There was plenty of optimism last week after it was revealed that Arsenal were looking to complete two signings in the form of Santi Cazorla and Nuri Sahin. While the Gunners have succeeded in a deal for the former, it now looks as though there could be more difficulties in concluding a transfer for Turkish midfielder Sahin.
There have been many variations of rumours surrounding Arsene Wenger’s pursuit of the 23-year-old, with some sources claiming that Wenger himself has attempted to stall the deal as he waits to see how Alex Song’s future pans out. However, the general consensus is that there is a disagreement with Real Madrid, with the Gunners supposedly demanding an option to buy the player once the initial 12-month loan deal expires.
According to newspaper reports, such difficulties have alerted other teams to Sahin’s availability. It is now understood that Liverpool have approached Real Madrid about the player, with Brendan Rodgers’ friendship with Jose Mourinho supposedly acting favourably for the Reds. Of course, such reports could be based on lazy journalism, yet the fact that several newspapers have already picked up on the story suggests that there is some substance behind it. Moreover, with Rodgers clearly keen to strengthen his midfield, a pursuit of Sahin would obviously not appear too bizarre.
Following on from the above, Gunners supporters will be hoping that their club can pull out all the stops to convince Real that Sahin would be best suited to the Emirates Stadium next term. It has already come to light that the player is open to a move to Arsenal, meaning that half the battle has already been won for his signature. However, with the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder holding such a prestigious reputation throughout Europe, it’s no surprise that his current club are playing hard-ball over the terms of his loan move.
