Our youth policy works well when we find these players at 16 years of age and not 19/20. We are the Real Madrid of the youth market. We pay youngsters more than most and are able to prize them away from clubs especially given that we

Mario Gotze is the latest big signing Gunners world over are dreaming of. But I have my doubts about this happening. Here are a few reasons why:

• Gotze is a Borussia Dortmund youth academy graduate. If he leaves, it won’t be in January. He will respect Dortmund enough to atleast stay till the end of the season.
• Although Dortmund are all but out of the Champions League, they are the League leaders in Germany. All the more reason not to press for a transfer
• Although Dortmund are all but out of the Champions League, they are the League leaders in Germany. All the more reason not to press for a transfer.
• The story of Gotze moving only to Barca or Arsenal is a typical ‘has told close friends’ concoction by the English Media.
• And other clubs will be interested. Any manager who has done a Google search on him will be interested. Bayern Munich believe they have a divine right to all talented German players. Man City will try to get him to continue with their policy of trying to win trophies by buying all good footballers available so that there is no one left competitive enough to beat them.
• If at all anyone will make a move for him, it will be Chelsea. They are faltering badly all over the place. Expect a few mega signings from Chelsea in the winter.

On a more positive note, this could be Wenger’s masterplan to get Hazard. He loves using smokescreens. Gary Cahill/Per Mertesacker, Hatem Ben Arfa/Samir Nasri etc. Hazard hype has certainly come down since summer and maybe just maybe we could grab him. Dream on  Gunners.

Mean Lean’s Response

It is exactly this type of situation that we have the youth policy in place. A youth policy that has been ridiculed and scoffed at over the last few years.

Mario Gotze is a key man in a title winning side, a German international creative player who scores goals and makes goals for fun. Every man and his dog know all about Gotze and it is that reason why I cannot see us signing him.
Other clubs with far deeper pockets will be interested in the player, Borussia Dortmund and agents will know this so prices will escalate. It is the same for Eden Hazard who is in the same boat. Talented, well known and in demand from clubs all around Europe.

Our youth policy works well when we find these players at 16 years of age and not 19/20. We are the Real Madrid of the youth market. We pay youngsters more than most and are able to prize them away from clubs especially given that we have one of the best developmental managers in the game today, that is a big pull for young players as they are given a chance to play at the top level.

We were only able to buy players of the quality of van Persie and Cesc Fabregas because we bought them before they were established.

As much as Gotze looks like a perfect fit for Arsenal, I think we are 2-3 years too late to obtain his signature which would be a shame because he is a great talent.
We need to continue to find the best 16-17 year olds as we have with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and hopefully Ryo Miyachi and make them into the likes of Gotze, Hazard, van Persie and Jack Wilshere.

I would love to be proved wrong and see us win the race to bring the playmaker to Arsenal but I cannot see it happening.