Never been particularly impressed with him on the rare occasion I've seen Toulouse this season.

It always good to have a backup plan

Would be nice if we could get our top target instead, because there is no way this guy is it. Podolski was a nice change, now the club needs to keep that up.

We need squad depth too.

We are quite deep in midfield. We need players that will walk into our strongest XI. Let existing starters provide depth. Much like with Podolski.

He's considered a budget M'Vila for a reason. We already have enough budget players in our squad.

Humble Rex wrote:

We are quite deep in midfield.

That's just it though. We're not. Just look at our record without Arteta. We have exactly one holding player in the squad. I don't know if Capoue is cut out for Arsenal but we need padding in midfield.

Of course, if you want to waste a major chunk of our budget on signing someone who's better than Arteta then go ahead. But it doesn't strike me as either likely or particularly important.

Wenger could just tell Song to sit. It´s not as if he can´t do it, because he has shown that he can. Crazy idea, I know.

Or he could just keep playing Song where he's at and have a proper backup for Arteta ready in the squad. You know, to avoid weakening two positions instead of just one.

Wouldnt mind this guy, he is a defensive midfielder, so wether its mvila or capoue we shouldnt be splashing out.

But is mvila really that much better than him to warrant 17 mil? Because it looks to me like wenger is going for the gilberto type defnsive midfielder and although that position is important i dont think it should be breaking transfer window records. Thats should be for an attacking player like kagawa

I know this player very well. He's too good for Toulouse. Plays a lot like current Song (likes to play higher up the pitch and play balls for the forwards) but is more aggressive at winning the ball, so he is a little better. Seems faster to me too.

All things considered I'd much rather have M'Vila who will provide a proper shield for the back four and has an excellent short passing game, which is much more useful for us than Capoue (and Song's) direct game which works sometimes and fails at others.

For a second I thought his surname was Capone.
So he's Song like but faster and more aggressive?
What's his passing like?
Any resemblance to Yaya Toure going forward by any chance?

Hmmmm, ok. Still not feeling any great excitement about this rumour.

would be a wengerish move. cheap, french, a lesser version of the finished article we should be looking at (m'vila). sometimes, wenger should stop putting pressure on the club to develop these cheap buys, and just save the trouble and stump up the cash for the finished article. these budget buys work out decently about 60% of the time, and even then it usually takes 2-3 years.

YouTubed him.
Yep, looks the type that would add steel but from the clips that I watched it wasn't apparent how good he really would / could be shielding the back four.
Doesn't look so comfortable on the ball, get the feeling he'd get dispossessed quite a lot.
He does look to move the ball quickly forward, releases it fast.
There were a few long passes into attack - a bit hoofy though.

Just buy M'vila Arsene you miser

we dont need cheaper options. we need a top option. klaus, if you want depth, then how about if one of song or arteta is on the bench? that's depth.

plus, this guy's name sounds too much like eboue.