Van Persie & Sagna excited about Chamakh

The Gunners have been linked with the highly sought-after Moroccan international since last summer, when a host of Premier League clubs - including Spurs and Sunderland - were also keen on the Ligue 1 goal-getter, who has netted 55 league goals.

Wenger revealed after his side's 4-0 victory against Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season that: "He could be the first [new arrival].

"We have to finalise some papers and some of the medical. It's not done yet, but it is very close."

And both Van Persie and Sagna have welcomed the news, as they set their sights on finally ending the club's trophy drought in 2010/11.

"He's a good player. I know him from France because I played against him many times and he has skills and is very good in the box so it will be good for Arsenal to have him and to play with him," former Auxerre full-back Sagna told Sky Sports.

"He will need power and to fight more because English football is totally different from French football. But I'm not worried because I know he's a hard fighter."

Dutch international Van Persie, whose five-month-long injury layoff effectively ended the Gunners' hopes of winning a first honour since the 2005 FA Cup this term, believes the addition of another quality forward can only help the Emirates Stadium outfit's quest.

"He looks a good player," he said in the Evening Standard.

"He is strong in the air and scores lots of goals with his head. He looks confident on the ball so hopefully the transfer goes through.

"It is good for all of us to have competition and that's why I am happy to see him coming."

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Gregg Davies

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.