Arsenal Transfer News: Wenger To Trigger £7.5m Ba Release Clause

Despite the transfer window being closed, there is always transfer gossip doing the rounds in the papers and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest news during the coming months. Today, Arsenal are linked with Demba Ba.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants Newcastle United striker Demba Ba and will trigger his £7.5m release clause this January, according to the Sun.

The boss admitted he will have money to spend when the transfer window re-opens next month and has already indicated he needs to add to his attacking options after making our worst ever start to a Premier League season in the Frenchman’s era.

While several names have been linked with a move to the Emirates in recent weeks, the Sun claim it’s Newcastle’s Ba who Wenger wants to compete with Olivier Giroud up front and the Senegal international can be snapped up for just £7.5m due to a buy-out clause in his contract.

Ba was strongly linked with a move away from St James’ Park in the summer buy nobody was willing to meet his buy-out clause so he remained in the north East. However, the clause can once-again be triggered in January and Arsenal are ready to active it and offer the 27-year-old a £60,000-a-week deal which will include several add-ons.

Toon boss Alan Pardew has revealed the club have worked hard to try and renegotiate the strikers deal to remove the clause but have so far been unsuccessful, and admits the clause means it will be a nervous time during January.

Speaking after Newcastle’s 3-0 win over Wigan last night, with Ba scoring a double, Pardew told Sky Sports:

“Demba is a player who loves it here and he understands it is a football city.

“We’ve tried to do a deal with him and take the clause out and that’s probably where the speculation is.

“The clause is always hanging over us and it makes it difficult for us, the club and him. We accept that and that’s the way football is.

Newcastle took a chance on Ba when they signed him on a free transfer from West Ham as he has struggled with knee injuries during his career. But he’s been a huge hit at St James’ Park, scoring 33 goals in 66 games and is the Premier League’s joint top scorer this season with 10 strikes already.

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Arsenal could certainly do with a player like Ba and i certainly hope the Sun’s report is accurate. He would be a bargain at £7.5m and at 27, he still has a good few years left in him.

Would you like Ba at Arsenal? Get involved in the comments section below.