Allardyce Should 'Take Wenger's Hand Off'!
Last updated : 10 July 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor
It is not rumour anymore, Arsenal are seriously set to bid £13 million bid for Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins, and the player has been hanging on all summer waiting for the offer to come in.
The Nigerian intenational has told United that he wants a significant rise on his £60,000-a-week contract, making him closer to Michael Owen, who is paid £103,000 per week.
As he is under contract for four years, he hasn't a leg to stand on with his demands, but the one iron he has in the fire is a threat to leave the club.
Thanks to our dear chairman Freddy Shepherd, the 22-year-old Nigerian has a buyout clause of £13m which Arsenal are prepared to offer.
Is he worth the hassle? Personally I'd take Arsene Wenger's hand off if he offered £13m. Martins is nowhere near as good as he thinks he is; will never be a team player; and at times (when he said recently he was involved in a shooting when he was asleep at his mother's house) it makes you wonder if he is dealing "with a full deck".
The man obviously has a head full of broken toys.
As for Arsenal ... the bookies have dropped them down to 10/1 for the title, and there is certainly unrest in the camp.
William Gallas claims there are doubts among the Arsenal squad over the direction the club is taking.
While their rivals in the race for the Premier League title have strengthened significantly, Arsenal have lost skipper and talisman Thierry Henry to Barcelona, with Eduardo Da Silva and Lukasz Fabianski brought in to bolster the squad.
Gallas: "What is sure is that several players are questioning the club's future.
"Around us, all the teams are recruiting but what is planned to compensate for the departure of Titi Henry?
"I am not at Arsenal to play for third place. It is necessary to recruit players of reputation because the young players have many qualities but the season is very, very long.
"The young players are thirsty for victories but Arsenal must obtain results, win titles in this period. If not, we will have to change policy and do the same as the other teams: recruit with more means."
Martins Mystery - Nowhere Near Scene Of Shooting
Obafemi Martins's has the Nigerian police baffled by his claims he was shot at in Lagos last week. They claim he was miles away from the crime scene.
The Toon striker, who has been involved in some rather bizarre incidents of late, said he feared for his life after his Mercedes was sprayed with bullets when he was in the Nigerian capital on international duty.
The city police have now said Martins was asleep at his mother's house at the time of the attack, which left the player's friend and driver Femi Onipede injured.
Spokesman Bode Ojajuni said: "It is obvious Obafemi Martins was not in the car when the driver was shot at. The whole thing is still a puzzle, but from all indications it was not Martins who was the victim but his driver."