9 Days to January

Association Football - Barclay's Premier League - Arsenal
New Year's Day 2012 is now just 9 days away and that of course means that the Football transfer window will open for 31 short days. This is a time for managers to make additions (or subtractions) that will make a push into the second half of the season. 


Though nothing in European Football is ever certain, it appears certain that Arsenal will have to splash the transfer pool for at least one defender. This necessity is mounting as Kieran Gibbs' return from injury now appears to be further off than expected. Currently Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Carl Jenkinson, Andre Santos are on the injury list. With the need being clear, here are five defenders Arsenal might realistically consider in January.


1. Wayne Bridge

Bridge's own manager doesn't
want him

The fallen-from-grace defender from Manchester City who is being implored by his own manager to quit the team. As soon as the Gibbs setback was made public the London newspapers were linking Arsenal to Bridge though no official word has come from Arsene Wenger or the club. Bridge has started only one match for City this season without much to show for it. Bridge does present some problems for Arsenal, he is 31 and Arsenal can't be interested in getting older in the back line, particularly with someone whose mobility on the ball has been questioned. Moreover, Wenger has spoken about a loan move during January, not a full transfer, and City are looking to rid themselves of Bridge, they won't want him back to deal with in a few months. However, Bridge is a defender and is available two things that Arsenal are looking for right now...


2. Gary Cahill

Bolton won't hang on to
Gary Cahill

With Bolton currently just two points out of last in the Premier League, Gary Cahill is probably wishing he had left in the summer when his name was floated extensively. Arsenal were linked to Cahill in the summer, but Spurs and Chelsea are the current frontrunners for the England international. Nothing would delight Arsenal supporters more that filling a need right from under the nose of two of their most hated rivals. Cahill will have to be a full transfer though, he'll want to be assured he'll be playing Premier League football next season and so far Arsenal have only talked about a loaned defender.


3. Stephen Warnock

At right back, Warnock is exactly the position Arsenal are in need of. Having just played against Warnock and Aston Villa on Wednesday-last he must be fresh in the mind of all who say the game, as he was Villa's most consistent defender on the pitch. Having just turned 30, Warnock would only be a loan move and with Villa now 25 points back of Manchester City in 12th letting Warnock loan to the Emirates doesn't seem outlandish. The only thing that would really stop this move? Not that Warnock is two years in to his four-year Villa contract but that currently Aston Villa have only seven defenders on their squad. By comparison, Arsenal have 13 (most of whom are injured) and Man City have 11.


4. Philippe Senderos

With a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in their last match, Fulham are spiraling down the table. Senderos has been in and out of an Arsenal shirt during his 8 year career and familiarity with the club could help as he will have to contribute immediately. Senderos is a consistent defender who can play anywhere on the back line and while he probably isn't going to win you a match, he is the type who isn't lose a match for you. Fulham have swayed back and forth between starting and sitting Senderos as he as been an unused sub as often as he has started so it doesn't seem like they would be keen to hang on to him if Arsenal came calling. A loan move here seems like it would go off without a hitch.


5. Michael Ciani

Ciani wasn't a big fan of players
leaving Bordeaux over the summer
but if it got Chamakh back to the
French club, the move could happen

I'll be honest, I know little to nothing about Ciani, but I do know a lot about Arsene Wenger. Because of that I know Wenger is a master at randomly dialing up a transfer from a French club when he needs it. Wenger already has a relationship with Bordeaux and Ciani has recently gone from an every day starter to a hit-and-miss sub, much like Senderos; suggesting he might be available for loan. If Wenger really wanted to make a splash he could transfer Ciani in a player-for-player move sending Marouane Chamakh back to France, as Bordeaux manager Francis Gillot has reportedly been trying to convince Chamakh of that all season. Ciani might be a difficult transfer though, as he was defensive over the topic of teammates who left Bordeaux in the summer. Ciani is also in year two of a four year contract. 


More to come,
XoXo
-Joshua