It's a little slow in advance of the Boxing Day matches we're all excited to spend Friday morning watching. However, the Gunner-half of the Match Pricks readership will be excited at this blind item in the Telegraph about Wenger again saying he's in for Xabi Alonso as a January buy.
Look, Arsenal, Alonso is a player you could really use right now, and, yes, back in August, Wenger almost bought him. But at this point, any belief Liverpool is selling Alonso in January is delusional, wishful thinking. If you're inclined to believe this item, take a breath and conduct this smell test: Make the argument for why Rafa sells Alonso.
It's a really easy test. If the move is plausible, there's an easy argument even a casual fan can make for why any selling team would dump a player. What's the argument for Liverpool selling Alonso in January? Is Wenger prepared to offer £23 million for a cup-tied midfielder? Is Wenger prepared to offer £28 million? Basically, any hope depends upon a massively overinflated offer. Even then, why would Liverpool take it? They're in the running for the title because of what The Director has been doing all year. Is £28 million going to stand on the ball in the middle of Old Trafford in March and pick out runners along the wings to try and score an equalizer in the final 10 minutes?
OK, then. The article mentions Yaya Toure might also be a target. Go bug Pep Guardiola, will ya?
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You're 100 percent right. Getting in Alonso would be terrific for the Gunners. It'd be a really, really, really good signing for us - not for every team, but he'd fit for us. He'd have fit in August, and now signing him would be like breaking the glass in case of emergency.
However, there's no way in hell that Rafa should even for a moment consider selling him. The fact that he's cup-tied doesn't help things. In other instances, that might drive down cost. Not here.
A club shouldn't sell one of their top performers when they have the title in their sights. (Although hang on lads, Arsenal were in a pretty fantastic position this time last year and going great, pun intended, guns.)
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