Barca target Alex Song

Alex Song is a target for ­Barcelona.

The 24 year old Arsenal midfield player is seen as the ideal replacement for Mali international Seydou Keita who plans to quit the Camp Nou next June.

Song has impressed ­Gunners’ manager Arsene Wenger this season and ­Arsenal have already made one attempt to secure the Cameroon international on a longer deal.

There are still more than three years to run on his current contract but Wenger views Song as a major asset as his versatility has seen him play him in both ­central defence and midfield.

Arsenal’s initial offer was rejected, but Wenger is determined and is certain to come back in an attempt to keep Song for another four years at least.

If Song refuses the offer Barcelona are ready to swoop next summer.

They are ready to pay more than £15million and manager Pep Guardiola will first talk to former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Fabregas, "who moved to Barcelona from Arsenal for £35m in the summer, rates his ex-team-mate highly so that will tempt Guardiola."

Song is reluctant to uproot his family from London, but might well be tempted by the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play for the team currently rated the best in world football.

Joey Barton hits out at Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood to reiterate claims that the Gunners tried to sign him

QPR midfielder Joey Barton has insisted that Arsenal attempted to sign him in the summer, after seeing his claims dismissed by Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood.


Barton had previously stated that a clash with Gervinho in the first game of the season may have cost him a move to Arsenal upon leaving Newcastle United at the end of the transfer window.

He told The Sunday Mirror: "Peter Hill-Wood said they never had any serious interest in me, I just don't understand. The dialogue between him and his coaching staff has broken down so severely that he doesn't know what's going on at his football club.

"I don't know [why Hill-Wood said that]. Fair enough if I was claiming to sign for Real Madrid or Barcelona or Manchester City or Manchester United, but I don't think it's that big of a shout to say Arsenal were after me because it's definitely a club in - what shall I say? - transition."

The former Manchester City man also went on to express his shock at Arsenal's decline and poor current form.

The Gunners sit in 15th place in the Premier League following a poor start to the season and have struggled through their Champions League ties.

Barton continued: "Financially, they have put themselves in a great position but I don't know what's happening there.

"I don't understand. You look at Arsenal and you think, 'Well, they obviously have an abundance of money'. Their stadium is almost paid for. I would say, financially, they are the most well-run club in the league, barring Manchester City.

"I watched them the other day, it's a very different side from that great team they had with Petit and Vieira. If I was an Arsenal fan... well.

"It's nothing to do with me because it's not my football club but, even so, I like to see those great English sides do well. I remember watching the Champions League and Arsenal against Olympiakos at home was a shoo-in, four or five-nil win for Arsenal, but they made hard work of it. But this is the game we're in."

Bacary Sagna set to miss next three months after Arsenal confirm full-back sustained fractured fibula

Arsenal have confirmed that Bacary Sagna has sustained a fractured fibula after he fell awkwardly during the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Tottenham, and suggest that the full-back will be out for around three months.


Sagna jumped for the ball with Spurs defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto although landed awkwardly and immediately signalled that he wanted to be taken off, before he was later taken to hospital, and a club statement has revealed that a fracture has been sustained.

"The Club can confirm that Bacary Sagna sustained a fracture to the fibula in his right leg during the match against Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon," the statement on the club's official website read.

"Further detailed investigations and assessments will take place on Monday, during which time Bacary will see ankle specialists and the Arsenal medical team regarding the further management of his injury.

"It is expected that Bacary will be out for approximately three months and a surgical procedure cannot be ruled out at this stage.

"Everyone at the Club wishes Bacary a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him playing again as soon as possible."

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had previously admitted he was "very worried" about the injury.

He told the club's official website: "We are very worried about his injury. He is in hospital at the moment and it is too early to say but the first signs do not look good at all.

"It is the fibula in the ankle that has to be checked, that is what I have been told. We will know tonight. I think he was pushed quite hard by Assou-Ekotto and I'm not sure what happened to him.

"He might have landed the wrong way, I don't know. I will have to see it again. Straight away he wanted to be substituted."

Yossi Benayoun sidelined for a week with injury

Arsenal midfielder Yossi Benayoun is set to be out of action for a week, following a side strain sustained in his side’s 3-1 League Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday.




The Israeli midfielder grabbed his first goal for the club following his loan move from Chelsea, as they progressed to the fourth round of the tournament despite initially going a goal down to the League Two side.


Benayoun has revealed, however, that he picked up a side strain during the game, and will now be sidelined for up to seven days, meaning he will miss the clash against Bolton and potentially the Champions League tie against Olympiakos at the Emirates.

Speaking via social networking site Twitter, the former Liverpool and West Ham United man said: "Very disappointed as I have a strain and will be out for a week or so."

Laurent Koscielny glad to have Alex Song back in midfield

Laurent Koscielny has lauded team-mate Alex Song for his midfield display against Borussia Dortmund.


The Gunners drew 1-1 with the German champions, and Koscielny has heaped praise on the Cameroonian midfielder for a dominant display in Dortmund.

Koscielny told the club’s official website: “I think we defended very well - all the team defends together.

“It's very important to have Alex near the centre-backs because he stops the opportunities coming to the other team. It's good for us.

“It was a hard game, Dortmund played very well.

“We defended well, but to concede a goal two minutes before the end was difficult for us.

“We didn't lose, which was good. We have a game at home, and it is important to win that.”

Koscielny also spoke of the new confidence surrounding the London club, and a belief that they can capitalise on this good run of form in their next game in the Premier League against Blackburn Rovers.

He added: “We are in a good place now and we want to go and win at Blackburn.”

Song had been suspended for the last three league games after stamping on Joey Barton in Arsenal’s opening fixture against Newcastle United.