Milan have called off their bid to sign Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko following the purchase of Ronaldinho from Barcelona.

Adebayor has also been linked with Barca, while Shevchenko is expected to stay in London despite repeated overtures from his former club Milan.

The Rossoneri were also one of several clubs linked with Chelsea and Ivory Coast hit-man Didier Drogba, but no formal bid was made.

"The market for Milan is closed with Ronaldinho," Rossoneri chief executive Adriano Galliani said after signing the Brazilian for 21 million euros plus add-ons.

"As far as arrivals are concerned, we are finished, absolutely."

Galliani added that the likes of Croatia defender Dario Simic and teenage striker Alberto Paloschi could be sold.

Togo forward Adebayor hit 30 goals last season and wants to quit Arsenal, aware that he can triple his wage to more than £100,000 a week.

Shevchenko has struggled to settle since joining Chelsea for £30 million two seasons ago, but new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has backed the Ukrainian to succeed at Stamford Bridge.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb On The Way Out.

Arsenal look resigned to losing their second midfielder of the summer as Alexander Hleb closes in on his move to Barcelona.

The Belarus international will have a medical at the club today and could be unveiled as early as tomorrow providing the deal does not suffer any last-minute hitches.

Reports in Spain claim Barcelona will pay Arsenal £11.9 million for the 27-year-old who has long been linked with a move away from the Premier League since the end of the season having claimed he was "mentally tired" of life in London.

"The player Alexander Hleb, who has spent the past three seasons at Arsenal, arrives today in Barcelona to undergo a medical prior to his incorporation in FC Barcelona," read a statement on Barcelona's website.

"From 1pm, the player will be in the offices of the club to take part in the usual photocall

Then, at 4pm, the footballer will have a medical in the Hospital de Barcelona and, from 7pm, will continue these tests in the Medical Centre of FC Barcelona.

"On the assumption that he passes these tests satisfactorily, Alexander Hleb could sign a contract tomorrow and be presented as a new player at FC Barcelona."

If all goes to plan, Hleb will become Barca's fifth summer signing following the arrivals of Seydou Keita, Gerard Pique, Martin Caceres and Daniel Alves.

Hleb, however, will become Arsenal's second departure following Mathieu Flamini's move to AC Milan on a free transfer while Emmanuel Adebayor's future at the Emirates remains unsettled.

source

Rodrigo Palacio. The front man missing from the post Henry puzzle?



I did insist that Arsenal needed to recruit an out and out striker; and that Da Silva wasn't enough. He is a good goalscorer but he cannot lead the line that effectively from the front due to his size.


In order to utilise the three fantastic midfielders at Arsene's disposal (Silva, Cesc and Diaby) Arsenal's preferred formation will be either 4 3 3 or 4 5 1.The front man therefore will play a very important role at the top of the formation. And it seems that Wenger will go for the Argentinian Rodrigo Palacio of Boca Juniors.


He has a very good goals to games ratio of 0.5 or 39 goal in 79 games. And as you can see from the video clips he can score all type of goals: from long distance, inside the box, tap ins and headers too!


And he is at 25 not a typical Arsene signing as he is not a kid with potential (!) and is experienced enough to slot straight into the team. He will need of course time to get used to the Premiership.


Oh and he will, apparently, wear the No 14 shirt!


He will be, I hope, the front man missing from the post Henry puzzle.


by Arsenal Analysis

Arsenal said they had had no contact with Stan Kroenke since June despite reports in the British media on Friday that the American tycoon was preparing a to launch a takeover of the Premier League club.


So is Stan Kroenke talking shit or what?


The Arse chairman Peter Hill-Wood and MD Keith Edelman said the met Kroenke in New York in June for what a "an amicable meeting".


Stan Kroenke was invited to London for a return meeting but Arsenal had yet to receive a reply from him.


Reports sugest that a formal bid will be received within the next few days.


How much will he buy? Will he buy the boards 45% stake? if so that means he could have at least 57% stake in the club.


If Stan the man raised his Arsenal stake to 30 per cent he would be obliged by takeover rules to launch a formal bid.


David Dein was involved with Arsenal for over two decades before leaving the club and was sympathetic to a sale to the American, prompting his falling-out with chairman Hill-Wood.


Eventually all premiership clubs will be owned by Americans or Russians. Why dont British millionairs buy British Clubs?

American billionaire Stan Kroenke is keen to meet with the rest of the Arsenal board following talks with Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood and managing director Keith Edelman in June.


Stan Kroenke now has a 12% stake in Arsenal and is look like that he wants a lot more.


Paul Andrews, the executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Kroenke Sports Enterprises siad...

"It is an investment, Mr Kroenke has invested in Arsenal and he's very excited about it,"

"He's been meeting with the people from Arsenal for the past year and a half and he's very fond of the way they run their business operation. He's very bullish about it."

"We never comment on any future, possible investments of any kind. Each investment is evaluated based on its merit and it will be assessed on an ongoing basis."

What do you think Gooners? Good or Bad