Untold Arsenal » I think it is just possible we are about to sign B….

Blaise Matuidi

Now I could be utterly wrong, completely round the twist, and half way up the flagpole, but I got word – a sort of whispering in my ear from the odd semi-contacts that I have – that St Etienne are willing to do a deal.

Matuidi is a defensive midfielder who gets lots of yellow cards and is rated by all who see him. He is 21. He’s played lots of games in the French first and second divisions and for France at under 21s and lower levels. Of course that doesn’t mean he is French (his parents are Angolan) but through one of those rules (like the ones that say you can play for England even if your parents aren’t English and you’ve never been to England) he plays for France. But of course he could change his mind and play for another country.

Anyway, back to the man, he went to the famous Clairefontaine academy. and eventually went to Troyes with whom he got promotion from the second division, and then went back down two years later.

He then went to Saint-Étienne, and (so the story goes) Gilles Grimandi kept watching him. So what we have is a player who has spent much of his time in teams on the edge of relegation (although SE did get into the UEFA cup 2 years ago). He’s played at under 18, under 19, and as I said under 21. With SE on the up and into the UEFA Cup there was a chance they could keep him, but with them having sunk down to the depths again, there is every chance he will go. He’s played too long in relegation and 2nd division teams.

Now the transfer bit. There is a word going around that Arsenal are signing him for £3m, although previously talk was of £8m. There is talk that Tottenham and Everton want him. Recent talk says Wenger will pay up to £10m for him. Matuidi says he wants to play in England (well they all say that.)

Of course these stories do the rounds all the time, its just that this one pops up and down goes round the corner and then comes back again. If I am right you read it here, well not first, but perhaps fifth or sixth. If I am wrong, I deny everything. Someone hijacked my computer and wrote all this dribble and it is nothing to do with me. I’d never predict anything quite so stupid.

If you want to comment on this story, and you are commenting for the first time, please write Ref Matuidi at the start – then even if you meander off topic I’ll know that you are a real live person and not some snark who is doing a cut and paste job. And if you do post here you will almost certainly have the benefit of having your words turn up half an hour later on Team Talk. Nine of yesterday’s posts ended up there, and I am sure the nutters can do better today.

(c) Tony Attwood 2009 (or (c) Micky Mouse if I have got the story wrong).