Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Hakan Calhanoglu and Paulo Dybala Rumours

Arsenal's latest transfer gossip sees the club adding yet more attack-minded players to a team already bloated in forward areas. That's a strange strategy for a squad that needs more help in defence and between the posts than up front.But even with a midfield brimming with several advanced playmakers, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger apparently still thinks Hakan Calhanoglu is too good to resist. The Arsenal chief is so impressed he's even ready to send work-shy misfit Lukas Podolski to Bayer 04 Leverkusen to prompt the Bundesliga club into a sale, per the Daily Star on Sunday.Getting rid of Podolski is acceptable. In fact, waving goodbye to the striker more concerned with social media minutes than grafting on the pitch should be a central part of Wenger's summer strategy.That's why the 29-year-old Germany international is currently on loan at Serie A side Inter Milan. But manager Roberto Mancini has been very critical of Podolski's performances, per a Daily Mail report by Reuters writer Brian Homewood.Podolski's agent has even suggested his client will seek a move to Turkey once this season ends, per David Wright of the Sunday Express. Yet a return to the Bundesliga seems more appropriate for a player whose career has stalled since leaving Germany in 2012.But should that mean Podolski would be acting as a makeweight for Calhanoglu'The Gunners are hardly in need of creative midfield players. Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil give Wenger more options than he knows what to do with.Of course, Calhanoglu has been dubbed the "new Ozil." Yet there's little wrong with the old one, at least on current form.However, B/R's James McNicholas recently stated Ozil can't be graded a success since arriving for a club-record fee in 2013. He even discussed how the Gunners might improve their squad if they sold a so-called "luxury" player:Natural free-kick specialist Calhanoglu is a mercurial talent, but he isn't the Leverkusen player Wenger should pursue. A better option would be offering Podolski to sweeten a deal for midfield destroyer Lars Bender, a player Arsenal have been heavily linked with, according to The Independent's Jack de Menezes.The Gunners have a need for a midfield player with strength and defensive qualities. Wenger's squad certainly doesn't need another schemer.Nor does it need another striker. That's why a proposed move for Palermo forward Paulo Dybala should raise a few eyebrows.Particularly when he'll cost as much as 40 million. Club president Maurizio Zamparini indicated Dybala will agree to join a new club within the "next 15 days," per Metro's Jamie Sanderson.Spanish website Fichajes.net also reported Arsenal have been working feverishly to wrap up a deal for a budding star generating heavy interest (h/t Sanderson).The only problem is finding a place for another tricky and pacy attacker. After all, Wenger can already call on Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott.The latter has been stalling over a new contract offer. Wenger recently only half-mockingly chided the fleet-footed England international for dragging his feet, per BBC Sport, but it's difficult to believe he's already looking for Walcott's replacement.If Wenger is going to make big signings this summer, he should target a more assured goalkeeper and a more athletic centre-back. His squad already has all the playmakers and goalscorers it needs.Read more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
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