fbpx

Arsenal finally announce Chamakh signing

Arsenal finally signed Marouane Chamakh from Bordeaux on a free transfer Friday after months of speculation over the Morocco striker’s future.

The 26-year-old Chamakh was linked with Arsenal for several months before Friday’s announcement.

Liverpool had also been rumoured to be interested in Chamakh, who had been free to negotiate with clubs since January because he was in the last six months of his contract with Bordeaux.

That contract runs out at the end of this season, so Arsenal does not need to pay the French club a transfer fee.

“He is a player we have admired for some time now and I know he will provide our squad with great quality,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. “Chamakh has proved he is a great player with his performances for Bordeaux and Morocco in recent seasons.

“Chamakh is a striker of real quality and has all the attributes suited to come to England and do very well. He is also a fighter, not only a good football player, but a fighter as well.”

Chamakh signed what the Premier League club called a “long-term contract.”

Despite approaches from other clubs, Chamakh said he had been determined to join the Gunners, where he joins strikers Robin van Persie, Eduardo da Silva and Nicklas Bendtner.

“Without any hesitation, Arsenal was my preferred club,” Chamakh said. “My goal was to join Arsenal out of the all the English clubs because it is a club that makes me dream and I have been a fan since I was a child.”

Arsenal won three Premier League titles between 1998 and 2004 and four FA Cup trophies between 1998 and 2005, but has not won anything for five years.

Still, the Gunners finished third in the Premier League and are again qualified for the Champions League.

“I will be giving everything to help the team win trophies next season,” said Chamakh, who scored 79 goals in 293 appearances over eight years for Bordeaux.

Chamakh will wear the No. 29 shirt for the Gunners and be available for pre-season training in July.

8 Comments

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe for notification