Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Nearing Deal for Bolton Star Gary Cahill

Arsenal Transfer News Sees Gunners Inching Closer to Deal for Gary Cahill

Arsenal's severe lack of defensive skill last season was painfully obvious to anyone who watched the Gunners flounder down the stretch. Even Arsene Wenger admitted as much earlier this summer, and promptly set about landing a couple of big defensive stoppers to plant in the center of his back line. 

The player at the top of Wenger's wish list was Bolton Wanderer star Gary Cahill. The 25-year-old defender was a hot commodity in this transfer window, drawing interest from the Gunners, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham.

Now, according to a report from Mirror Football, the London club is actually getting close to landing the talented young defender from Wanderers. 

They're moving forward with negotiations with Wanderers, and have proposed a player-cash swap to avoid paying Cahill's full buyout fee. After all, Wenger's love of a bargain is well-documented, and �17 million would obliterate the transfer record for the London club. 

So, in an effort to avoid paying the full sum, the Gunners would send midfielder Hanri Lansbury on a permanent transfer to Wanderers, while also loaning out Spaniard Ignasi Miquel to Bolton for next season. 

Frankly, that deal sounds much more appealing to Wanderers than the one previously proposed, in which the Gunners would ship Nicklas Bendtner off in exchange for Cahill in what would have been one of the biggest heists in the history of the transfer market. 

Instead, both sides get players they can use; Bolton gets young players to build around, Arsenal get the big, talented defender they needed so desperately last season, and get him for less cash then he likely would have cost to begin with. 

The deal isn't done yet, but the fact that the Gunners have continued to post offers to Bolton has to be a good sign for Arsenal fans. They're clearly willing to splash the cash to get the player they want, and are even willing to give up young talent to do it. 

In the end, the deal seems like a win-win. Arsenal get the boost to the defense they need, Bolton get cash to help pay their staggering debt and get two players to build around, and Cahill gets to play in the Champions League, for one of the Premiership's elite clubs. 

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