Wenger Responds To £15m Tiote Reports

As we enter the final stages of the summer transfer window, Football Talk will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer news. Today, Arsene Wenger responds to reports suggesting he wants Cheick Tiote.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has responded to speculation linking him with a move for Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote.

The Mirror reported on Sunday that the Gunners boss has made Tiote his number one transfer target ahead of Rennes enforcer Yann M’Vila as he tries to add a defensive midfielder to his squad in the final week of the transfer window.

Wenger is keen to replace the departed Alex Song, who was sold to Barcelona last week, and the Mirror claim he’s set to table a £15m bid for the Newcastle ace.

Speaking after Sunday’s 0-0 draw away with Stoke City, Wenger said that while he admires the 26-year-old’s talents he dismissed he’s set for a move to the Emirates. Wenger told Arsenal.com:

“Tiote is a good player but he is not on his way to Arsenal.”

How much can we read in to this? As it’s Wenger, not much. He claimed he hadn’t heard of Santi Cazorla only days before signing him, so just because he says Tiote isn’t on his way to Arsenal doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be by the end of the week!

Read more Arsenal transfer news

However, while I’d love to see us go for Tiote but i’m not convinced we’d be able to persuade Newcastle in to selling, or if they would sell, i can’t see Wenger paying what it would take to land him. There are cheaper alternatives available such as M’Vila or Capoue, so i fancy one of those to join this week.

Would you like to see Tiote come to Arsenal? Or is there better targets out there? Get involved in the comments section.

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