An Arsenal transfer story that has been gathering pace over the past week or so is the proposed move to bring Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin to the Emirates stadium on a season long loan deal.

Sahin signed a 6 year deal with Madrid from Borussia Dortmund only last summer, but the fierce competition for places in one of the world’s best clubs, coupled with an early injury meant that he found playing time at the Bernabeu severely limited.

Arsenal were reported to be showing genuine interest in signing the player by reputable sources such as the BBC, and quotes made by Jose Mourinho have certainly added fuel to the fire:

‘The point is, he’s a young boy, he wants to play every match,’

‘And in Real Madrid with Xabi Alonso, with [Sami] Khedira, with Lassana [Diarra], [Esteban] Granero, [Mesut] Ozil, the situation is not easy.

‘Real Madrid is very difficult. It is not an easy club, because we demand a lot. We have great players, and when you don’t start well, it is difficult to do it.

‘If he stays, he’s not a problem for me, he’s one more solution. We leave [the situation] in his hands. Be happy.

‘Decide what you want to decide, to be happy. If you decide to leave we are going to help you to leave. If you decide to stay, we are going to support you and try to succeed this season.’

Now when a manager openly states that he is prepared to help a player leave the club, that’s when the story starts sounding ever more credible.

Following this, a picture appeared on twitter of Sahin wearing the new season’s Arsenal polo shirt. While there’s a very small chance that the picture is genuine, it’s still worth a mention as it’s a very good fake.

Make of the evidence what you will, there is no doubt that Nuri Sahin is a player Arsenal could really do with at the moment. He’s seen as the long term replacement for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, and is a player with undoubted technical pedigree. Arsenal are faced with long term absentees in the central midfield positions, with Wilshere and Rosicky expected to miss the first 2 months of the season. That leaves Song, who is being eyed up by Barcelona and Diaby, who can get injured at any minute.

All things considered, an extra player to provide strength in depth, while not costing a penny in transfer fees would certainly be a good addition to the ever evolving Arsenal squad.

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