Alex Song closes in on Barca move

 

Arsenal midfielder Alex Song is closing in on a move to Spanish giants Barcelona and the deal could be completed this weekend.

The 24-year-old was not included in Saturday's opening Premier League match against Sunderland.
Boss Arsene Wenger has lined up Real Madrid's 23-year-old Turkish midfielder Nuri Sahin on loan as a replacement.
When asked about the possibility of more signings, and the departure of Song, Wenger said: "Both can happen."

Alex Song

• Born: 9 September 1987 in Douala, Cameroon.
• Clubs: Bastia (2004-2006), Arsenal (2005-2006, loan), Arsenal (2006-present), Charlton (2007, loan)
• International caps: 30

The two clubs will hold further negotiations at the weekend.

Song, who has two years left to run on his contract, is one of Wenger's longest-serving players, having joined Arsenal as a 17-year-old from French side Bastia in 2005.
He initially joined on a one-year loan deal, with a £2.75m fee agreed to make the move permanent.
Song has gone on to make more than 200 appearances for Arsenal, including 34 in the Premier League last season.
With Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere both close to a return to full match fitness, Wenger is happy with the options available to him in midfield.
"Midfield is an area where we have much more freedom to make decisions," he said.
Sahin joined Real Madrid from Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund last summer but struggled to make an impact, and head coach Jose Mourinho has said he is free to find a new club.
Arsenal have targeted the Turkey international on a season-long loan deal, while Liverpool have also been linked with the playmaker.
Wenger has brought in strikers Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski this summer but Robin van Persie, who scored 30 goals in the Premier League for Arsenal last season, has joined Manchester United.
The Arsenal boss accepts the sale of Van Persie could be a gamble, but is confident his side has the quality to compete at the top of the table.
"We have lost world-class players before and we have always survived," he said.
"We wanted to keep Robin van Persie. The reality is when the player doesn't want to stay, you have two ways - you either force him to stay, or you accept the reality and let him go. I've chosen the second solution.
"I know it's a massive challenge and a massive gamble I took, but I feel that we have the quality to deal with the problem we have."