Arsenal Transfer News: David Villa in Robin Van Persie Barcelona Swap?
Barcelona have offered David Villa to Arsenal AND £13 million in an attempt push through a money & exchange deal for The Gunners' wantaway captain Robin Van Persie to the Nou Camp.
The story of Barcelona wanting to offload Villa after an injury-hit season to fund a Van Persie deal have also gathered steam at Spanish website Sport.es and although Arsene Wenger has been insistent that he won't part with his prized asset, privately he knows his hands are tied and he is in the same situation as he was 12 months ago with Samir Nasri who eventually left to Manchester City in a £25 million move when he refused to sign a contract extension. Wenger could be interested in bringing Villa to the Emirates Stadium as a quick-fit replacement for Van Persie. The French manager has been linked with a move for Villa before when he played for Valencia and the 3o-year-old's scoring record is as good as anyones across Europe. He scored 108 goals in 166 appearances at Valencia, notched 23 goals in 49 games against Barcelona and for the Spain national side scored 51 goals in 82 appearances, though he did just miss the successful Euro 2012 campaign with an injury. In 2009, Goal.com claimed the Arsenal manager wanted to bring Villa to the Premier League and the following season, Metro reported that Villa turned down a move to the Gunners to join Barcelona. Arsenal fans will certainly be hoping the Van Persie saga (and also let's not forget the Theo Walcott saga as he similarly has 1 year left to run on his contract and he has stated he won't sign an extension unless Van Persie did) doesn't drag on all the way into the start of next season and disrupts the opening of their game as the Fabregas and Nasri situation did last year.