10 People who can Replace Fabregas at Arsenal

With Barcelona circling around Cesc Fabregas like a starving vulture , manager Arsene Wenger - despite his public protestations that his captain will be going nowhere - is surely eyeing up possible replacements for the Spanish superstar.

So who might be on that list? Football Spy runs it's eye over the runners and riders...

1) Mikel Arteta (Everton)
Wenger is a known admirer of the Everton star, who has developed into one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. The 28-year-old has been at Goodison for six years and is a firm crowd favourite and manager David Moyes is keen to sign him to a new extended contract. At 28, however, Arteta knows his next deal will be the most important one of his career and he could be tempted by a switch to north London and the lure of Champions League football.
Chances of it happening: 6 (out of 10)

2) Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
The mercurial midfielder is one of the best passers of the ball in the Premier League but has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford and appears to be surplus to requirements. Reports have suggested Fergie would be prepared to offer him to Aston Villa as part of a deal for James Milner, but Carrick would surely prefer a return to the capital where he played for West Ham and Spurs. Wenger tried to buy him when he left Upton Park for White Hart Lane and would probably get his man if he went back in for him again.
Chances of it happening: 6


3) Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid)
The French midfielder won over the Real Madrid fans in the second half of this season after initially being viewed as 'Lassana who?' when he first arrived in Spain from Portsmouth in December 2008. Such is the constant state of flux at the Bernabeu, however, that who knows whether he has a long-term future, especially as there is sure to be another change of manager in the summer with Jose Mourinho arriving. Diarra originally left Arsenal for Portsmouth in January 2008 because he was frustrated by a lack of first-team football. That would not be an issue this time around.
Chances of it happening: 6

4) Marek Hamsik (Napoli)
The Slovakian playmaker is already on the most-wanted list of a number of Europe's leading clubs. Hamsik, who prefers to play in the hole behind the front men, has modelled himself on Czech schemer Pavel Nedved and shares the former Juventus man's eye for goal and for the subtle killer pass. One potential stumbling block is the fact that his value to likely to rocket if he impresses for his country in South Africa this summer and Wenger would be reluctant to meet Napoli's expected £30million asking price.
Chances of it happening: 4

5) Stephen Ireland (Manchester City)
City's Player of the Year in 2008-09, his stock fell immeasurably over the course of the past campaign as he found himself out of favour under Roberto Mancini. Has been linked in the past with Liverpool and Arsenal and both are likely to be casting covetous glances towards Eastlands this summer.
Chances of it happening: 7

6) Felipe Melo (Juventus)
Wenger is a known long-term admirer of the Brazilian holding midfielder and tried to sign him from Fiorentina back in 2008. Melo joined Juventus instead - in a whopping €25million deal that also saw Marco Marchionni go the other way - but has struggled to make an impression in Turin, to the extent that Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano voted him the worst player of 2009. That said, national coach Dunga still named Melo in his 23-man squad for the forthcoming World Cup (no messing around with provisional 30s for the Brazilians), and his travails this season mean Melo - and Juve - would be well-disposed to a move. Arsene, get your chequebook out...
Chances of it happening: 9

7) Mark Noble (West Ham)
The Canning Town-born 23-year-old is a Hammer through and through but, after a season of turmoil at Upton Park, he might be open to the idea of a move. Co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have already announced that every player, except Scott Parker, is available for transfer so that's hardly likely to fill Noble with confidence. Having played 20 times for England at Under-21 level, he knows his chance of breaking into Fabio Capello's senior squad would be massively improved if he were playing on a bigger stage at the Emirates week-in, week-out.
Chances of it happening: 7

8) Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen)
The left-sided midfielder was the star of Germany's European Under-21 winning side last summer and has now broken in to Joachim Loew's starting team. Quick, intelligent and with an eye for goal, the Werder Bremen man gave a glittering display in the crunch win over Russia in Moscow in October that sealed Germany's place in this summer's finals. Just like Hamsik, however, Wenger may find he is out of his price range if he impresses in South Africa.
Arsenal transfer target Mesut Ozil: 10 things you need to know plus video of him in action
Chances of it happening: 4

9) Yaya Toure (Barcelona)
Stories have suggested that the Ivory Coast star will be used as a makeweight in the deal to take Fabregas to the Nou Camp, even though he is not a like-for-like replacement. Toure is more of a holding midfielder, more effective breaking up opponents' play than creating openings at the other end. His agent also insists there is no chance of a move to London for his client, stating firmly: 'Toure is not Cesc, and nor is he going to replace him. He will not be going to Arsenal." There, that told us.
Chances of it happening: 3

10) Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)
Given his naturally parsimonious nature, Wenger may decide to trouser all of the £30/£40/£50million (delete as applicable) that Barca will eventually be forced to cough up for their former trainee and choose to promote from within. The precocious Wilshere has all the tools to do the job - except the experience, of course - and proved during a loan spell at Bolton this season that he's got the mental and physical toughness to cope with the demands of the Premier League. Don't rule it out.
Chances of it happening: 8

It would take five players to replace Fabregas

Arsène Wenger could face a daunting task this summer: How do you replace 19 goals, 19 assists, and general quality and leadership from midfield?

It's still been pretty quiet since I last wrote on this topic, although we did finally hear something, if not much, from Cesc, who sounds to me like he wants to leave.

He claims he has left it in the hands of his manager. So Wenger has probably said something along the lines of, "we're keeping you for at least one more season unless we get the right offer". Cesc is probably hoping now that his old club can give his current one what they want. Publicly, he won't commit either way, which is sensible. If he tells us he loves us and wants to say, then it would make him look so much worse if he did leave. If he says he wants to go, but Barca can't come up with the goods then he won't be too popular around here next season.

It's transpired that there hasn't been an official offer from Barca as of yet, but it could happen soon, as the player they have in their sights clearly wants to join.

Wenger should hope he can get this business done sooner rather than later, because if his captain leaves, I'm thinking it could take the addition of five players to make sure he isn't too badly missed.

The priority perhaps, whether he stays or goes, is a good goalkeeper. We cannot possibly enter another season with any of these clowns in goal.

By my reckoning, we would then need two centre-backs. Ideally, I'd like one of Campbell or Gallas to stay, but I doubt either of them will. We're reportedly looking at Hangelaand again, but with only Djourou and Bartley as backup, I think we'd need someone else signed as backup. Wenger doesn't tend to do loan moves, but this could be a good time to try one if we don't want to pay too much for someone to mostly sit on the bench.

Even if we only sign these three out of my suggested five, a solid defence would mean less burden on the attack, and thus Cesc's contributions in that department SLIGHTLY less important.

Finally, it would probably take two players to replace what Cesc gives us in midfield. Joe Cole is available on a free and might be worth a go. He's injury prone, but much better than any of Nasri, Rosicky, Diaby or Denilson. The sale of one or two of those ineffective four could help fund the transfer of the ideal Cesc replacement - Wesley Sneijder. I can't think of anyone better who'd be available and/or in our price range. The Dutchman could be of a few players keen to leave Inter Milan following Mourinho's departure.

Of course, this will probably all prove to be fantasy. I'm sure I'm not the only one who can't realistically see Wenger signing that many players. Hopefully Cesc will stay and it won't be quite so desperate, but I maintain that the goalkeeper and two defenders are still a must.

Sadly, anything less and we would only be delaying Cesc's departure for one more summer.

Season Awards 2009-10

Best Goalkeeper:

1. Victor Valdes - Barcelona
2. Manuel Neuer - Schalke
3. Joe Hart - Birmingham

Best Defender:
1. Javier Zanetti - Inter
2. Branislav Ivanovic - Chelsea
3. Walter Samuel - Inter

Best Midfielder:
1. Xavi Hernandez - Barcelona
2. Arjen Robben - Bayern Munich
3. Frank Lampard - Chelsea

Best Forward:
1. Diego Milito - Inter
2. Lionel Messi - Barcelona
3. Wayne Rooney - Manchester United

Best Young Player (under 21):
1. Ever Banega - Valencia
2. Toni Kroos - Bayer Leverkusen
3. Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur

Best Coach:
1. Jose Mourinho - Inter
2. Carlo Ancelotti - Chelsea
3. Louis Van Gaal - Bayern Munich

Sol Campbell 'serious' about possible Celtic switch

Sol Campbell has described Celtic as a "serious option" for him this summer after revealing he has held talks with the club's interim manager Neil Lennon

Campbell has been offered a new one-year contract at Arsenal and told last week he would "love the opportunity" to extend his stay with the club, having made a shock return to Emirates Stadium in January.

But the defender, 35, is clearly keen to keep his options open and has spoken in positive terms of the possibility of moving to the SPL with Celtic this summer.

"I've spoken with Neil about moving to Celtic," Campbell told The Scottish Sun, "and I've been impressed with what he had to say.

"Celtic is a serious option for me. We're talking, although we haven't yet discussed figures. Nothing is set in stone. I know Celtic are a massive club. I have to consider them. You can't ignore it when such a fantastic club makes their interest known."

Campbell made ten Premier League starts and two Champions League appearances after rejoining Arsenal on a free transfer in January.

In other Arsenal news, on Tuesday evening, it was confirmed that Fran Merida has left the club in order to join Atletico Madrid.

Wenger considers Schwarzer to solve goalkeeping problems

Fulham and Australia No.1 Mark Schwarzer could be the solution to Arsenal's problematic goalkeeping position, according to reports in England.

Mark Schwarzer laughs off another futile shot at Australia training

Critics have identified current first choice Manuel Almunia as one of the reasons Arsenal have struggled to go to the next level this season, with back-ups Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone not doing enough with their opportunities to indicate they are ready to fill the void.

Schwarzer, 37, has been in career-best form across London at Craven Cottage as Fulham reached the final of the Europa League while managing to finish 12th in the Premier League despite often fielding weakened sides. He won a Premier League play-of-the-month award and also played a major part in Australia's qualification for the 2010 World Cup, conceding just one goal in eight matches in the final group phase.

According the Daily Mirror, Wenger is eyeing up Schwarzer because his veteran age would mean he should come cheaper than other reported targets, AZ Alkmaar's Sergio Romero and Shaktar Dontesk's Andriy Pyatov. Wenger alleged had Schwarzer scouted during the last two matches of the Premier League - ironically one of which was against Arsenal when Schwarzer made a rare error to gift Andrei Arshavin a goal.