If Mikael Silvestre joins Arsenal this week, it will prove to be another coup for Arsene Wenger.

The incredibly experienced defender will, if his fitness holds, provide another wise head in the dressing room and could just be a missing link to keep the younger lads focused.

I remember Silvestre slating Arsenal a few times in the past, but there’s no doubt he is a quality player and has the ability to play in the centre and on the left, which is particularly relevant given the absence of cover for Gael Clichy.

Armand Traore has played further forward on a few occasions and I wonder if Wenger believes Traore’s attacking skills are better than his defending. To hone the defensive part of his job and not leave the team exposed when players need to be rested, who better than someone like Silvestre?

It will be interesting to see if the deal goes through and if reports are to be believed, there’s only a few details to sort out. I’m a little surprised by Fergie giving Silvestre permission to come to us, to be honest, but hopefully that arrogance will come back to haunt him.

There are, of course, doubts over Samir Nasri’s fitness ahead of the Fulham game. Maybe he hasn’t entirely recovered from the injury that kept him out of the Twente game and with such a long season ahead, despite his brilliance, I would like to see him rested if there is any suspicion that he is not completely healthy.

Given his part in our goal last weekend, I expect Denilson will be involved – and if Nasri doesn’t make it, why not play Alex Song?

Cameroon were knocked out of the Olympics last weekend so he has had plenty of time to recover from jet lag and get ready to make his mark at Emirates.

Song is one of those players who looked unlikely to make the grade in a lot of his early appearances. I must say that when Wenger brought him on, I always got a little anxious.

But he showed in the Blackburn Carling Cup game what a dynamic player he can be and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him included in the squad.

I just hope his return and the possible signing of Silvestre doesn’t mean Wenger gives up on buying a midfield enforcer. We need more depth.

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The Sun - Arsenal are taking the Mik
ARSENE WENGER has hijacked Manchester City’s bid to sign Mikael Silvestre. The Manchester United defender, 31, was undergoing a medical at neighbours City when he got a call telling him Arsenal were interested.

The Daily Mail - Gunners in shock swoop to steal United defender Silvestre from under the noses of Sunderland
Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre was last night on the verge of an astonishing move to bitter rivals Arsenal.

The Times - Arsenal in shock move for Mikaël Silvestre
Arsenal were closing in last night on the most surprising transfer deal of the summer after making a firm approach to Manchester United about Mikaël Silvestre.

The Telegraph - Arsenal to hijack Mikael Silvestre's move from Manchester United to City
Arsene Wenger is reported to have made a last minute attempt to sign Mikael Silvestre from Manchester United, just as the player was having a medical at Manchester City.

The Guardian - Wenger issues Walcott warning
The Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger said he has "no worries" about the continued development of teenager Theo Walcott but has again called for Gunners fans and the media to keep their patience with the England youngster he bought in 2006 from Southampton.

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So Manu Adebayor has signed a new deal, extending his previous contract by a year or two, with reports suggesting that he is now tied to the club until 2012 and on £80,000 per week.

Given his impact last season, I can understand why our Togo forward wanted to be recognised for his exploits, especially with football being such an uncertain and short term career.

Remember the start of last season? All the talk was of Robin Van Persie taking over the mantle as the number one striker at the Club.

Given his injuries and the fact that he plays in a deeper position, Adebayor’s importance became even more stark as the season went on.

I’ve always had mixed feelings about Adebayor – his running and effort in his first two full seasons made up for a lack of the poise and excellence we’d seen from Thierry Henry. He wanted to prove his worth to the team and the fans and last season, he did that in spades.

But with success comes ego –and the shenanigans we endure during the summer. I don’t buy Adebayor’s assertion that he had nothing to do with it. He was looking after himself and letting the soap opera play out before deciding what would be his best play

We can’t dismiss his contribution last season, or indeed this, having slotted away a simple chance to make the FC Twente return something of a formality – but there have been plenty of misses that have left many of us scratching our heads.

It’s certainly not a lack of ability on Adebayor’s behalf, just a matter of not focusing to complete the execution of chances he has proved he can put away.

If Adebayor had left during the summer, I wouldn’t have been too upset, but seeing him in some of the pre-season games made me realise that his pace, power and aerial ability give him a combination of skills not many strikers can call upon.

A new player would have had to be integrated into the team and the less upheaval we have, the better.

The fact that he remained at Arsenal is actually a triumph for the Club. Arsene Wenger did not want to sell him, dug his heels in, and spun the situation to his advantage, getting the player to extend his deal and proving that, if he wants to keep a player, he keeps him. We’re not quite the selling club everyone claims us to be. 

So it is a concern to hear some Gooners booing Adebayor on Saturday. There was a muted response when he took to the pitch and when he missed another of the chances that could have made victory a little more comfortable, the boos started again.

I don’t blame Wenger when he said: “We have to get behind him and support him because he is a tremendous force and (is of) tremendous importance for the team - you want your own fans to be behind him.

"What happened in the transfer period did not always reflect his deep desire and there was manipulation from agents on both sides, but overall I am positive he will recover. Every player needs to feel wanted.”

Now is the time to get behind Adebayor. He is our player, for this season at least, and without him playing at his best and feeling loved, we won’t win anything.

Two more youngsters have left Arsenal in the last 24 hours – further underlining their value to the Arsenal squad.

Nacer Barazite, who may have had more first team games under his belt but for a cruel dislocation in his second appearance, against Blackburn Rovers in the Carling Cup last season, has joined Derby County until the end of the year.

I think Barazite is just the sort of inventive player Arsene Wenger admires. Although he may lack a little pace, he has a typically astute Dutch brain and his record of 18 goals for reserves and youth last season is pretty impressive.

Havard Nordtveit, captain of the Reserves last season but hampered by injury, looks to me to be the player most likely to force his way into the centre of the Arsenal defence in years to come.

With the aerial power of Tony Adams and the passing ability of Kolo Toure, he impressed in pre-season and I’m not surprised he’s been sent to Salamanca in Spain to finish his pre-first team education.

If Carlos Vela’s experience is anything to go by, Nordtveit will come back ready for the rough and tumble of the Premiership – and that can only be a good thing.

Of course, there is a flip side. Fran Merida, tipped to be the next Cesc Fabregas, has hardly had a look-in this year since returning from a loan spell at Real Sociedad last season.

Merida played against Boreham Wood last week and admitted that the experience of playing in the first team hardened him up – but with Jack Wilshere moving ahead of him in the pecking order, I wonder if that suggests Merida has yet to do enough to convince Wenger of his worth, despite being labelled as “an absolutely amazing talent” by Le Boss last season.

I expect to see Barazite in the Arsenal first team, if only making a cameo, before the end of the season unless his loan is extended - but it would be nice to see Merida take the pressure off the established playmakers as well.