Transfer news: Bayern Munich plan surprise Arsenal raid for Tomas Rosicky
The Champions League and Bundesliga holders rekindle their interest in Arsenal's out-of-favour attacking midfielder
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Your support makes all the difference.European champions Bayern Munich are eying a surprise move for Arsenal’s attacking midfielder Tomas Rosicky as contract talks stall between the two parties.
The 33-year-old’s current deal runs out at the end of the year but Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is confident that Rosicky will stay at the Emirates.
Discussions are thought to be progressing slowly but Bayern’s tentative interest could complicate matters with Rosicky making just seven Premier League starts this season.
However, Wenger has often turned to Rosicky in key matches — the Czech international has started five of the Gunners’ eight Champions League games to date — and believes he remains an important part of his future plans at Emirates Stadium.
According to the Evening Standard, Wenger is hopeful of announcing his own contract extension in the coming weeks alongside fresh deals for Per Mertesacker, Bacary Sagna and Rosicky but the latter pair are proving more difficult to tie down.
Arsenal remain confident that Rosicky will commit his future to the club but Bayern’s involvement will test their resolve. Sources in Germany claim that while Pep Guardiola is thought to be an admirer of Rosicky’s, the club’s interest comes from a more senior level.
Bayern wanted to sign Rosicky as far back as 2001 when the midfielder was at Sparta Prague but Borussia Dortmund won the race for his signature for a fee of 14.5million euros.
He became the most expensive player in Bundesliga history and in his first full season Dortmund won the League title. Rosicky joined Arsenal in 2006 for £7m but Bayern continued to monitor his progress and the prospect of his availability on a free transfer has once again sparked their interest.
Bayern already have plenty of attacking midfield options including Mario Gotze, Thomas Mueller, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery but Rosicky’s versatility is viewed as an important factor.
A deal is improbable with Rosicky thought to be happy at Arsenal but Bayern hope a move to the current European champions — who the Gunners face in the last 16 – will tempt him to Bavaria.
The timing of Bayern’s interest emerging lends itself to the possibility that Rosicky’s camp are using Bayern’s interest to leverage a better deal at Arsenal.
As with Sagna, it is thought that Rosicky would prefer a two-year contract but the club are reluctant to sanction anything more than a 12-month extension at present.
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