With the January transfer window now open for business we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer gossip. Today, more on the future of David Villa.

With Arsene Wenger seemingly concentrating on shifting fringe players in the early stages of the January transfer window, one major piece of in-coming transfer news that’s gathering pace is that of David Villa’s potential move to Arsenal.

According to Goal.com, we’ve made an official move for the Spanish hitman and are willing to pay Barcelona £13.8 million to take him off their hands this month and are even willing to meet the players £110,000-a-week wages.

Even more intriguing is Goal’s claim that Villa is keen to join Arsenal after growing frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities at the Nou Camp since returning from a broken leg.

This ties in nicely with the Daily Mail‘s report that claims we’re in talks with Barcelona to sign the 31-year-old, and they also say that Villa wants to move to the Emirates this month and is ready to make a personal request to Barca officials to try and push through a deal.

Both reports claim that Barcelona have rejected the idea of a loan and will only consider selling Villa this month, with the Mail suggesting the Catalans will demand £16m for the striker.

It’s certainly an interesting one. Reading the reports in recent weeks I’ve laughed them off as nothing more than idle transfer gossip but there might just be something in this after all.

Villa has struggled to get a run of games this season since returning from injury, having to compete with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Pedro, Alexis, Tello and Cuenca on the wings and is unlikely to replace Lionel Messi in his preferred central striker role any time soon.

Like any top player, I’m sure Villa wants to be playing regularly and at 31, he’s coming to the end of his illustrious career and I doubt he’ll want to spend it warming the bench. So you just never know.

The Mail claim Barcelona still owe us money from the Alex Song transfer so perhaps we could use that as leverage in negotiations?

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However, no matter how much I read about this potential transfer, I just can’t believe it will ever happen. It would be a huge shift in policy from Wenger for a start. Can you really see the boss playing over £13m and paying £110,000-a-week in wages for a 31-year-old who’s just back from a broken leg? I certainly can’t.

There is also the Walcott factor to consider. If we sign Villa he’s going to want to play up front, where does that leave Theo? He’s still to sign a contract extension and has only recently been given a chance to play through the middle. How will he feel if we sign another striker who’s going to take his place up top? Hardly going to persuade him to put pen-to-paper is it?

Let’s see how this develops over the coming days. No doubt I’d love to see the Spaniard come to Arsenal but deep down I just don’t see it happening.

Would you like to see Villa at Arsenal? Get involved in the comments section below.

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