Juventus director flies to London for talks over Arsenal's Gael Clichy - report

Juventus are lining up a £13.2 million (€15m) move for left-back Gael Clichy as director Fabio Paratici flies to London for talks with Arsenal.

Tuttosport reports Paratici is in England where he will have a meeting with the Gunners in respect of the 25-year-old, who was linked with the Italian club last year, although Juve signed Armand Traore on loan instead.

Juve's general director Giuseppe Marotta confirmed he is looking for "three or four quality players" in the summer transfer window as he begins drawing up a list of targets.

Arsenal are thought to be looking for around £13.2m (€15m) for the Frenchman who reportedly commands a £3.1m (€3.5m) per-season salary.

Talks are expected to be stepped up, with Paratici aiming to pave the way forward in preparation for a June switch to Turin.

Arsenal & Manchester United target Maarten Stekelenburg to decide Ajax future in the summer - agent

The agent of Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg says a contract renewal with the Dutch giants is not high on the priority list.

The 28-year-old has been linked with several club across Europe including Arsenal, AC Milan and Manchester United, but Karel Jansen believes all discussions will occur during the summer transfer window.

"We know for a fact that there is another year left on Maarten's contract with Ajax," Jansen told Tuttomercatoweb. "He could leave at the end of the season, or could stay in Amsterdam.

"I am certain he is liked my many clubs, but it is still too early to say who in particular.

"Every decision in regards to Maarten will be made during the summer, when we will evaluate the situation and start to make a decision. The contract renewal is not one of the more probable possibilities, even though we know that in football, anything can happen."

The shot-stopper recently injured his thumb in training, and is on the sidelines for up to six weeks.

Udinese defender Mehdi Benatia: Samir Nasri wants me to join Arsenal

Udinese’s versatile defender Mehdi Benatia has claimed Arsenal’s Samir Nasri wants him to join the Gunners.
The two players remain friends after spending time at Marseille, however, Benatia never made the grade at the Stade Velodrome, and after loan spells at Tours and Lorient respectively, the Moroccan international joined Clermont Foot before switching to Udinese in Serie A for free last summer.

The defender, who was born in France, hasn’t looked out of his depth in Serie A as could have been expected after making the jump from France’s Ligue 2 and despite Nasri’s pleasing comments, he is no rush to leave Italy, paying little attention to any rumours.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Clairefontaine graduate said: “He [Nasri] wants [me] to do it.
When I was in France, at a small club, he said to me: 'I am going to talk to Arsene Wenger'. I told him that he was crazy. Now he is even more decisive.

"We're great friends. We got to know each other in Marseille. We shared a room.
“I like Serie A. I am very happy here and my wife Cecile is too. We live in the city centre. I'd like to have a great career in Udine.

"Getting into the Europa League would be great. The Champions League is difficult even if there is quality at this club."

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny reveals he is still training despite injured hand

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed the injury he sustained against Barcelona in the Champions League has not stopped him putting in the hours on the training pitch.

The Polish 'keeper has been sidelined for two weeks and faces a minimum of two more weeks in a splint after rupturing tendons in his left hand.

Manager Arsene Wenger last week stated that he expected the 20-year-old to miss six weeks of action.

The injury prevents him from taking part in a normal goalkeeping routine, but Szczesny is using the time to work on other areas of his game that will improve him in the long-term.

"I work in the gym everyday, working on my lower body and my distribution as well which will be very good for me," he told the club's website. "I'm not getting bored, I can still do a lot of stuff.

"There's nothing you can do when it happens - you have to move on, work hard on your fitness and make sure you come back stronger than ever.

"There's not a lot of joint damage, the tendon is ruptured. So basically I have to keep my finger in a splint for four weeks and let the tendon heal. From then it will be a couple of weeks before I can be back in the squad.

"It's very hard, especially at a time when it was going well for me. We have got some big games coming up."

Ramsey - Our character earned us a point

Aaron Ramsey says Arsenal's never-say-die attitude spared them a first Premier League defeat of the year on Saturday.

West Bromwich Albion capitalised on uncertain defending to take a two-goal lead at the Hawthorns but Andrey Arshavin and Robin van Persie struck within seven minutes of each other to set up a grandstand finish.

Arsenal could not find a winner and find themselves five points adrift of Manchester United going into the international break. That was a source of frustration to Ramsey after the match but he admits it could have been worse.

"Obviously we didn’t get the result we wanted but I thought we showed character to get a point of out it," said the Welshman. "It could have been a lot worse, absolutely, but we never give up. At least we got something out of the game.

"We have a game in hand and we play Man United at home so we are definitely not out of it [the title race]. Definitely not. There is a lot to play for and hopefully we can do that and become champions at the end."

Saturday represented Ramsey's first start in an Arsenal shirt since he suffered a double leg fracture at Stoke in February 2010. The 20-year-old almost marked the milestone with a first-half equaliser but was denied at point-blank range by Albion keeper Scott Carson.

"I think I should have scored," reflected Ramsey. "But it was awkward. The ball was around my hip and I had to take a touch, the right-back was getting close to me so I had to get a shot away pretty quickly.

"But it was great to have that opportunity to start again for Arsenal and I thought I did alright. Obviously, it is a difficult atmosphere and the fans get right behind their players - they showed that with their first half performance. But they got tired in the end and we took advantage of that."