I sent something in on this "story", Jason, but you obviously got there first. If (repeat, if) there’s any truth in it to start with, and bearing in mind he’s contract with us to 2012, I think a significant aspect to it will be whether Mikel presses to go on the basis that he thinks the Arse are better CL prospects than us between now and 2012.

News of the screws sports hack: "Hmmm, Arsenal look a bit fucked in midfield now Cesc is injured. Now let me think, who could Arsenal buy? What about that fella who scored 2 against Sunderland? Michael Something or Other? Arteta, thats it! Arteta to Arsenal, brilliant, I don’t know where I get it from, it just comes to me. What do you reckon other fat sports hack, £12 mill sound a reasonable price? Yeah, that should fill a few column inches - ’Wenger in £12million Art raid’."

The fact these guys have priced him at £12 mill shows this story is completely made up.

Here we go again with the rumour mill ? Arteta to Arsenal... Back off Whinger - He's OUR-teta! ? Don't you just love those transfer windows and the circus (full of clowns) around them? The multitude of papers picking up on this one is unbelievable and likely to cause major panic and worry for all Evertonians if it continues.

Hopefully, Mikel ? and NOT the club ? will re-assure us that he remains happy being a blue. If it comes from Mikel himself, as it did last time, then hopefully it will shut the meejah up once and for all ? or at least stop the constant shyte we have to put up with concerning their so-called rumours.

Mikel, you're with a TEAM that has been patiently built brick by brick and will be heading for the glory days again. Come on Mikel ? let's hear from yer,

Fuck off indeed. It?s not going to happen. How great is the class difference between Arsenal and us? ? not really as huge as it may appear. In other words, Man Utd or Chelsea could be more of an incentive for Mikel to leave. But you just aren?t that good, Arsenal so take your money, accept that you will end up in the Uefa Cup and fuck off!!!

Just read in that bastion of speculative reliability, The (online) Sun, that "Arsenal will bid £12million to sign Mikel Arteta as a stand-in for the injured Cesc Fabregas" in the January window. That raises some interesting questions (assuming, for the sake of the argument, that there's some accuracy in the report). Do we want to sell at that price? Is our financial position such that we will have to sell at that price? Will Mikel press to go - given that, according to the article, "crucially, he would be available to play in Arsenal?s Champions League campaign, despite appearing for Everton in the Uefa Cup this season"?

What if playing for Arsenal improves your prospects of playing for Spain? Don’t know if there is a positive correlation between playing for a top4 side and representing your country. £12million is taking the piss though, he’s our lynchpin and number 10.

I think - and hope - Alan Clarke is right and this is just lazy journalism.

An interesting question: how much would you accept to sell Arteta? £12million is way too low a bid, but for say £30 million I guess I would accept it. Not that Arsenal ever pay that much money for a player.

£12m for Arteta and £15m for Fellaini? Is someone taking the piss here? Mind you, as someone sat near me in the Gwladys St said "Arteta’s playing well enough to get a move".....

We are THREE points behind Arsenal, they have lost their talisman and they have dressing room unrest. Arsenal are on the ropes and failure to qualify for CL with their overheads would be catastrophic for them, we have to try to take advantage of their problems, not provide the solutions

Ok there may not be any truth in this story, but there doesn't have to be. If Arteta was distracted by "talk" of attention from a Sky 4 club, he wouldn't be the first player. Gareth Barry wasnt allowed to go even when a bid of £15 million was tabled, where does that put Arteta?s value ?
Time for BK to make a very clear statement to the rest of the Prem...
How does "Fuck off" sound?

I hope this is only media speculation but anyone who really believes that ANY of our players would voluntarilly stay with us rather than move to the likes of Arsenal have short memories.
I dont think we’ve had a diehard blue playing for the shirt since Mick Lyons to be honest. Rooney made me realise that its all about the dosh and the medals now!

The club has said we don?t need to sell any players. It obvious but the only way we can be screwed is if Mikel comes out saying he wants to move. If he is happy with Everton we can only come out winners by either holding onto him or getting/demanding a huge transfer fee.

Bill Kenwright can say what he wants, it's the banks we have to worry about......

Dont worry guys. Arteta won’t leave. Didn’t you guys see in an Interview somewhere that Arteta said :

"I absolutely love Tim Cahill"....

So since Tim is 200% Evertonian, I am sure Arteta will stick by Cahill.

Anyway, Everton are a better side than Arsenal this season. We are just 3 points off them. We have a better team chemistry and spirit than Arsenal. And why join Arsenal to "fill in" for the idiot Faberglass?

Arteta can be his own man in Everton!

He desperately wants to play for Spain. Playing alongside Fabregas (eventually) in the Champions League will probably swing it for him.

If we are to be a successful football club, then we need to keep Arteta this January (and our other top players). Nobody has really mentioned the CL this season due to our start, and I for one do not want to tempt fate, but we are only 3 points behind Arsenal. We have hopefully had our bad run this season, we are improving and just have the league and cup to concentrate on. On the other hand Arsenal have dressing room unrest and looked terrible without their main creator. They also still have the distraction of the CL. In my opinion, the team most likely at the moment to finish 4th is Villa. Ok, we lost at home to Villa, but we played them off the park and they are definately riding their luck at the moment after their victory over Hull.

We don’t have the finances to build a team overnight like the top 4 or even Villa, so this team has been built steadily which creates team spirit. Let’s tell Arsene or anyone else this January where to go as we have an outside chance of doing something this season, so why sell our best player who is coming into form after we have stood by him for the last 18 months?

If its true that Arsenal want him and that its going to be a question of £12m to £15m then I believe Arteta will go ? for a number of reasons.

- The Everton management completely let the established players down badly in the summer. There we were ready to exploit our last season?s 5th place with quality additions ? did it happen? Remember the first 4 weeks, Rodwell, Baxter etc... P7, W2 and out of Europe.

He will get Spanish recognition at Arsenal through CL and as Cesc?s mate. He will be playing in front of 60,000 people, with no doubt a good increase in salary. His girlfriend will want to live in London vs Liverpool.... Shall I go on ?

The honesty and team spirit of our players, led by the manager, is something that Evertonians can be proud of. Their loyalty could be put to a very severe test over the next month, but I think we?ll come through without any losses.

And on the bright side, what a testimonial this is for the progress we have made ?the rich and famous want what we?ve got, and there?s no need to sell.

I wonder if Arsenal had wanted Arteta last month would Evertonians be so upset about losing him? That's right, prior to about four games ago he had spent the previous 18 months playing shite. Now don?t get me wrong, I was one of Mikel?s biggest fans prior to 18 months ago. and since he?s been moved to central midfield I?m back on board. but come on, he was shite for 18 months.

I remember saying to my son only last month that I wouldn?t mind cashing in on him now while he?s still worth something, he was that bad... and suddenly after a few games, no I wouldn?t sell him for £12M either! Sometimes I think football supporters are completely mad.

Sadly, money talks! If you were in Kenwright's position, I am fairly certain that you MAY consider this bid. It would also go towards the funding of DK as it is sure as eyes are blinking that Moyes will not see any of it.

It's about time the OS should come out and say that he is going nowhere in a similar way when WHUFC was interested last year! Kenwright has not long come out and said we do not have to sell players. If Kenwright believes we can crack the top 4 again, we have to add to our very short squad and not sell our best players.

The team needs players, not offloading them. If we sell him who would replace him with? Three second-rate players from around Europe, most probably getting a couple of them on loan. We can't afford to sell Artetta, full stop.

Sooner or later they all go ? no matter what we think. Arteta will be no different and if the right offer comes in that will put more money in his and his agent?s pockets, he?ll do one. Just don?t get upset about it ? that?s how the transfer system works, old son!

Would Arteta go to Arsenal to play for 4 months? When Fabregas is back, he would end up keeping the bench warm. If they want him then £20 million is the minimum.

Agreed Steve. After the last 6-12 months of form from Arteta, not sure why more peeps wouldn?t mind cashing in on him. I?m a big fan of his, but if Wenger made a proper bid, that is as pointed out above, he?d have to be valued more than Fellaini / Carrick etc somewhere in the region of reversing the digits round in the £12M offer, then I?d accept. Of course, I don?t believe for a second any club would risk £21M on him though.

Let?s see if he is played against Macclesfield on 3rd Round Day. That might give us an early pointer...

Sadly, today ? whether the club likes it or not ? it?s usually the player who decides. Gareth Barry is probably an exception, but that was aslo clouded by Liverpool's refusal to pay Villa?s price and Oneil?s sweet talk.

Arteta is ambitious, wouldn?t you be in n his shoes? He can get more money, live in a great ciry, play in the Champions League (probably)...

I?m sure he loves Everton, and our fans, but he?s not here forever and he knows this... the only thinking he has to do is whether or not he can make it on the team sheet of a fully fit Arsenal squad, and if sitting on the bench for half a season would suit him!

If Wenger wants a new midfielder then Davie should tell him he can have Pienaar for £12million instead of Arteta! I remember reading rumours that Arsenal were interested in Pienaar when he was on loan with us and I don?t think he?s hit the kind of form he showed last season.

I don?t actually want to see either go but if we can sell someone for a big profit and use the proceeds to buy a better player then it makes commercial and football sense to do so. We wouldn?t be able to replace Arteta for £12million but probably could with Pienaar ? not sure Wenger would want to help us strengthen our team by paying that sort of fee though.......

Its the silly season again! Can you remember the last time the speculation in the daily gospels actually turned out to be true? During the summer the daily toilet papers were awash with stories about Felliani and Saha moving to Goodison. My advice is to wait unit January 31st at around 11:30pm and find out who's going out and who's coming in. (Just to add to the transfer frenzy: Crespo on loan ? I heard it through the grapevine.)

I don't think it sounds too far fetched at all ? Arteta?s a class player and Wenger has said he has admired him in the past.

I work with an Arsenal season ticket holder and he?s been talking about Arteta to Arsenal for over a year. With that in mind, it's not beyond the realms of possibility. Factor in a £12m fee going to a club without a pot to piss in (that's us, by the way) and you have to take it as a serious issue. It's in every paper too, not just the rags.

Don?t believe the hype.

Or....... is Wenger looking over his shoulder at us, worrying, and then trying to unsettle our midfield playmaker who has run the last couple of games for us to try to hobble our challenge for 4th?

What price that they are also linked to Barry and Young next month?

I agree with Dave TBH, last season I felt we were just punching above our weight but the fact that we’ve had our annual bad patch and are still so close to the top 4 means I can’t help but think, without jinxing us, that we could get 4th place this season.

Regardless of our feelings for EFC & our attachment to Senor Arteta (I also luv him), if he has the chance to a) substantially increase his income, b) play in the Champions League against the best players, and c) improve his chances of playing for his country (which we know he wants to do), then come on, who would blame him?

He has been here a few years and he has made a big contribution to our transformation from a team of ancient non-achievers to successful young turks. If he stays then he deserves a major pat on the back from club & fans alike. He has personal ambitions and it it preposterous to think that our feelings come before them.

I think that our financial situation convinces some clubs (Arsenal, Man City, Spurs) that we will be willing sellers. I trust that even the Kenwright bashers who think he?s in this for himself will acknowledge that we will not willingly let anyone go.

I?m not looking forward to this January because I can see a number of our players who may have their heads turned by the money & desperation of the above 3 clubs. Messrs Arteta, Lescott, Jagielka, Pienaar, Howard & even Pip have all been rumoured to be on wish-lists elsewhere. It might get ugly.

On a positive note, The Times has been particularly positive towards us of late, or perhaps just fair, unlike Match of the [Spurs/Man City/West Ham] Day. So on the subject of the best little Spaniard we know, I offer this direct quote from The Times report of our comprehensive swatting of Sunderland...

"...Mikel Arteta, a source of such invention that some of his passes should be registered at the Patent Office, was the match-winner..."

So there you have it. Mikel Arteta, patent pending :-)

Great 2009 to EFC and all of us.

I think £12 million is very low; if you think of Fellaini... but what if Aron Ramsay was thrown in too? Or maybe Walcott... OK, so I?m hoping, but a silly question deserves a silly answer! Plus if we could get a good young talent, it might make the deal worthwhile.

We were looking to buy Moutinho in the summer with values of £18 million being quoted, I would guess he would be the benchmark for a player similar to Arteta. Also, weren?t Arsenal interested in Moutinho too? And M?bia? I sometimes wonder whether Wenger just shows an interest to turn a player?s head, almost to stop him moving anywhere else in the promise Arsenal will come calling.

Also, has anyone else noticed this seems to be a tactic of the SKY 4? January comes, the forth placed team is getting nervous... so they do their sums; realise the cash they will lose out on and decide it?s better to buy the form players from the teams in hot pursuit. I hope we keep Arteta and the club finds some money from somewhere to buy a quality player, even if it is on loan till the end of the season. COYB

£13 mill AND Denilson...or Vela.

I'd be tempted at £17 million plus Diaby...

FREDDIE STARR ATE MY HAMSTER!!!! Remember this, anyone? It was true, honest m’lud, just like all newspaper stories. Get a grip my Blue friends.

Not being funny lads, but if you had a chance to play for Arsenal, what would you do? Now I know they are having a bad time at the moment, but you have the chance at Arsenal to gain more reconigtion for your talents, probably guaranteed to be playing in the Champions League every season, have more of a chance to be called up into your national team, because you would be playing for one of the more glamourous clubs in Europe. If the Arsenal rumour turns out to be true, these would probably be things that Arteta would be looking at.

Here’s how this works........
Scumbag Tabloid Editor: We’re on deadline!!!! I need a story about Arsenal to fill in our super soaraway Sky4 transfer speculation section....

Dimwitted Drunken Douchetard Tabloid Journo: Ummmm....the Arse....need a midfielder right????

Scumbag Tab. Editor: Yes, yes just write.....

Douchetard Journo: I’m writing....let’s see...midfielder....who played well at the weekend...I know that Spanish fella up at Everton.......Arteta....that’s the ticket....***picks random number out of head****......$12 million..........here we go boss.......

Scumbag Editor: Good that’s that finished...now we can go the pub.....

Douchetard Journo: Ummmm, boss?? We’re in the pub.......

It won?t happen in January, if Arteta really wants to leave then he?ll force the issue at the end of the season. There?s absolutely no sense in Moyes selling him in January. I reckon he?ll only leave to play for a Spanish side ? that would give him the recognition to get into Spain?s team.

"Not being funny lads, but if you had a chance to play for Arsenal, what would you do? "

I?d tell them to fuck off, since you?re asking!

The sheer audacity of it all is beyond belief. Fabregas is injured. So Wenger needs a replacement. But the way the papers put it seems to imply that Arsenal, as their appointed ?big 4?, has only to summon Arteta and he?ll go running to them, with Everton only too happy to let him go for a measly £12 million.

It looks like the reporters who write for these newspapers don?t realize that their world is slowly but surely turning around from a ?big 4?, to a ?big 4 plus 2? ? the ?plus 2? being Everton and Aston Villa. Both these clubs are well managed, have a large core of loyal support, and are financially viable. In all likelihood, Everton and Aston Villa will be able to attain a top 4 position on a regular basis over the coming few years.

I therefore don?t see why Everton, who are only one place below Arsenal, who are within our gun-sights for 4th place, should sell one of our best players to our obvious immediate competitor. Doing so would be crazy, as it would ensure that Arsenal maintains their position as one of the current ?big 4? and condemn us to a permanent ?also-run?.

Remember the way Martin O?Neill dealt with Gareth Barry when Liverpool where ?cock-sure? of buying him. O?Neill said No, and set such a high price for Barry that Liverpool gave up the chase. O?Neill obviously did this because he knew that if he wanted to challenge the top 4, he needed to have his best players. And if he had to sell them, it would not be to one of the big 4 who are his competition.

So, whether we keep Arteta or not in January will say a lot about Everton?s aspirations to break into the top 4. If we do the unthinkable and let Arteta go to Arsenal, we will basically be giving up 4th place to them and Everton will never be able to break into this group.

January will therefore be a critical point of inflection for Everton. If we come out of January with all the current starting 11, plus a few additions, we will be making a clear statement of our intent to be a big club. But if we let players like Arteta go, then we?ll join the likes of Portsmouth, West Ham, Middlesboro and others who are only in the Premier League to make up the numbers.

So let?s wait and see.... By the way, a Happy New Year to all on this website!

Tim ? agree with all of that except for...

??... and are financially viable.??

Oh really?!

I hate the thought of losing him. But, why wouldn?t Arsenal come for our best player? They have the money to waste, and it would be good business to destabilize us and make us worse. Then the Arse would be rid of one of the two challengers for 4th place. Then they make a destabilizing move for Ashley Young, and bang ? there goes Villa?s form.

They might not even need the players, and why would Arsenal need Mikel NEXT year? It would be paying £12-15M for five months worth of player. When their number 4 comes back, Arteta goes to the bench. They aren?t going to be using two creative midfielders. I hope it isn't true, but these things have a way of biting us. But, like it or not, it is smart business for the Arse. Make us worse, and they don?t have to worry about us in the table any longer.

Make this man our permanent team captain. Arteta is our lifeblood. Ohne ihn sind wir nichts; we?re nothing without him.

It?s easy to understand why Arsenal want him but it?s crucial to our long term ambitions to develop into a regular Champions League club that we keep Mikel. Sadly, I agree with those who believe he will see a route to the Spanish national team opening in front of him and that will be enough for Arteta to be flattered into a move. When and if that comes about, it surely puts paid to our hopes of 4th place this year.

I cannot believe that we will break into the top four, come hell or high water! However, I sincerely hope we will... but I just can?t see it happening. I have to agree with Neil. But I do not agree with Neil about our hopes of fourth place this year. I really don?t think this is going to happen. Sad but true; I wish it wasn?t.

And by the way, a very Happy New Year to everybody.

In response to the question ?Why wouldn?t Arteta want to play for Arsenal?? Well, remember when there were stories linking him with Liverpool at the end of 2005-06, he came out and publicly stated he didn?t want to go there. Everton hadn?t had a very good season, and there was a far wider gap in league points between us and Liverpool then than there is between Everton and Arsenal now. So I would hope we?ll see the same response from Arteta to these rumours.

I have to agree with John Andrews. If a decent enough bid came in for one or two of our players then Davie would go along with BK?s orders and sell so he can put a bit toward DK. Davie boy would then be expected to get a couple of players in on loan to cover fo them. Imagine this with a squad like ours at the moment?

We have a history of selling our top players and, unless we change this trend, we cannot expect to reach the vey top again. A good solid squad is as important as the first team to be successful so let's hope the club don?t let the likes of Arteta go, even if it means he is on the bench should his form plummet again...

Money talks and we don't have any.

Would Arteta want to be coached by Arsene Wenger? Of course, he?s one of the best in the world.

Recognition for the National team? Check.

There are many reasons for this to go ahead, and someone above mentioned ?the sheer audacity of it?. What are you on about mate? Audacity? Arsenal are a way bigger club than us, have everything that we don't, so have EVERY right to come out and say they want our players.

Everton are a medium-sized club punching above our weight and have been for years ? so many Evertonians have this view of us as being one of the top sides, which simply isn?t true anymore.

I would love us to be viewed (and actually be in reality) one of the biggest clubs around, but you ask fans of any other club and they?ll all say the same thing ? Everton? Used to be a big club, now they?re a biggish club who punch above their weight (as previously mentioned).

Any serious and big offers for any of our players, and you?d have to consider us selling purely on a financial basis ? we don't have any money, none at all, zip, nada, diddly... so if Man City come calling with £12m for Lescott or Arteta or whoever in fact, and at whatever price we slap on them, they could well end up leaving ? do not underestimate the power of cold hard cash.

You know what it's like when you buy a second-hand car, you turn up with cash under the asking price, wave it in front of the seller and bang, you?ve bought a Joleon Lescott for a couple of grand less than he?s worth.

You also have to look at the current state of the financial arena and think of the money-men surrounding Everton. We need money, all clubs do, just ask West Ham who have said publicly that they?ll listen to offers for ALL THEIR PLAYERS. Imagine being in that position? Well if we?re not careful we could end up there ? Kenwright is a shrewd bloke in many ways; OK he?s mortgaged us to the hilt and sold off our assets but ask yourself why? Because we had to or because he?s set to make a lot of money by doing it? I?ll lay money it's the former.

I hope we don?t sell anyone because we can?t afford to on a playing basis, but money really does talk and it could be way out of DM?s hands if there?s cash on the table.

Pete Clark: What evidence is there for you suggesting Kenwright would order any such thing? My understanding & observation is that we are now net buyers in the transfer market. The last player we lost because he was (apparently) bigger than the club & we needed the money was Rooney. Since then we have steadily built up, not down.

In saying that, I would not be surprised if Abu Dabi City and others with money tried to get one or more of our best players (because we have some very good ones). It could be that someone makes a silly or good enough offer to tempt a sale, but with Arteta I believe that would have to be approaching £20m. I don?t think Kenwright plans to, wants to, or expects to sell anybody in January.

No-one seems to have mentioned his agent, Inaki Ibanez. These leeches are famous for stirring shit just to get the wages up. If I was in BK's shoes, why not pick up the phone and ask Arsenal the question? They say it?s bull, then Everton tell Arteta to get his focus back and everyone is happy except the agent. Some clubs do work together against these agents.

Rumours, rumours, rmours and then some more. Well here is one for you that has got legs. The club has all but secured the services of of little known player, Manuel Fernandes of Valencia. The price paid will be in the region of £9m. Expect movement on this in the week following the Macclesfield game. You heard it here first.

Casper - based on his last period with us, I?d be reluctant to part with £2m for Fernandes but come to think of it we probably haven?t even got £2m so I won?t be holding my breath on that one.

Alan. BK gives the orders and that's that, mate. If he thinks there is balance to be made up then he will sell. But my point was not only about BK and DK but about the big players we have let go in the past which have disturbed the clubs progress. Alan Ball, Duncan McKenzie, Colin Todd, Gary Lineker (who knows how many he would have got the next year) and more recently Martin Keown, Oliver Dacourt, and Michael Ball. These are all playes that should not have left the club and for me, had a big impact on the progress we were making... and there are lots more.

Moyes is doing a great job keeping us in the Prem with the playes he has had but, if we want to claw our way back into the big time, we need to stop selling important players and more importantly, selling them to the clubs we are trying to overtake.

I don't know if this made the British press yet but while I was at Barcelona airport at New Year I saw on the front cover of Ola! that Mikky's missus is up the duff. Congratulations and all that but cue endless speculation about him wanting a transfer to return home.....

http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/439873/0/lorena/bernal/embarazada/