Sky Sports News have reported that Arsenal are “in advanced talks” with Real Madrid to sign German international Mesut Özil.

According to Guillem Balague, Real Madrid and Arsenal have reached a deal for Özil for 45 million euros, pending an agreement with the player who apparently, it desperate to leave the club.

I have no idea how much he is on but I would be certain that for any deal to happen we’d have to beat – or at least match – his current wage. I would assume he is on a big wage at Madrid (since they don’t seem to have any financial culpability) so it will interesting to see how this develops.

The signs are positive but lets not forget that we’ve been here before. We were well in for Gonzalo Higuain and look what happened there. And of course, there’s nothing stopping another club coming in for him, a la Higuain.

The deal does “make sense” in terms of Bale signing for £85.3 million and the theory that Özil’s chances may be restricted with the Welshman’s arrival. Also, there’s an idea that Madrid will want to get back some of the money they’ve spent on Bale.

Daniel Levy has delayed the Bale deal for weeks and weeks, as it was thought Arsenal were going to pick up a couple of Real Madrid players once that deal was completed – and Levy didn’t want Arsenal to strengthen as we are perceived to be their biggest challengers for 4th position in the league.

Another positive is that Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker could influence the German’s decision by saying how much they love it at The Emirates. There are reports the Manchester United might hijack the deal with Kagawa apparently going to PSG. So we’ll have to wait and see.

The next 24 hours are going to be absolutely mental for Arsenal rumours on new signings – even more so than the last 3 months – so I would say brace yourself and wait for Arsenal to confirm any new signings before getting too excited!

In the post match interview with Sky Sports, Arsene Wenger was asked what will we see in the last 24 hours of the transfer window. His response was:

“You will see what we will announce if we sign someone, we promise that we will very quick to announce it.

“Maybe we have a good surprise for you.”

And he that statement with a smirk.

Now I know we’ve only brought in Mathieu Flamini and Yaya Sanogo on a free during the transfer window and I am being extremely naive (hey, I have to be being an Arsenal fan) but if you read in-between the lines, maybe they already have a deal sorted out for a couple of players and are ready to announce it tomorrow.

Of course, maybe he’s teasing us all (like he has been all summer) but for the next 24 hours, I will be clinging onto that tiny bit of hope that we will make a signing.

So what do you think will happen tomorrow?

Leave your opinions in the comments section below.

Yesterday we confirmed the signing of free agent Mathieu Flamini. He played for Arsenal between 2004 and 2008 before leaving, again on a free, to AC Milan.

Ever since our last trophy in 2005, our best every season was arguably the 2007-2008 campaign when we finished only 4 points off champions Manchester United. We finished 3rd that season but were top of the table for a lot of the season, until the infamous tackle from Martin Taylor who managed to smash Eduardo’s leg. After that, and the Gallas hissy fit, we lost our form and drew too many games in the title run in.

And that season we probably had the strongest midfield we’ve had in the “trophy less” seasons of late which consisted of Cesc Fabregas, Tomas Rosicky, Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini. They midfield was young, dynamic, strong and most importantly hungry. They were playing in the style of Arsene Wenger and teams found it seriously difficult to contain them. Flamini was the steel, Cesc the playmaker and Rosicky and Hleb had pace and an impressive range of passing. Adebayor scored 30 goals that season, with Eduardo and Fabregas chipping in with double figures.

People will remember how close Rosicky, Cesc, Flamini and Hleb were off the field, and that togetherness was displayed on the pitch.

After that impressive season however, Hleb moved to Barcelona for £12 million and Flamini moved to AC Milan on a free. This was one of the earlier examples of how Arsenal were incapable of securing players long term and he was allowed to let his contract expire. Would things have been different if Flamini stayed? It’s hard to say but keeping the midfield together would have been a good base going into the following campaign.

And onto today, and Mathieu Flamini is now 29 years old. He played 122 times for AC Milan and the Italian side chose not to renew his deal, and in his final season last year he was on a one year deal on significantly reduced wages. His career in Italy was blighted by injuries and he didn’t make as many appearances he would have liked.

So will Mathieu Flamini bring back the glory days? Probably not, but he will be a useful utility player if we suffer injuries to the team. He can cover in midfield but also full back if required.

Not the exciting signing we’re all after, but better than nothing.

After a good win over Fenerbahce to confirm our status in the Champions League this season, the focus turns to the North London Derby on Sunday and the remaining 5 days of the transfer window.

And with the game with Tottenham looming as the transfer window closes, comparisons will inevitably be made between the two North London clubs.

Arsene Wenger has made virtually every excuse under the sun as to why we haven’t bought any players this summer. English clubs don’t want to sell to other English clubs, players are overpriced in the current market, we have important games to concentrate on, we will only bring in “special players” as we’ve already got special players in the squad. But despite losing Koscielny, Podolski, Wilshere, Ramsey, Vermaelen, Arteta and Monreal to a combination on injuries, suspensions and niggling problems, we have yet to strengthen our squad. Arsene has admitted several times we are “a little bit light” in terms of numbers but Yaya Sanogo aside, we haven’t brought in any recruitments.

There are reports that Tottenham are delaying the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid until the last minute so Arsenal can’t strengthen their team with possible Real players before the North London Derby and it could be designed to even scupper any signings before the transfer window slams shut.

But all of these reasons are pretty pathetic really.

A club of Arsenal’s stature really should have planned everything far better. Every man and their dog knows it’s better to get players in early and let them settle at a new club (and possibly a new country) well before the season starts. Arsenal also had several perfect PR opportunities to reveal new signings – the new Arsenal away kit launch, the Asia Tour – Arsenal had a real chance to give the fans, the ones who pay the highest ticket prices in the country and have done for a long time, a massive boost.

People talk about being frugal and not going crazy but no Arsenal fan is asking for that. All we want is a team that can compete at the top and challenge for the Premier League. All we want is to at least look like trying and making an attempt to compete at the highest level. If we don’t succeed then fair enough, but making no purchases in a summer where we have the money to spend is criminal.

The money available is from the fans. We haven’t got a rich owner who has been throwing his money around and funding big signings. In fact we’ve got an owner who doesn’t throw anything around, and is apparently a mute. You may be thinking I am repeating myself but in a time when the country is on its knees and most people are struggling financially, then 8 seasons of paying the highest prices and getting nothing in return is hugely disheartening. I love Arsenal and try and see as many games as I can but one of the reasons I don’t see them more is the cost. On Arsenal Fan TV, a fan was interviewed outside the ground after the Villa game and he famously said “in life you get what you pay for, except if you’re an Arsenal fan”.

You get these fans that still go on about how Champions League qualification and paying off the stadium is all that matters, and in fact I’ve argued with a few of these people on Twitter. But that fact is that Arsenal fans have been hugely patient over the last 8 seasons and if Arsenal have the spending power to strengthen then team then they are obliged to do it. Arsene Wenger is a genius but he has to be less stubborn and assemble the best squad he can with the resources available.

Over the last 3 months we’ve all looked online regularly to see who we might buy. We’ve been linked with Wayne Rooney, Gonzalo Higuain, Stevan Jovetic, Marouane Fellaini, Lars Bender, Cesc Fabregas, Ashley Williams, Julio Cesar, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Yohan Cabaye, Iker Casillas, Luis Suarez, Luiz Gustavo… the list is endless. But for all the speculation, it looks like our signings will be Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini on a free.

And in a summer where both players and fans have demanded signings, is that acceptable?