Gooner Talk

Andrey Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci have said their goodbyes to the rest of the Arsenal squad ahead of their impending departures from the club.

Both players will officially leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of June, with Arshavin already taking to Twitter to thank Gunners fans for their support during his four years in North London.

Russia international Arshavin has found first team appearances hard to come by this season (1 league app), while 32-year-old Squillaci’s only game was in a 2-1 Champions League defeat at Olympiakos.

Squillaci’s lack of first-team action saw him hold talks with a host of top flight French sides over a possible January transfer, although none of them were prepared to stump up the cash for his reported £45,000-a-week salary.

Similarly, several Arsenal fringe players have been told they will be allowed to leave if other teams meet the club’s asking price for them. The likely departures include Denilson, Marouane Chamakh, Johan Djourou and Andre Santos.

Yaya Sanogo is the latest young starlet to have been plucked from France’s second division by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

The 20-year-old has passed his medical at London Colney and is expected to be confirmed as a Gunners player when his contract expires at the end of June.

Who is Yaya Sanogo?

Sanogo has been capped for the French U-21 side and follows in the footsteps of Arsenal duo Bacary Sagna and Abou Diaby – both products of the successful Auxerre youth set-up.

Worryingly for Arsenal fans, Sanogo’s injury problems have seen him make only eleven league starts this season where he has scored nine goals.

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The triangles, flicks and six-yard passing look faster and more fluent at Arsenal. Aaron Ramsey is forcing his way into the team because, despite the fact he may infuriate occasionally, the Gunners play better when he is in the team. Alongside the usually nerveless Wilshere and Gibbs, the team looks robust and unintimidated. Ramsey has learned to play at a higher tempo, rushing and smothering in the style of Pedro – maybe the best at pressing in the world – who does it so well at Barcelona.

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Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin will join German side Schalke this summer, according to reports in France.

The 22-year-old has told Gunners boss Arsene Wenger of his desire to leave the Emirates Stadium due to a lack of first team opportunities.

French U21 international Coquelin, who has previously been on loan at Lorient, was signed by Wenger in 2008 after impressing during a trial.

Wenger remains an admirer of Coquelin’s work-rate and technical ability and would prefer to loan him out for a second time instead of selling him on.

In total, the 08/09 FA Youth Cup winner has made ten appearances for Arsenal this season, most of which have been as a substitute.

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has aspirations of managing Arsenal in the future, it has emerged.

The somewhat surprising revelation comes less than a day after Mancini’s sacking from last year’s Premier League champions.

Mancini guided City to their first title for 43 years in 2012 but failed to win any major silverware this year following an FA Cup final defeat against Wigan coupled with a winless Champions League campaign.

According to one of Mancini’s advisors, the Italian has ‘career aspirations’ of managing Arsenal before he retires.

Current Gunners boss Arsene Wenger hasn’t won a trophy for almost eight years and it is unknown whether he’ll extend his contract with the club before it expires next summer.

Would you appoint Mancini as Arsenal manager when the Frenchman’s deal runs out in 2014? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Arsenal are close to finalising preparations for the 2013 Emirates Cup tournament.

The prestigious pre-season competition didn’t take place last year due to the schedule clashing with the Olympic Games, but it is set to make a return this summer.

Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are just a few of the elite names which have previously graced the two-day tournament.

Several European giants have been approached by Gunners’ officials and it is expected that Turkish champions Galatasaray, Serie A side Napoli and Portuguese team FC Porto will all be involved.

Galatasaray have former Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue in their ranks, while Napoli boast arguably one of Europe’s best strikers in Edison Cavani.

This year’s Emirates Cup will be staged over the weekend of Saturday 3rd August 2013 and Sunday 4th August 2013.