A week since my last post. Not a lot’s happened, that’s why, apart from the now default ‘Fabregas to leave’ rumour (swiftly followed by his denial). Are we going to have more of this? Seems likely – unless he retreats to a monastery and takes a vow of silence.

Some of the more fanciful links see us linked to Benzema (deeply unlikely) and Ribery (source: The Daily Star – so don’t go out and get Ribery printed on your new away shirt just yet). This stuff can be so far fetched – I can’t see it happening.

A raft of ex-Arsenal players being linked to returns to England too – Vieira, Hleb and Reyes.

I’d love to see Vieira back – but I can’t see that happening either. He’s 33, and got about a million miles on the clock. It would be like buying a vintage Alfa Romeo: Deeply desirable new, but a bugger to run in later life.

Hleb too – I’ve been wondering for a while, ever since he didn’t even make the Champions League final squad, whether he might find his way back to England. Sure, London was too busy for him, but clearly Barcelona wasn’t (work that one out if you can), so maybe. Deeply infuriating though he was, he’d be a desirable signing. Experience of the league, fabulous close control. As long as prospective employers don’t expect him to score goals then he’d be worth a pop. Can I really see it happening? Not really – I suspect he’d rather stay in Spain or return to Germany.

As for Reyes, well one of the other Arsenal blogs picked up on his remarkable fall a while ago (apologies bt I don’t recall which one it was). He’s gone from a player who in 2004 was worth up to €17m to one now on the market for £4m. And he’s only 25.

Anyone wanting him would have a job on their hands even at that price. As well as turning round three years of worsening form, they’d have to entice him back to England. He hated it here. Hated the weather, the food, said there was nothing to do. I can’t see it happening.

We’ve had Adebayor linked to Milan again, though, a rumour that refuses to go away. But read what the Milan honcho says and he’s hardly wheelspinning his way to London to bag his man.

“If Dzeko is [available] we will start talking sums. Adebayor and [Sevilla striker] Luis Fabiano are the alternatives. For Adebayor there has been a telephone call, during which Wenger was friendly.”

More here.

Hardly the ringing endorsement Adebayor would like, eh? He might find it harder to find the club of his dreams than he thinks. He’s on fat wages for a start, and he doesn’t strike me as being the kind of player who’d be happy to take a wage cut. To be fair to him, I’ve yet to see a footballer who would.

It’s rare for a player to be so universally disliked, I must say. I am a little more cicumspect: I don’t like his attitude but if he can score 16 goals in a bad season, and 30 in a good one, then he should only be sold if a) the price is right and b) we have a replacement lined up.

Unless the Dzeko deal falls through though, I wonder whether it will happen at all.