Arsene Wenger wants to sign Germany No 1 Manuel Neuer for £22m, according to reports this morning. With Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski injured we have had to turn to Manuel Almunia in goal and his mistake cost us vital points at West Brom. AW has been forced to draft in Jens Lehmann as cover but now it is said to be his fellow countryman who is on our manager’s summer wish-list.
It is said that we have tracked Schalke star Neuer, 24, for a year and AW was apparently going to make a move last summer but chose to pursue Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina instead. That didn’t happen because we wouldn’t match Liverpool’s £20million valuation. We will face stiff competition for Neuer with United and Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, AW and Samir Nasri will both serve a ban for the Gunners’ next Champions League fixture after it was confirmed neither would appeal against UEFA sanctions.
European football’s governing body handed out the one-match suspensions, and a 10,000 Euro (£8,800) fine to Wenger, after the pair were charged with “inappropriate language” directed towards Swiss shithouse Massimo Busacca in the wake of Arsenal’s controversial exit from the Champions League in Barcelona earlier this month.
Busacca caused uproar by red carding Robin van Persie a second yellow card for shooting at goal just one second after he had blown the whistle for offside – the Dutch striker claimed he had not heard it due to the noise of the 95,000-plus crowd. AW had originally insisted he would staunchly deny the charge.
A statement on arsenal.com reads: “Arsenal have decided not to appeal against UEFA bans for Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri. The manager and the midfielder were each suspended for one European match following charges of improper conduct in the wake of Arsenal’s Champions League exit at Barcelona.”
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