Arsenal Transfer Prospects: Analyzing the Pros and Cons of Signing Jermain Defoe

The Gunners have been linked with a number of players and though only young right back Carl Jenkinson has been confirmed as an Arsenal player, they are expected to sign more players in the next few weeks in order to build a team capable of challenging the best teams in the world. Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will look to strengthen in every position if there are quality players available.

The manager will have to deal with some frustrated players who have not played much this season and some of them like Nicklas Bendtner have expressed the need to move on. If the Danish striker does move on, it is likely that Wenger will look for a striker because Carlos Vela has not yet been able to impress for the Gunners despite having obvious potential.

Gervinho has been linked with the Gunners and is a possible target for Arsene Wenger. However, he is more of a winger having good pace and movement and can run at defenders which can cause problems for the defenders. Though he can play as the centre forward, he is more of a winger and Wenger might have to sign a centre forward in the summer.

Robin van Persie is one of the best strikers in the game and is prolific if he can string a number of games together. He scored 18 goals in the Premiership last season despite opening his account only from January because he missed almost the entire first half of the season. If not for injuries, he will have certainly scored more for the Gunners.

However, he has missed a number of games due to injuries and there is every possibility that he could be injured for some games in the next season as well though Arsenal would have a great chance if he makes around 30-35 league starts in the next season. But Wenger cannot depend on his fitness next season and will need to have quality depth in that position.

Gunners have been linked with a few "marquee" signings in this position like Karim Benzema and Radamel Falcao. One of the most surprising transfer rumours regarding strikers is that Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is targeted by Arsene Wenger according to the Mirror. This article is on the advantages and disadvantages of signing Defoe for Arsenal.

Advantages

Defoe is a player who has a lot of pace and can create opportunities because of his movement and ability to run at defenders. The England International has proved that he can score regularly in the past though the 2010-11 season was certainly not one to remember for the striker. He is experienced in the Premiership which means he would not take time to adjust.

Though he has been inconsistent in the past, he is a striker who is capable of being prolific if provided with the right service and at Arsenal, he would easily be presented with a lot more opportunities than what he would get at Tottenham or any of his previous clubs. He has good technique and has excellent shooting ability.

The former West Ham striker has been inconsistent but has proven to be a good goalscorer at three different clubs. Though Arsenal's style of play is quite different to that of Tottenham, it is probable that he could have more chances to score goals. Also, he is quite direct in his style of play and will shoot if given an opportunity to do so, which is welcome for Arsenal where a number of players opt to pass inside the box instead of shooting.

If Bendtner does leave the club for around €11 million, then Arsenal might have to spend it on a new striker. Though Spurs will hate to sell to their arch-rivals, if Defoe does hand in a transfer request, they might rather sell than have an unhappy striker in their squad. For the Gunners, it will be difficult to sign a "marquee" signing like Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain though Arsene Wenger is likely to give it a try.

If they cannot meet the valuation of such strikers in the market, it is possible that Wenger will sign a striker like Defoe who will provide decent value to the squad. However, Wenger should plan to invest on a number of quality players in this summer before the financial fair play regulations come into existence and also it is important that they win trophies in order to generate more revenue in the near future.

Disadvantages

Any player who makes the switch from Tottenham to Arsenal or vice-versa is bound to draw a lot of attention and should he not perform well, it is highly likely that he will come under immense scrutiny. Defoe has not been in good form in this season and managed a paltry tally of four league goals in 22 appearances though he was injured for some parts of the season and was not a starter in a number of games.

However, it is clear that he is not in his best form and in all probability, there is no place in the starting eleven for Defoe if he signs for Arsenal. Robin van Persie was in sensational form towards the end of the season and scored 18 league goals despite missing a large chunk of the first half of the season. In the current 4-2-3-1 formation, Van Persie is the favourite to start as the lone striker and has an excellent goals per game ratio as well.

According to the Mirror, Gervinho is set to sign for the Gunners and if signed, he could be accommodated in a striker or a winger role in the starting eleven. If Wenger tinkers the formation and reverts back to the 4-4-2 system, it could mean that Theo Walcott, who has always preferred to play in the centre, might be provided the opportunity to play alongside Van Persie.

The Dutchman and the England International have an excellent understanding and have assisted in goals for both players. Walcott scored 13 goals and assisted 10 more and had his best season in his Arsenal career. He looks to be developing and despite many critics suggesting that he had no footballing brain, he has proved that he can be efficient in the Premiership and will be integral to the Gunners in the near future.

If Jermain Defoe does not get to start matches regularly, then he is bound to be disillusioned at the club which was the problem with Nicklas Bendtner as well. It is important to note that Wenger does want Bendtner to stay at the club but the Dane has been frustrated due to lack of opportunities. Defoe is not likely to displace Van Persie and also, does not prefer playing on the wings which means that he could struggle for playing time.

Also, in the current 4-2-3-1 formation, it is better to have a striker who is decent in the air. Though Van Persie is not excellent in the air, he has presence upfront which is important and employs a style which is suited to his team mates. Chamakh did not have problems with the formation due to his ability to interchange passes with midfielders and bring them into the game.

Defoe is a very different striker to both of them and could struggle as the lone striker because he has not got the presence upfront. He benefits from knockdowns but in Arsenal's style of play, there is hardly anyone who would actually win aerial balls barring Chamakh and it is highly unlikely that the duo will be played together in a 4-4-2 formation.

Also, with Real Madrid linked to both Santos striker Neymar and Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero, there is every possibility that one amongst Gonzalo Higuain or Karim Benzema will leave the club. Arsenal will have a good opportunity to sign a striker of their quality because there are not many clubs in the world who can provide regular Champions League football who are on the lookout for a quality striker and signing any one of the two strikers would certainly show a lot of intent from the club.

It would be a gamble by Arsene Wenger if he does indeed bid for Defoe and chances are that Tottenham are not going to sell to their arch-rivals. However, there are not many clubs who can offer Defoe a chance of European football and also a chance to redeem himself at the highest level. However, with Walcott rapidly improving, it would seem that it is better option to gamble playing him in the centre than spending on Jermain Defoe and if signed, it would mean a lot of unnecessary pressure on the Arsenal manager and the player himself.

If interested, read Arsenal Transfer Prospects: Pros and Cons of signing Peter Odemwingie, Jan Vertonghen, Radamel Falcao, Ricky Alvarez, Scott Parker and Gervinho in this series of Arsenal Transfer Prospects and also, you can follow me on Twitter
 

Real Madrid: Can Mourinho Resurrect Adebayor's Career and Win Titles In Spain?

It is official that Emmanuel Adebayor has been signed by Real Madrid on loan for the rest of the season and they do have the option of signing him on a permanent basis at the end of the season. The former Arsenal striker has endured a tough time at Manchester City and has spent a lot of time on the bench due to the manager's preference to play Carlos Tevez as the lone striker.

The tall striker emerged as one of the most promising strikers in the world with some stirring performances for Arsenal where he endured a successful spell but things did not go according to Adebayor's plans after a few seasons and he lost the support of the fans. He moved to the ambitious Manchester City, then managed by Mark Hughes in a 25 million transfer move but he has not had a great time in Manchester.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is a person who has immense belief that he can secure titles for the club but he has not been satisfied with the inconsistent performances of Karim Benzema. Though he said that he admires Gonzalo Higuain, the Argentine's injury has meant that the Portuguese tactician has had to play Benzema in more games than he wished for. It is not that Benzema is not talented; he is not the type of striker that Mourinho requires for Real Madrid.

Benzema is young and talented but he is not the finished product and has a lot to learn. Though the Los Merengues are a young team, the former Inter Milan manager will not be pleased with anything less than winning the La Liga and the Champions League. The Madrid no.9 has been given an extended run due to the lack of striking options other than Higuain who is injured but has not grabbed his opportunities despite scoring two hat-tricks this season.

At times, Mourinho has adopted a formation without any natural strikers which clearly underlines the fact that he does not have enough faith in the French International. Though the Real Madrid hierarchy and Mourinho did not seem to agree on bringing a striker in January, the manager has convinced the board to bring in a new striker to bolster their chances of winning titles this season.

Adebayor may not be the striker that Madrid fans wished for and most of them would still have preferred to
have the legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy back in the squad instead of the mercurial African. Though he has not been in good playing form of late having not played enough minutes for City, he is very talented and if he gets his confidence back, he can be inspirational for Los Blancos.

Arsene Wenger is a manager who recognises if a player has good potential and he certainly saw a bright future for Adebayor and if not for the off-field issues, he could still be playing at the Emirates. The big striker would certainly want to prove that he is still a world class player and in Mourinho and Real Madrid, he certainly has the support to do so.

Mourinho has preferred to have a talented target man in his team who is physically strong and can be direct. Adebayor is a volatile individual but the Real Madrid coach has excellent man-management skills and could instill confidence in the Togo striker. He is still only 26 and can improve on his game to a large extent. Diego Milito was not considered a world-beater till he signed for Inter Milan and under Mourinho, he proved his calibre by emerging as one of the best players for the Nerazzurri.

Adebayor cannot wish for a better opportunity to resurrect his career and he has the privilege of working with the "Special One" and could still reach the heights that he is capable of. Mourinho has won this important battle with the Real Madrid board and now that he has got a new target man in the squad, it is up to him to prove that he can achieve success with the resources he has at his disposal.

The Manchester City striker has only been signed by Real Madrid on a loan deal and though the Spanish club has the option of making the move permanent at the end of the season, it is still doubtful if they will opt for the move when prolific Argentine Gonzalo Higuain returns to full fitness. However, it is a golden opportunity for Adebayor to secure a permanent move by grabbing the opportunity to shine for Real Madrid and he has the chance to make history with Los Merengues.

Real Madrid Transfer Prospects: The Pros and Cons of signing Ruud Van Nistelrooy

Real Madrid remained only two points behind the leaders Barcelona in the La Liga thanks to another stupendous performance from Cristiano Ronaldo who has been immense this season. Los Blancos have relied on the influential Portuguese captain for the majority of the goals this season due to the injury to Gonzalo Higuain and the inconsistency of Karim Benzema. Jose Mourinho has plenty of options when it comes to midfielders but he has not got many strikers at the club.

Mourinho is a manager who prefers to have a striker who is technically good as well as someone who has good physical qualities and can hold the ball. His successes with Chelsea and Inter Milan was linked with the consistent performances of Didier Drogba in England and Diego Milito and Samuel Etoo in Italy. He has two good strikers in Higuain and Benzema but the Argentine's injury has meant that Mourinho has no good optional striker from the bench.

Van Nistelrooy does want to return to his former club for whom he scored a number of goals after his transfer from Manchester United. He is reportedly interested to move to Real Madrid but Hamburg are reluctant to release the player whose contract ends in the summer. The Dutchman has a knack of scoring goals and believes that he has still got a lot to offer the Spanish club and his experience could be vital to the Los Blancos to develop young strikers like Morata.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has already admitted that he would like a player of Van Nistelrooy's quality to join the club and that he knows the striker from his Manchester United days. The Portuguese tacticians would like to have someone as experienced as the Dutchman in his squad and if Benzema does get injured, he could still employ the same formation with Van Nistelrooy as the lone striker instead of playing six midfielders.

The deal would not be very costly considering that the Dutchman only has six months left on his contract and is past his prime which would mean that he should cost less compared to many other strikers in the world. Also, Van Nistelrooy is interested in playing again for Real Madrid which would make the deal a lot easier to happen if Los Merengues do lodge a proper bid for him in this January transfer window.

Advantages

Ruud Van Nistelrooy may not be in his prime but he certainly retains the compsure and killer instinct in front of goal. He still has good physical strength and has a lot to add to Real Madrid. Nistelrooy has also played for Madrid in the recent and it will not take him long to adjust to the rigours of the La Liga and having enjoyed a successful spell with the Los Blancos, he will be confident of reproducing his best under Jose Mourinho.

Also Nistelrooy's experience could be vital to guide young strikers Higuain and Benzema who both have the habit of missing some easy chances which should be converted by players of their quality and talent. The Dutchman will not only provide good cover for these two but would also be an excellent player to have on the bench to create an impact if necessary. With the departure of the legendary Raul, Nistelrooy's presence in the dressing room will certainly provide a boost to the club and his experience could be vital for the club.

Disadvantages

Nistelrooy is certainly past his prime and could find it difficult to adjust to the fast game that Real Madrid play under Jose Mourinho. One of Real Madrid's greatest strengths under the Portuguese tactician has been the speed of the counter attacks and with the Dutchman in the team, he cannot get in behind defences like Benzema or Higuain. Also if Nistelrooy is signed, it would end their search for a striker and better strikers could not be targeted if Mourinho and Los Blancos decide to make a deal with the Dutchman and Hamburg.

Also someone like Higuain or Benzema could feel unsettled by the arrival of Van Nistelrooy who is a crowd favourite at the Bernabeu and that could add more pressure to perform. However Jose Mourinho is excellent in man-management skills and will ensure that he gets the best from his players. The other thing to be considered is whether the Dutchman would accept if he is benched to accommodate a younger striker like Benzema.

Can Ruud van Nistelrooy help Real Madrid win the La Liga and the Champions League?

Real Madrid would be severely affected if Benzema does sustain an injury over the course of the season and having a player of the calibre of Nistelrooy will only add more quality to the squad. It is debatable whether signing Van Nistelrooy could prove pivotal to their title hopes but the addition of an experienced player like him will instill a positive mentality in the camp.

Also, Van Nistelrooy has been successful against the best teams in the world and does know what it takes to achieve victory over quality teams. He can guide youngsters to perform better under pressure and can also add a number of useful goals for the club. There is a good possibility that Real Madrid might attempt to sign the Hamburg striker and it would be great for them if the Dutchman does sign for the Los Blancos.