Arsenal Open Talks With Barcelona Over £22m Double Deal?

Despite the transfer window now being closed there will still be plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, Arsenal are linked with a double raid on Barcelona.

Arsenal have opened talks with Spanish giants Barcelona over the potential double signing of David Villa and Victor Valdes, according to talkSPORT.

As many Gooners will no doubt remember, we were strongly linked with a move for Villa during the January transfer window with reports suggesting we had made several attempts to try and persuade Barca into letting him move to north London. However, the Catalans were understood to have blocked the move and the 31-year-old remained in La Liga for the rest of the season.

Goalkeeper Valdes announced recently that he is set to end his 20-year stint at the Nou Camp after revealing he won’t be renewing his contract – which is set to expire in 2014.

talkSPORT cite reports coming out of Spain on Wednesday that claim Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has opened talks with Barcelona over the duo with the Frenchman prepared to pay in excess of £22m to land the Spanish pair at the end of the season.

The report suggests the boss has renewed his interest in striker Villa as he looks to add to his strikeforce in the summer while it also claims that Wojciech Szczesny’s place as No.1 is under threat with Arsene understood to want an experienced stopper to compete with the young Pole, and Valdes is believed to be of interest.

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I was all for Villa signing in January but I feel there may be better, and younger, targets to go for in the summer. Villa is entering the final years of his career and is starting to pick up injuries, so I’d prefer we looked at more long-term options.

Valdes is a decent keeper but I don’t see him as a huge step-up from Szczesny. If we’re going to bring in a new number one we need to make sure he’s a proper top drawer keeper and I don’t feel Valdes fits the bill.

But would I be devastated if we ended up signing Villa and Valdes in the summer? No, of course not. I just feel our money could be better spent, but the summer is a long way off yet so let’s see how things develop over the coming months.

Would you like to see Villa and Valdes signed? If not, who would you prefer? Get involved in the comments section below.