Hot off the press, this.

Arsenal have made Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons their priority target for the transfer window, and have opened negotiations with the French side to sign the French defensive midfielder.

The 23-year-old has been at Lyon since the age of 10 and was made club captain this year, making 37 appearances and scoring 4 goals as Lyon made an attempt at the French title. He first came to prominence after scoring against Liverpool in the Champions League in October 2009.

Now, this is Arsenal we’re talking about, so don’t get too excited. Maybe a little bit. You can allow a tiny squeal of possible anticipation to escape, but only a small one.

According to both the Daily Mirror and the Daily Mail, Arsenal are negotiating with Fiorentina for their Montenegrin forward Stevan Jovetic. Reports suggest he’s agreed a 4-year, £100,000k-a-week deal, and Arsenal are now attempting to agree on a fee for the player. £25 million is the asking price but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Arsenal take a few million off that.

This Sunday every Arsenal fans worst nightmare is happening. When Van Persie left and joined Man United in the Summer, there was always the possibility that he would win the league. Now he returns to the Emirates for the first time as a League Champion, and the Arsenal players will be giving the United team a guard of Honour.

As much as every Arsenal fan would love to vent their anger at Van Persie and jeer the Guard of Honour, the fans should instead change their attention to the board.

The order of the day at Arsenal is a new goalkeeper, at least this week, and it looks like Arsenal are looking to Europe to secure theirs.

What’s amusing to see is the conflicting information in the reports, but there’s likely some truth in both.

Not the best news day, I’m afraid. Nothing hair-losingly bad, but nothing particularly nice either.

Mario, you’ve broken my heart

Mario Gotze. Hero of Dortmund. With them since age eight. Would only leave them for an incredible offer, to play abroad with a team that would suit his talents. Arsenal have been linked for years, and his release clause is active. Surely not...?