The rumour mill is getting up to a decent speed again, with some of the usual suspects being bandied about in more or less serious media outlets. However, let me go out on the proverbial limb and tell you that there are two rumours I actually believe in:
1) Arsenal will sign another defender; Wenger is on record (the only useful thing coming out of arsenal.com in ages) stating as much. Now, in the very worst case, that means signing up Sol Campbell for another year, but I believe that deal hinges on all alternatives being exhausted.
Names? I believe most names from earlier in the summer can be forgotten, like Brede Hangeland, Pape Diakhaté, Matt Upson, Gary Cahill etc. Were there any real possibilites for these deals, they'd be made before WC2010. And if there ever was a bid for Phil Jagielka, as reported by some, it was turned down. Wenger is not likely to pay over the odds for an English defender anyway.
Somehow, Arsenal have been linked with most of Udinese's first XI at some time this Silly Season, and I think the Cristian Zapata rumour is just the club (or an agent) fishing for a transfer offer from anywhere, Arsenal included.
Serdar Tasci of Germany and Stuttgart has been mentioned recently by several fairly serious journos. He's up-and-coming, reputed to be fairly bright (for a footballer, anyway), and can play across the back line much like Jerôme Boateng (who has already signed for Man City). Tasci is my current favourite if a defender is to be signed.
2) Mark Schwarzer will end up signing because Fulham can't stop him. At Arsenal, he's offered Champions League football and coaching duties. At Fulham, he doesn't even know which manager is coming in. All that's left is the haggling.
What I believe is less likely to happen? Doesn't mean it won't, just that I'll be a bit more surprised.
3) Joe Cole can end up at Arsenal because we can give him a signing-on fee combined with a weekly salary that in sum will keep him happy, as well as the number 10 shirt and Champions League football. However, for Wenger, this will depend on selling Eduardo (who has suitors like Besiktas and maybe Aston Villa). He could sell Tomas Rosicky, but noone will buy him at this stage, plus he just signed for four years.
Cole's problem is that noone is offering the money he really wants, very well described by Matt Lawton of the Daily Mail here. When Cole's people see the errors of their ways, and let Wenger haggle, he will prefer Cole to Yoann Gourcuff because Cole will end up cheaper for Arsenal.
But still, Arsenal won't sign an attacking player before letting another go, IMHO.
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