It does seem a bit weird that the best level of football that he can currently aim for is that of the reserve league here in England, you'd have thought he'd have got a contract somewhere by now. I know it's very hard for a player to get back into the game after a spell without a contract but I'd have thought there would have been a club in the lower tiers of English football that'd be glad to have him rather than a Premiership player on loan who's unlikely to be signed on a permenant basis, it's not as if Aliadiere would command a huge wage packet is it? And it's not as if he's a mid-thirties player on the downslide with nothing to offer long term.....

I can understand why he'd want to return to Arsenal for the purposes of keeping fit and I guess that's why he's hoping for reserve games at the moment but I hope that he's not thinking about this as a long-term option as that would indicate a huge lack of ambition on his part. He's capable of more than that, even if he's not quite good enough to be considered top-flight material. Here's hoping he catches someone's eyes and earns a deal somewhere.

I hear you speedy, but I'm with Woody here in that there HAS to be a club SOMEWHERE that could use him. I'd imagine he's very comfortable and used to life in England now (11 years at least). Maybe a move abroad, or even back to France would do him the world of good. I'm sure he could find a place in the second division and could work his way from there. He won't get back into the PL right now. There's too much at stake and clubs aren't willing to take any chances. They would also have known all about his injuries and his failure to make the grade at Arsenal or be particularly effective at 'Boro. A move overseas seems his best bet.

He's better off making a compilation video and posting it on youtube at this point.

I think he can be useful but what im saying is he isn't that marketable here and he is 28 thats 12 EPL seasons he is being trying to break through. A move to the MLS would give him a second chance he can build of the hype of an affiliation to Arsenal that might be enough for someone to give him a shot.
Secondly the injury prevention and strength and condition training in America is the best in the world and a mile more advanced than any second division club and would give him the best chance of staying fit. MLS isnt glamorous but i reckon its a solid realistic option and a decent career choice for him given his circumstances.

I think we are in agreement. I don't really know the ins and outs of MLS, despite actually having friends who play in it, but you are right in that he would be better served in a league like that. What concerns me is the fact that he seems dead set on proving that he can play in the top flight of Europe. I think he might be wasting his peak years on a dream that might be too unrealistic.

At this rate, Glenn Hoddle's academy could even be a goer for him!!

Randall to join Spireites
Young midfielder to sign one-year contract after leaving Arsenal
June 24, 2011 1:56pm
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_7003395,00.html

Skysports.com understands Chesterfield have agreed a deal to sign Mark Randall following the end of the midfielder's contract at Arsenal. Randall is leaving the Premier League club on a free transfer and is set to finalise a move to the League One new boys. The 21-year-old made 13 appearances during his Gunners career and has also enjoyed several stints out on loan. He has represented Burnley and MK Dons, and had a spell at Rotherham United last season, making 10 appearances in League Two. Randall has now agreed a one-year contract to link up with the Spireites as John Sheridan looks to build a squad capable of making an impact in League One next term.

Good luck to him.

Sunderland snap up Deacon
Former Arsenal youth pens one-year deal at Stadium of Light
Last Updated: July 2, 2011 7:36pm
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 15,00.html

Sunderland have signed former Arsenal forward Roarie Deacon on a one-year deal. The 19-year-old became a free agent following his release from the Gunners at the end of last season. And the Mackems have swooped for the youngster, who scored four goals in 16 reserve appearances last season. Deacon played a pivotal role for Arsenal's Under 19 side which reached the semi-finals of the Dallas Cup earlier this year. His potential has not gone unnoticed at the Stadium of Light, however, where the London-born forward hopes to see more first-team opportunities.

Not necessarily a player on the move but interesting, particularly in light of our own problems in the midfield...

Nordtveit, Norway's latest export hit
(FIFA.com) Tuesday 23 August 2011
http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubf ... 97365.html

The vibe around the Borussia Monchengladbach training ground is decidedly positive at present. As head coach Lucien Favre delivers his morning training session in a firm but friendly manner, his charges diligently obey as a handful of enthusiastic fans observe the team's progress from the sidelines. Going back only three months, few would have predicted such a scenario. It was only at the end of May that the 1970s powerhouse were on the brink of relegation from Germany's top tier, a fate they only staved off thanks a narrow play-off victory over VfL Bochum. Now, following early-season victories over Germany's most successful club Bayern Munich and 2009 champions Wolfsburg, Gladbach spent the entire weekend at the top of the table for the first time since 1998/99.

Cynics will point to the fact that the last time this happened, the club were relegated at the end of the campaign, but midfielder Harvard Nordtveit is refusing to countenance such thoughts, as he explained in an exclusive interview with FIFA.com: "If you think negatively, you'll never improve. You have to concentrate on the positives. If you do that, you can achieve anything." The 21-year-old has every reason to feel confident at the moment. As one of the driving forces behind Gladbach's excellent start, the Norwegian’s strong performances have seen the Foals concede just two goals in three league games to date. Aside from Hannover 96, they are the only side in the division yet to suffer defeat. Nordtveit has been given a pivotal role in Favre's 4-2-3-1 formation, pulling the strings from defensive midfield and providing the link between defence and attack.

The talented youngster’s displays have attracted praise from various quarters, including former Norway and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Jan-Age Fjortoft: "Havard is a great guy with a fantastic attitude. He's discovered his role in Gladbach and is fulfilling it with aplomb.Of course I've noticed people are talking about me," Nordtveit told FIFA.com in light of the acclaim. "You have to keep your feet on the ground, though." In spite of his age, the baby-faced midfielder exudes a maturity far beyond his years having already experienced a great deal in his fledgling career. After making his professional debut in Norway at just 16, the tattoo enthusiast joined Premier League giants Arsenal a year later, continuing his development during subsequent loan spells at Salamanca, Lillestrom and Nuremberg. Last January, Nordtveit agreed to join five-time German champions Gladbach.

"It was good for me to get professional experience at such a young age," explained the emerging star, who has nothing but praise for his former employers. "The early move to London wasn't hard at all because Arsenal looked after me so well." Nonetheless, the 6'2 midfielder opted for a move to Germany during last season's winter transfer window in the hope of getting more first-team action and the chance of a call-up to his national team. Having since established himself as a first team regular at the Borussia Park, Nordtveit will have done his international prospects no harm whatsoever. "Borussia is a great club," he continued. "I can continue to improve here. I've got everything I need for my development."

Fjortoft, now a television pundit in Germany, believes his compatriot has a great future ahead: "In my eyes he's a clear candidate for the Norwegian national team. His only problem is that in Norway, people see him as a centre-back." Impressively, Nordtveit proved he could perform in either position in Gladbach's emphatic 4-1 victory against Wolfsburg last Friday, showing himself to be an assured central defender throughout. Norway boss Egil Olsen will no doubt have taken note. 'Drillo', as Olsen is affectionately known in his homeland, already handed Nordtveit his international debut at the beginning of June, bringing the Gladbach talent on for the second half of a 1-0 victory over Lithuania." It was a great moment for me," said the midfielder at the time. "It's what I've been working hard towards every day."

After missing out on a place in the senior squad for the recent 3-0 win over Czech Republic, Nordtveit is now determined to make the cut for his country's upcoming UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers against Iceland and Denmark at the start of September. Norway are currently joint-top of Group H, level with Portugal and Denmark, but still have plenty of work to do if they are indeed to make it to their first continental showpiece since 2000. "Of course it's going to be difficult to qualify for Poland/Ukraine, but it's not impossible,” added Nordtveit at the end of our interview. “We're just concentrating on ourselves and striving to collect the necessary amount of points. Hopefully we can take our chance."

Freddie Ljungbergs joined Japanese club S-Pulse.

Fran Merida has joined Braga on season long loan. He'd probably be near our team if he had signed the extention offered to him.

Reyes seals move back to Sevilla from Atletico
Thursday January 5 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/10026471

Winger Jose Antonio Reyes has quit Atletico Madrid and completed a move back to Sevilla, the club in his native city where he began his professional career said on Thursday. The 28-year-old former Arsenal player had agreed a deal until the end of the 2014-15 season, Sevilla said in a statement on their website (http://www.sevillafc.es). "He is coming home eight winters after leaving for Arsenal for a juicy amount of money which turned out to be fundamental in the construction of the current Sevilla team," the statement said. Reyes told a Spanish newspaper on Sunday he had decided to leave Atletico even though new coach Diego Simeone was counting on him and said his father's health had been a factor in his decision to seek a move.

Local media have reported that Sevilla will pay Atletico 3.5 million euros ($4.5 million) to take him back plus bonuses. He moved to Arsenal in 2004 for a fee of around 17 million pounds ($26.5 million), a club record for the English Premier League side at the time. However, he struggled to adapt to life away from home and was loaned to Real Madrid two years later before signing for Atletico in 2007. He had been left out of the Atletico starting 11 in recent games after clashing with coach Gregorio Manzano, who was sacked last month and replaced by former Argentina captain Simeone. Reyes made 21 appearances for Spain, scoring four goals, and last played for the world and European champions in August 2006.

Good on him - hope he settles back in and enjoys life back there.

He's had such an up and down career since leaving there in the first place. I thought he was going to be the new Thierry, the new Pires, the new Overmars, the new Llundberg (you see the theme building here).

Good luck to him

Freeman completes Stevenage switch
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/freeman-completes-stevenage-switch

Luke Freeman has today joined League One side Stevenage for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old England youth international has been on loan with the Hertfordshire side since November, making nine appearances and scoring once during his time at the Lamex Stadium.

Freeman’s only goal came in the emphatic 6-1 win at Colchester United on Boxing Day and the striker will now be looking to help The Boro’ continue their push towards the League One play-offs. Freeman netted eight times in 31 appearances for the Reserves after joining Arsenal from Gillingham in 2008, where he holds the record as the Club's youngest ever player - 15 years and 233 days. He also enjoyed a successful loan stint with Yeovil Town last term, playing 15 times and scoring twice. Everyone at Arsenal would like to thank Luke for his contribution to the Club and wish him the best of luck for the future.

I sincerely wish the lad well and I am pleased that he has found a club willing to invest him.

I thought he was a decent striker. I really don't understand why a lot of these youngsters do not get the opportunity to shine in the first team. Sometimes the opportunity to play at that level elevates them and motivates them but we seem to have lost that of late.