DownSwinging.com

So Kolo’s gone. Over the past week and a half, Arsenal has seen £41m deposited into their bank account from City alone. The question is which bank account are they putting the money into? Is it of the long-term, low yield type? Or is it an account that allows for easy, quick and sizeable withdrawals? Every Gunners fan on the planet hopes it’s the latter, but with this group at the helm, one never knows. One thing is clear, however, were Wenger to not sign at least one more player before the window closes; Arsenal will be under-manned. But hey, at least Wenger got a great deal, right?! Yes he did, but I for one am a little tired of reading how much profit Wenger made on players that have left the club, probably because I consciously doubt that those profits will ever be spent on incoming players. But you have to feel that this ‘exodus’, as the media constantly dubs it, is of a different nature than those in the past.

Recently, Arsenal have seen the summer be a time of year when valuable players have decided they want to go to other, more successful clubs. This summer Arsene has been selling those players who, 1, don’t necessarily want to leave and 2, don’t figure into his plans going forward. This is a welcome departure from tallying the losses of valuable first-team regulars. Let me say thanks to Kolo for being a humble and hard-working servant to the club. He signed when nobody believed in him, and he left becasue Arsenal wanted to cash in on him, not because he wanted to leave, despite what you read. Yes he handed in a transfer request last January, but it is known that his relationship with Gallas had mellowed, and he was willing to fight for a spot. But, Toure was slowing down and becoming more and more marginalized by the arrival of Thomas Vermaelen. Adebayor simply didn’t deserve to play for the club anymore. No heart, no team-first attitude, he is a great footballer, but he’s is not a Gunner. To the untrained eye, it seems rather ominous that an already young team has sold one of its most experienced players. But those of you who are scouring the headlines day in and day out, like I’ve been, know that there is something greater going on.

Obviously you’ve heard about the possibility of our skipper coming back. And while he definitely won’t be the Vieira of old, he will be a massive lift for a young club that has craved a vocal, level-headed leader. I feel Cesc will grow as a captain this year, and Patrick can only help him develop. He can teach him, by example, how to be a leader. (Side note: Cesc is already on the right track by meeting up with the squad in Austria, and in-effect cutting his summer vacation a week short. It’s a small gesture, but it tells us a lot about the head he’s got on his shoulders.)

With Vieira arriving, would that be it for our vacant DM spot? Probably, at least until January. Nobody can argue that Wenger has faith in his midfielders, and adding two players for the same position, one that Wenger himself doesn’t even necessarily brand a weakness, would be too out of character.

Vieira is available for free, (really fees would equal close to £750k) but that’s virtually nothing for invaluable winning experience and leadership. So with such a thrifty, clever signing, my first thought is that Wenger has a more expensive buy in mind. This is a trap that Arsenal supporters, myself included, fall into. Thinking that Wenger has a £20m purchase up his sleeve often leaves Gooners feeling silly and slightly embarrassed. However, with all of the money he has generated, combined with the imminent departure of Emmanuel Eboue, Wenger surely has some cash earmarked solely for expenditures. Even he has to reassure fans by action rather than words at some point, doesn’t he?

Of the £50m Arsenal will have generated if Eboue is sold for the £9m Fiorentina are offering, how much will Arsene be allowed to spend? Furthermore, how much will he choose to spend? Personally, I’d love to see Huntelaar and Cattermole. I know Cattermole has been criticized for not being worth the talk, but I genuinely think he will be a force for the next several years. I feel that seeing him at Anfield or Old Trafford, knowing that we were interested, would be just another blow to our already damaged ego. I figure Arsenal could directly take Toure’s £16m and give it to Real for Klaas, then get Cattermole for £9-12m. It could be conceivable that Arsenal sign both with just the money from the Adebayor deal. Putting Kolo’s entire fee into the bank is something Wenger would certainly salivate over.

Assuming we get Vieira though, the Cattermole pursuit ends and Arsenal could then spend the funds on a big, aerially dominant, central defender. Obviously Hangeland jumps to mind, but I feel as though all signs are pointing against any money being spent on a centre back. Wenger has stated outright that we have so many central defenders; he’s trying to play them in midfield. The solution? Sell Senderos, move Song back to midfield and leave Silvestre in the woods somewhere. That gives the Gunners 3 capable centre backs in Gallas, Vermaelen and Djourou. Then there is the potential of buying another one to shore up the back lines. Surely Mr. Wenger, it’s about quality not quantity.

Could this be the day when captain fantastic returns home? What a lift it would be.