Salomon Kalou is considering turning his back on Chelsea to make a controversial cross-London move to Arsenal under freedom of contract this summer.

The 26 year old has been frustrated both by Chelsea's decision to limit his playing time this season as a punishment for not extending his current contract, and his persistent status as second-choice forward. Kalou made more appearances in his first season - under Jose Mourinho - than in his five subsequent campaigns.

Kalou, who is aware that Chelsea would have accepted a transfer fee for him in the January transfer window, has told friends his ambition is to play for Arsenal, where Arsene Wenger is a known admirer. Though there is significant interest in the Cote d'Ivoire international outside the Premier League, his intention is to remain in London for family and personal business reasons.

Although he has made the first eleven in just seven fixtures this season, Kalou has scored five times for Chelsea; four of his starts coming after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked as manager at the beginning of March.

Talking in the aftermath of Tuesday night's 1-0 first-leg victory at Benfica, Kalou said: "I have been told because I didn't sign the contract I was not allowed to play. For me I respect every manager, I respect the choice. I feel maybe sometimes the club never gave me the opportunity to show what I can do. That is a really big frustration for me. Hopefully this is a new beginning and everything will be all right.

"It has been a difficult year for me with the contract and all that. Maybe Andre was building a new team and he was maybe thinking I wasn't part of the future of the club. I never think there is no way I shouldn't have a future at the club.

"For me the most important thing is not to fight for a new deal, it is just to enjoy myself with the team and play the best I can and help the team win the games we have left to play. As long as I do that, I am fine and I am happy with myself."

http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/salomon-kalou-will-not-fight-for-a-new-deal-at-chelsea?

The journalist Duncan Castles got a few right last summer. Let's hope this is wrong.

Must be to replace van Persie as he's agreed a contract with City...

no he's not.

if kalou thinks he can actually get more games for us than he does at chelsea then he's mistaken. ask the youn how that's working out.

From vieira and henry to diaby and kalou

he's not coming to us, it's just agent bollocks. he doesn't like sitting the bench at chelsea, but he'd be ok with it at arsenal? not a chance.

Gervinho > Kalou.

And we only need one kind of those African Wingers

Weird thing to say Clrnc. As long as they score and create and have an overall positive contribution, what does it matter what kind of winger they are? I don't think there is anything wrong at all with an attacking lineup of:

RVP
Podolski
Park (or Arshavin)
Walcott
Gervinho
Chamberlain
Kalou
Ryo
And the possibility of Wellington Silva and/or JC coming in.

Some serious competition and decent squad depth there with the immediate potential to score a lot of goals. Walcott, Podolski, Gervinho, and Chambo all competing for a starting berth...throw Kalou in there and Wenger can have Fungus-esque choices for a season.

Gervinho = Kalou, and neither is my cup of tea.

Cause they are too similar Coombs. We dont need 2 guys who cant finish

Clrnc wrote:

Cause they are too similar Coombs. We dont need 2 guys who cant finish

That is certainly true, but I'm not sold on the idea that either "can't finish." Both have the ability, I think. Both need game time and confidence. Neither are too old nor too young for anything, and coupled with the rest of our options for next season, I think each would be a benefit to the team rather than a detriment.

I am of the opinion we need more quality and composed players now. Too many raw ones.

This is more of that Gervinho money if it happens.
Of course it won't. This guy's been coming to Arsenal as long as Trabelsi

Oba Martins link incoming...

Coombs wrote:

Some serious competition and decent squad depth there with the immediate potential to score a lot of goals. Walcott, Podolski, Gervinho, and Chambo all competing for a starting berth...throw Kalou in there and Wenger can have Fungus-esque choices for a season.

I would have said no thanks to a transfer like this a while ago - Kalou is not a player I rate particularly highly, but he's not a bad player by any means - and would be another option in the squad.

I wouldn't be against this happening, although there's a lot of players I'd prefer to Kalou, but another good option is not to be sniffed at. Having a load of good, solid, experienced options has certainly done United no harm in the last few seasons.

We need one real quality player, which I think Podolski is, and 1-2 good players like that Suarez fella and Kalou. It'd be realistic, and I'd feel much better about the strength of our attack. I think Podolski is someone that the rest of the squad could be confident in to score as well, and his left-footed-ness will help avoiding throwing Walcott for a loop so he can maintain his new-found ability as an assist machine.

Asking for anything more than that is a bit impossible for us, I think...nor do I think its really that necessary to challenge next year.

As long as he comes in conjunction with Podolski I'm okay with it, particularly if he can play as a striker. And Kalou, when he's got the backing of the manager, does score a reasonable number of goals.

Chance of this happening: 3/10