Sadly its not this Sergio…

23.30

Transfer rumour of the day: Blackburn’s Stephen N’Zonzi to join. Verdict: Can’t see AW dealing with the Walrus

I write this after watching Inter Milan beat Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate to progress to the Champions League final and face Bayern Munich. I was delighted Barca went out, their play acting, arrogant fans and the way people always seem to support them is laughable. Oh, the way they are run is laughable too, actually.

Most Arsenal fans hate Jose Mourinho – I’m not too keen on him myself but you have to admire his success. His football isn’t pretty, but the trophies speak for themselves. Brace yourselves for the outcry in the Catalan press tomorrow, demanding Blatter give them an automatic place in the final because they are a club full of dickheads who think they can tap up every player they like and not get any punishment. Its not bitterness at them beating us, I admired the way they played and accepted it because we are miles off them, but the things they get away with disgust me.

One more note on Mourinho… If he is the next manager of United, Liverpool or returns to Chelsea at some point, we should be a little worried.

Back to Arsenal – you can tell its been a slow couple of days because I have hardly mentioned them yet.

In comments on the official site earlier, the boss was keen to make the point that he is in discussions with a couple of transfer targets this summer, he also said that he prefers deals to be done earlier in the summer to allow the team time to gel. Arsene said:

“I have definite transfer targets and I have been talking to people but I will not tell you to who, I believe the earlier you settle your team the better it is and the less anxiety you have.”

We know there will be arrivals in the summer, the question is: are they of the quality and in the positions pretty much everyone seems in agreement on? A goalkeeper, a defender and some extra quality to replace a bit of dead wood in and around the squad. Forgive me for being a pessimist but I believe comments just like this were made this time last season after we bombed to Man United at the Grove; are they just a big PR exercise to keep fans happy and keep a good atmosphere on the final matchday against Fulham? I guess only a few people know the answer to that and they are not going to say a word..

The boss has always been skeptical about buying players off the back of a tournament and his opinion has not changed on that:

“unless there is an exception there that nobody knew before. Also post-World Cup the prices are always artificial.

“Overall I feel it is very dangerous to buy on [the strength of] the tournament because sometimes there are players who are fresh and have not played the whole season. Everyone can have three weeks of glory as a football player. Ten years is a bit different.”

I guess that rules out any star performer at the World Cup then, hes moved to quash that one before its even started!!

The teams for the Emirates Cup have been announced and they take place on the opening weekend in August, we will face AC Milan and Celtic, Lyon will be there too. I will be heading down to the Grove for the games on the Sunday so give me a shout if you plan on going too.

The teams are a little underwhelming if I’m honest.. Where have the days of us facing Real Madrid and Inter Milan gone? We had a real prestigious tournament going but now we seem to be letting the Scottish teams in who – and no offence to any Scottish fans – just aren’t at the same level. It sounds arrogant I know, and its not meant to, but Real Madrid to Celtic who are some 8 points off the pace in the SPL?

AM Rumour round-up:

There seems to be a lot of chatter about Arsene making a bid for the AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper, apparently valued around the £8 million mark. Sergio ‘sadly not Aguero’ Romero is a player I’ve not really heard much of but I’m hearing he is rather keen on securing a deal for him. Look, I don’t want any more experiments in goal and I think there are keepers with better reputations out there that could play for us for the next 8-9 years and do a bloody good job. Its the one area where I really do not want us to faff around.

Steven N’Zonzi and Phil Jones are linked in the Daily Mail – what foundation that article has I’m not sure, this line made me laugh though…

’21-year-old N’Zonzi, who has earned comparisons with Patrick Vieira, fits the bill of a typical Wenger signing’

Tall? tick. Relative unknown? tick. French with African descent? tick… yep, ticks all the boxes for an “ARSENAL TRANSFER EXCLUSIVE”

Phil Jones on the other hand, is an option that I think we are looking in to.

As is the Serbian defender Neven Subotic (spelling?)

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Just a little sidenote, I now think Andrey Arshavin is going to stay, but he needs to knuckle down and genuinely work hard next season.

Its gonna be quiet until the summer now, we only gave two games left.. one against Blackburn next Monday then at home to Fulham the Sunday after…

Back with an update sometime tomorrow/today.