Arsenal in advanced talks to sign Gary Cahill & Christopher Samba as Arsene Wenger considers surprise £24m double swoop

Posted Thursday, June 16, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Arsenal is in advanced talks to sign Gary Cahill and Christopher Samba as Arsene Wenger attempts to plug the holes in his leaky defense.

The manager has identified central defense as his team’s main weak point and accepts that Premier League nous is required to give his side greater steel next season.

After losing out on Samba’s former Blackburn Rovers teammate Phil Jones, Wenger is keeping his options open by moving for two center-halves simultaneously. Sources have indicated that he is even prepared to buy both players in this window in a shock double swoop that could cost £24 million.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis had a private lunch with his Bolton Wanderers counterpart, chairman Phil Gartside, in Doncaster last Thursday during the two-day Premier League AGM and it is understood they held ‘amicable’ discussions about Cahill moving to Emirates Stadium.

Bolton revealed in its last set of financial accounts they have debts of £93m and Gartside is ready to cash in on Cahill, who has a £17m release clause in his contract.

Arsenal are reluctant to smash its transfer record to land the England international but know that Manchester City and Chelsea are also monitoring developments. Nevertheless, Wenger is confident he will not have to pay more than £15m to get Cahill given Bolton’s financial problems and the player’s willingness to move to a Champions League club.