Arsene Wenger brought in Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer from FC Bordeaux to replace the outgoing fan favourite Eduardo da Silva. The Moroccan International has been impressive for the Gunners and is currently the second highest goal-scorer after Samir Nasri. The striker has shown good levels of physical fitness which has helped Arsenal overcome the injuries to Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner at the start of the season.
Bendtner has recovered completely from his groin injury but has been frustrated due to the lack of opportunities to start games in the Premier League and the Champions League. The Danish International was an integral member of the team in the second half of the previous season and scored crucial goals which helped Arsenal fight for the Premiership till April.
Robin van Persie is Arsenal’s first choice striker and if he is completely match-fit, Wenger will try to accommodate him in the team. The versatility of the Dutch striker is also useful for the team and he has been deployed in the trequartista role in the past as well.
Bendtner is the third choice striker for the Gunners behind Van Persie and Chamakh and has not started any Premier League game this season despite being fit for quite some time now. He has voiced his frustration and could leave the Emirates despite Wenger’s insistence that he would like the Danish International to stay.
Denmark coach Morten Olsen has made it clear that he needs to play regularly to keep his place in the squad. This could also influence the tall striker’s decision on his future. Wenger has immense faith in Chamakh and he will continue to be ahead of Bendtner in the pecking order for the important games in the EPL and the Champions League.
Bendtner has been linked with a number of clubs in the recent past and Italian club Lazio is the latest club to be interested in acquiring the services of the Arsenal striker. Lazio are consistently in the top half of the table and aspire to play in the Champions League next year. They have also been strongly linked with a move for Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz and it is likely that they will bring in any one of the two strikers.
The Danish Striker has also been linked with Bayern Munich and Ajax in the recent past with Bayern admitting that he had the qualities they require for their club. A move to the German club would interest Bendtner but it would be difficult for him to break into the team because of the impressive form of Mario Gomez. Ajax might accept a big money offer for talented striker Luis Suarez who could move to a big European club and they would be interested in signing Nicklas Bendtner to fill the void.
Arsenal could also be interested in a swap deal which includes Jan Vertonghen for Nicklas Bendtner because Vertonghen could be an ideal partner for Thomas Vermaelen in the future and at the age of 23, he could be an important part of the future for the Gunners.
Bendtner has been at Arsenal for over five years and Wenger has high faith in the lad. But at the age of 22, he needs to be playing regularly and does not have the opportunity to do so with Chamakh and Van Persie above him at the club and might move to Lazio or any other European club.
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