ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:THE PRESSURE on Arsenal to strengthen their attack has been eased after tests on Nicklas Bendtner's troublesome groin revealed the Dane should be fit to return within two weeks.
Arsene Wenger continues to monitor targets and still hopes to sign the Bordeaux forward Marouane Chamakh under the Bosman ruling in the summer despite Liverpool’s interest, but he will not pay over the odds for recruits this month with Bendtner so close to a return. He suggested he was more likely to bolster his defence, by re-signing the former England centre half Sol Campbell, than adding a striker.
Bendtner’s return to fitness, having been absent since October, has provided a lift, with Arsenal resigned to being without Robin van Persie possibly for the rest of the season due to an ankle injury.
“Nicklas is doing well in training, had a good session today and the news is quite good,” Wenger said. “He’ll join in with the first-team next week. His fitness is not too bad, actually, because he has worked hard. He can do the job [as a central striker], even if he’s a different type of player to van Persie. But it gives me a few options in there.
“His return will influence [what we do]. If he’d been ruled out for two months, we wouldn’t have had a choice but to sign someone. It would have been an absolute that we signed a striker. But now we can be a little bit more relaxed. We can take it or leave it if we don’t find what we want.”
The Arsenal manager has ruled out a move for West Ham’s Carlton Cole and suggested Toulouse’s valuation of Andre-Pierre Gignac, the France forward, would price him out of the market.
“I like the player and know him well because he plays for the French national team,” Wenger said. “Lyon tried to buy him last year for nearly £20 million, so the price was too high. As for Chamakh, he is still available for the summer. We have not met his agent and not spoken about it but he is a player we have an interest in.”
There is interest, too, in the veteran Campbell, who has been training with Arsenal for the last two months since his spell at League Two Notts County ended abruptly after a solitary appearance. The 35-year-old left Arsenal some four years ago but had been building up his fitness at London Colney to earn himself a new club during this month’s window. Hull City had expressed a firm interest but Arsenal will consider a short-term move if they can off-load Philippe Senderos.
“Sol has a fantastic attitude and good fitness,” Wenger said. “He is not the youngest but he is in a very good shape. He can still play in the Premier League, I’ve said that many times. He is important in the dressingroom as well. He’s positive with the young players, and every year we have one or two like that. I think a Premier League club will sign him and, of course, we are a Premier League club.”
Senderos is likely to be one of the few players to leave the Emirates this month, with the club still resisting Barcelona and Real Madrid’s optimistic attempts to prise away Cesc Fabregas. Wenger revealed Arsenal had written to their Spanish counterparts to reiterate their captain is not for sale.
Meanwhile, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis does not expect majority shareholder Stan Kroenke to launch a takeover bid.
Kroenke – who owns the Denver Nuggets basketball team – is nearing the 30 per cent threshold which, under the strict financial rules of the City, would oblige him to make a formal offer for the remainder of the shares.
Guardian Service
