Manchester City sign Sagna

Bacary Sagna

The 31-year-old France international right-back completes his long-awaited free transfer to the Premier League champions after saying goodbye to Arsenal on Thursday.

Sagna joined the likes of Porto midfielder Fernando as City manager Manuel Pellegrini’s top targets in the close-season and he opened formal negotiations with his soon-to-be-new side on May 19.

Source: The Punch

Premier League - Wenger signs new deal, vows to bring more success

Arsenal have confirmed Wenger - who has managed the club for 1,010 matches - has finally penned the deal only a few weeks after ending his nine-year spell without a trophy at the club with their 3-2 extra-time win over Hull in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Arsene Wenger with recently won FA Cup
Arsenal Manager

“I want to stay and to continue to develop the team and the club," he said. "We are entering a very exciting period. We have a strong squad, financial stability and huge support around the world. We are all determined to bring more success to this club.

“The club has always shown faith in me and I'm very grateful for that. We have gone through fantastic periods and also periods where we have had to stick together. Every time when that togetherness was tested I got the right response. I think I have shown some loyalty as well towards this club and hopefully we can make some more history. I am sure we can.”

Chelsea, Manchester City, United battle for Bacary Sagna

BACARY Sagna remains coy over his future after playing what could be his last game for Arsenal.
  The France international is out of contract at the Emirates this summer, and talks with the club have failed to reach agreement over an extension.
  Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all reported to be interested in landing the 31-year-old.
  Speaking after helping Arsenal lift the FA Cup, their first trophy in nine years, he reiterated that he was yet to agree terms and admits the final win over Hull City could have been his last game for the club seven years after he joined the club from Auxerre.
  “Will it be my last game for Arsenal? I don’t know,” he told The Sun.

Arsenal reached the FA Cup final

Arsenal reached the FA Cup final by beating holders Wigan on penalties to keep alive their hopes of ending a nine-year trophy drought.

Jordi Gomez opened the scoring for the Championship side from the penalty spot at Wembley after Per Mertesacker clumsily brought down Callum McManaman.

Mertesacker levelled with a close-range header to force extra time.
Gary Caldwell and Jack Collison had penalties saved before the decisive kick was scored by Santi Cazorla.

Walcott to miss World Cup following knee injury

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal winger Theo Walcott will miss the World Cup for England after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that also deals a setback to his club's hopes of winning the Premier League.

Walcott was injuried making a tackle near the end of Arsenal's 2-0 win over Tottenham in the FA Cup on Saturday and was carried off on a stretcher.

The Gunners said Monday he will have surgery and "is expected to be out for at least six months, therefore missing the remainder of the season and the World Cup in Brazil in the summer."
Walcott was a surprise selection for the 2006 tournament in Germany as a 17-year-old but wasn't used. He was left off the 2010 roster.

Arsenal draw Coventry in FA Cup fourth round

Premier League leaders Arsenal were handed a home tie against third-tier Coventry City in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.
Arsenal, who last won the tournament in 2005, booked their place in round four with a 2-0 defeat of north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, while Coventry won 2-1 at Barnsley.
The Premier League's heavyweight clubs were kept apart in the draw, although Chelsea will face a home game against Stoke City if they win at Derby County.
Lower-league teams Bristol Rovers and Crawley Town, meanwhile, were given a potential shot at a home tie with Manchester United.

Arsenal snatch late win to stay top

Two goals in the last three minutes kept Arsenal top of the Premier League and condemned Cardiff to defeat in front of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is tipped to take over as their new boss.

Nicklas Bendtner fired in the opener from close range before immediately going off with an ankle injury.
And in the 90th minute Theo Walcott - who had earlier hit the post - converted Jack Wilshere's sublime pass.

Arsenal hit by injury woes

Arsenal are likely to be without Aaron Ramsey for three weeks as Gunners manager Arsene Wenger deals with a potential injury crisis heading into the New Year.
Welsh midfielder Ramsey is on the sidelines with a thigh problem suffered in the 3-1 win at West Ham United on Boxing Day, but he is not the only player missing for the New Year's Day clash against Cardiff City.
Striker Olivier Giroud will definitely miss the game because of an ankle problem, while German playmaker Mesut Ozil is also sidelined, with the club awaiting results of a visit to a shoulder specialist.

Mikel gives us balance – Mourinho

John Mikel Obi

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has again singled out his midfielder Mikel Obi for praise. Barely two hours before the big match against Arsenal on Monday at the Emirates, Mourinho told Chelsea FC website that even though the Stamford Bridge had not done exceptionally well in their last few games, they have been able to retain some respect and points because of the work rate of the Nigerian national player.

Mourinho said, “We have a lot of possession but are not killing opponents, they are killing us and we are exposed. Mikel (Obi) gives us balance.”

This is the second time within two months that the Portuguese has specially mentioned the Nigerian preparing to lead the Super Eagles midfield at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. In November Mourinho attributed Frank Lampard’s quality attacking display largely to the presence of Mikel on the pitch.

“Frank is able to attack freely because we have John (Mikel Obi). His good covering enables Frank to effectively push forward,” the former Real Madrid coach said.

Man United agree Van Persie deal

Manchester United have confirmed they have agreed a deal to sign Robin van Persie from Arsenal.

The announcement comes after an intense period of negotiations and is subject to Dutch striker Van Persie passing a medical test and agreeing personal terms.

“Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin Van Persie,” said a club statement.

“The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course.”

It is not anticipated there will be any problems with either remaining part of the deal.

I wont forget Martins - Bacary Sagna

French defender, Bacary Sagna, has been one of Arsenal’s best performers since he joined the Gunners in 2007 from Auxerre.

But apart from being named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year in the 2007/08 and 2010/11 seasons, he has been unable to win team honours with the English giant in his five years from Highbury to Emirates.

The Gunners are yet to win a major silverware in seven years since they defeated Manchester United on penalties to win the FA Cup in 2005.

So, when Sagna and his teammates learnt that they would be playing Birmingham City in the 2011 final of the Carling Cup, they heaved a sigh of relief. However, the trophy drought continued!