Transfer Talk: Wenger – “I’m unhappy that he is unhappy and we will try to make him happy”

By: Daryl | December 18th, 2007

Wenger We want to make him happy I love of the smell of transfer rumours in the morning. Smells like… well, actually it smells like things that probably won’t happen. But if transfer talk truly is the soul of football, then read on.

Occasional Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra doesn’t fancy another Carling Cup campaign and wants to play some proper football instead. He’s got nothing but nice things to say about “Mr. Wenger” but “We’re halfway through December, and I’ve decided: I want to leave Arsenal. The bottom line is the coach doesn’t need me.” Mr. Wenger responded that “I’m unhappy that he is unhappy and we will try to make him happy,” which is a gem of a quote but makes me think Diarra will end up at somewhere like Newcastle or Man City or possibly back home in France.

Carlo Ancelotti may have just win the ultimate prize in club football (well, sort of) but that’s not enough to stop the Jose Mourinho to manage AC Milan rumours. The subsequent rumours write themselves, with a Mourinho-led Milan chasing the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, especially as Mourinho’s first move at Chelsea was to raid former club Porto. Though I doubt he’ll be spending £13.2 million on Paulo Ferreira again.

Portsmouth gaffer Harry Redknapp is not a happy chappy after some tittle tattlers linked his midfielder Sulley Muntari with a £7m move to Liverpool. The story goes that Javier Mascerano may be beyond Rafa Benitez’s price budget, but with Muntari heading off to the African Nations Cup to play for host Ghana, he wouldn’t be my idea of an ideal January signing.

It’s no secret that Middlesbrough desperately need at least one new striker, so Vital Middlesbrough weigh up the odds on ‘Boro signing Milan Baros, Leroy Lita, Shola Ameobi and David Nugent, none of which wold be a good idea if you ask me.

Juventus’ promising young Italian attacking midfielder Sebastian Giovinco was loaned out to Empoli at the start of Serie A in exchange for Argentian midfielder Sergio Almiron. Given the contrasting form of the two players (thumbs up for Giovinco, thumbs under his butt to keep warm on the bench for Almiron) Juve coach Claudio Ranieri is keen to reverse the deal in January, if he can persuade everyone involved.

Talented but tantrum prone Parma midfielder Domenico Morfeo has had a barney with coach Domenico Di Carlo and looks to be heading for the door. But it looks like a step down the down the career ladder is in store for Morfeo, as he’s being linked to Serie C1A’s Cremonese.

There’s a brilliant story going around that Henrik Larsson could be making a surprise return to Celtic. Not for a party or as a coach or anything that unexciting, but as a player. With the Swedish season finished and Henrik Larsson’s contract with Helsingborgs liekwise, one last January to May spell at Parkhead could happen for Larsson. Celtic fans will be hoping to see plenty of the great man’s tongue in 2008.

There’s also a British tabloid rumour that Manchester United will offer Lyon some combination of money, Mikael Silvestre and Louis Saha in exchange for young and brilliant striker Karim Benzema. But Inara is having none of it.