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Arsenal Transfer Rumors: Lucas Biglia Looks Set to Be Alex Song's Replacement

Another week and another twist in the melodrama of Arsenal Football Club, which is slowly making Dream Team and Footballer's Wives look like a damp reflection of reality.

Summer after summer, you can bet your bottom dollar that the saloon doors at the Emirates stadium will never stand still, as the bodies fly in and out like a bloody spaghetti western.

Every season since Patrick Viera was around, Arsenal have been primed to lose their key, if not best, players for reasons that vary from ambition, unrest and greed.

Only this morning, news has hit the Arsenal fans hard that Robin van Persie will be on his way to Manchester United for £20-22 million, where his suitors are happy to lure him with a contract worth upwards of £200,000 per week.

He, however, has not been the only player causing a stir amongst the ranks and shuffling his feet for a way out the door.

Alex Song has been flirting with temptation from our perrenial prime-tappers: FC Barcelona.

Barcelona had reportedly offered £12 million for the midfielder. However, in an interview with Sky Sports, Song himself stated, "I am not going to lie if I said there is no interest, but I am at Arsenal and I am happy at Arsenal."

That already sounds like the kiss of death. The moment a player kisses the badge before he throws it away for the last time.

At first, this speculation had little meat in it, but reports have grown of training ground bust-ups between Wenger and Song and Barcelona have now tabled a £15 million bid and Song is already packing.

Sky Sports have now confirmed that Arsenal are lining up his replacement, Argentina International Lucas Biglia.

Lucas Biglia is a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who currently plies his trade in Belgium with Anderlecht.

He stands at 5'10", is strong in the challenge, shows a defensive discipline and also possesses the technical ability to mix it in the Arsenal squad.

Biglia has been on Wenger's radar for a while and other clubs are also in the hunt for his signature. However, Arsenal have put themselves at the front of the queue.

He is currently valued at around £8million so appears a great prospect for a phone call from Mr Wenger.

bleacherreport.com

Arsenal to meet with Alex Song this week to discuss his future

The Gunners boss has spent the last seven days deflecting questions about the future of the 24-year-old midfielder, with Spanish giants Barcelona keen to recruit him this summer.

Song, who has three years left to run on his contract, is happy in north London, but his agent has made him aware several big clubs from across Europe are monitoring his progress.

Wenger is said to be furious Song's agent is actively looking to move the player out of Arsenal, and wants to meet with the Cameroon international to discuss the future on a one-on-one basis.

It is understood Arsenal have already told Barcelona they will not sell Song on the cheap, after vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu flew to London for talks on Wednesday.

Arsenal, who kick off their Premier League season against Sunderland on Saturday, want reassurances from Song he is part of the long-term future at the club, or they will consider offloading him to the highest bidder.

The news comes less than three months after Wenger moved to offer Song a new contract, after pin-pointing him as one of the key components of his new-look side - although formally negotiations have yet to begin between the two parties.

Arsenal would be willing to sell Song if he openly expresses his desire to leave at the meeting, and have already compiled a dossier on potential replacements, with Yann M'Vila, Etienne Capoue, Victor Wanyama, Lucas Biglia and Kara Mbodj among the defensive midfielders watched by the club's scouts in the last few months.

metro.co.uk