2. Cost of Replacement
Any possible replacement for Song is likely to cost at least the same sort of fee that Song himself would command - around £20m if the papers are to be believed, though Jack Rodwell's likely move to Man City for that much might well push up Song's value - and the only viable option would be to replace the outgoing midfielder with a cheaper and better option, or any deal would be pointless. At the minute, Wenger has been linked with moves for both Yann M'Vila, despite his apparent reluctance to follow that deal through, and Real Madrid's highly-rated, but apparently unwanted Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin. Both would likely be available for less than the money Song would command, with Sahin said to be available on loan from the Bernabeu, but money changes everything in the transfer market, and Rennes may well re-assess M'Vila's price when they know Arsenal have both the money and the need to sign their player. Arsene could bank on an even younger cheaper option, and he has been linked with Barca's Cristian Tello as part of any Song deal - but that would likely be seen as a step backwards to the days of speculating on potential talents and reaping rewards in the future, rather than buying immediate solutions who could have impact on the side from the moment they sign. If Song goes, Arsenal fans will want a player who could slot in immediately, with top level experience and the potential to take Arsenal back to the top of the league as real contenders. That plainly won't come cheap.