue Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha and are also in hot pursuit of Newcastle United winger Hatem Ben Arfa. The former Marseille winger and French international is still only 25 and has been an integral player for Alan Pardew’s men since recovering from a horror leg break in 2010. Wenger sees him as a potential replacement for the increasingly likely departure of Theo Walcott.
Reports in Italy claim that Arsenal target Lewis Holtby has been the subject of an offer from an unnamed Premier League club. The German international has expressed a desire to play in the UK and has reportedly received interest from Liverpool as well as the North London club. While Arsenal will obviously pursue the technically gifted midfielder there is also interest from Spain although no interest has been recorded from Italy.
Argentine keeper Damian Martinez is hopeful of making a further name for himself with a good performance against Reading in the League Cup on Tuesday. The 20-year-old started the season as the clubs fourth-choice stopper but injuries to names such as Szczesny and Fabianski have left him wanting to push for the first team and sees the game with Reading as another opportunity to show off his talents.
What are your thoughts on everything and anything happening at Arsenal FC on the 29th October 2012?
images: © rich_w, © Ronnie Macdonald
Mathew Nash
@hitcmathewnashGoogle+more stories from Mathew Nash
I’m Mathew Nash a 23 year old graduate in Sports Studies and I have an insatiable love for sport. With a particularly keen interest for the madcap world of football I have always been known amongst friends as a beacon for bizarre sporting trivia and knowledge. My other passion is for writing and hopefully combining the two will create a superb and entertaining marriage that will create, divide and share opinion.
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