AS: Sahin to complete loan move this week, likely to Arsenal

You had to know we weren't done with this, didn't you? According to Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin is expected to complete a loan move this week, with the expected destination being Arsenal. Other clubs are interested in the young Turk, but Arsene Wenger has maintained a higher level of interest, and is expected to move to London regardless of the status of other possible moves involving the clubs.

That, of course, would mean that Sahin will move out whether or not Real Madrid complete the long-rumored signing of Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur. This is good news for Arsenal, as that move has dragged on for quite some time, and waiting on Spurs and Madrid to complete their business would be clearly detrimental to Arsenal in the process of getting the player acclimatized to the club and league (especially if this deal ends up collapsing).

This comes on the heels of a similar report yesterday from other Spanish paper Marca, which said that this week "will be key for any possible deal" due to the impending start of both the Premier League and La Liga seasons. An interesting note included in that story that wasn't mentioned in AS: Madrid and Sahin would be open to a permanent transfer with a buy-back clause if the loan move fails, and Arsenal also approve.

This should all be taken with a grain of salt, as neither paper is the most reliable in the world. However, there are some things to note - first of which, of course, is that whether based on good reporting or not, both are right in that this week is, in fact, crucial to any deal. It would be massively preferable to bring the player in before games start, to allow extra time to blend into the squad. Furthermore, this all fits pretty well with previous reporting from other trusted sources.

I admit to being hopeful that both papers are right, but there still appear to be several roadblocks in the way of Sahin becoming an Arsenal player on any basis. I'm relatively confident still that it will happen, but I wouldn't place a bet on it happening in the next few days, by any means.