Mid-December one-day roundup

Sorry to my readers for the infrequency of my updates. I trust that you can see the January rumour list being updated almost every day, if nothing else. Anyway, today's papers have so many stories repeating the main stories. So this roundup was easy enough even for this lazy correspondent!

There's nothing like a rotten patch of form to get the Arsenal transfer rumour mill going. While Arsenal are still only two points off the notorius fourth place, an unexpected exit from the League Cup has put the players and the manager under seemingly more pressure than ever before.

Even former Arsenal stars accuse Arséne Wenger of lies, his supporters of delusion, and his players of being embarrassing and disgusting. All because a loss of form and a lack of interest spending money if it's there to spend.

With this pressure comes the clamour for changes. New faces, new legs, new solutions. And for once, the focus isn't just on firing, selling and signing; coaching is part of the discussion. One set of bitter comments from Stewart Robson, a former Arsenal player and employee, have been widely quoted. Wenger's strong-worded rebuttal won't matter. Through the media, a "truth" has been established.

The Daily Mirror refreshes our memory of Pepe Reina, the Liverpool goalkeeper supposedly on Arsenal's shortlist. Whether a new goalkeeper is needed to replace Wojciech Szczesny or just give him competition is unclear. Stoke's Asmir Begovic and - according to the Daily Mail - Michel Vorm of Swansea are said to be alternatives.

Persistent rumours of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Wilfried Zaha and Luke Shaw are also brought up by the Mirror today, as is a rare mention of Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa.

A transfer offer for Huntelaar has been touted by so many papers so many times that an interest on Arsenal's part looks likely. The rumour gains weight in the media by the team's rather obvious need for an alternative to Olivier Giroud. However, this perception of need isn't necessarily shared by the manager. His selection of Marouane Chamakh as a sub for the last few games could even indicate that Wenger is happy to let the Moroccan prove everyone and his dog wrong. The manager's legendary stubbornness can't be underestimated.

The interest in Zaha is a no-brainer, as is reported interest in Southampton's Shaw and Raheem Sterling of Liverpool. The Sun is one of the papers suggesting a £15m catfight with Manchester United over the young winger. Arsenal are always looking to sign talented teenagers. The club's policy is to mould a team by letting them grow up together, so to speak. Wenger is also on record confirming that an English/British core is his on-going building project.

The long-heralded loan deal to bring Thierry Henry to Arsenal for a third spell has taken a weird twist. Henry is reported by French sports paper L'Equipe to have attended a charity dinner held by Alisher Usmanov in Moscow. The Independent reports this as Henry making an alliance with Arsenal's minority owner against the board and the manager. Usmanov is stirring the manure again, and the smell is familiar. By the way, L'Equipe is credited as a source by every British media passing the story on, but the website of the French publication has no mention of it as yet.

So which of these rumours have any credibility? Outside of the much touted Henry deal, the other rumours are all about unconfirmed deals where there are reportedly other interested parties. It all reeks of agent speak. However, I expect Arsenal to be interested in Zaha and Shaw. If they weren't, I'd be disappointed.

The extra ingredient this last week was the rumours about Nani, the Manchester United winger who is said to have fallen out with his current manager. The Portuguese went to Watford's training ground to watch his stepson play, and was quickly surrounded by autograph hunters with smartphones. With Watford having their setup right next door to London Colney, rumours were soon buzzing about an upcoming transfer. With Theo Walcott still in negotiations about a new deal, Manchester United were soon added as a potential suitor, and lo and behold! A rumoured part exchange deal! It really is too predictable sometimes.