ohan Djourou is in line to make his first Arsenal start for more than 15 months against Blackpool on Saturday after returning to training following a hamstring injury.

With new signing Laurent Koscienly serving a one-match suspension for his sending-off against Liverpool, Arsenal
were facing a potential crisis at centre-back but Djourou is now competing with Alex Song to partner Thomas Vermaelen.

Djourou, a Swiss international, made just one appearance during the whole of the 2009-10 season following knee ligament surgery and was then also ruled out of Sunday's 1-1 draw at Anfield with a minor hamstring complaint.


It meant Song had to be included in the squad as defensive cover, despite still recovering from his own calf injury.

Manager Arsène Wenger wants to add another centre-back before the closure of the transfer window after the departures this summer of his three most experienced defenders in Sol Campbell, William Gallas and Mikaël Silvestre.

Wenger is also still keen to recruit a goalkeeper, with the club ready to make a renewed bid for Fulham's Mark Schwarzer.

Many Arsenal fans have lost faith in reserve team goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski as well as current No 1 Manuel Almunia, but the 25 year-old Poland international remains determined to prove himself.

"I can understand every single shout against me," said Fabianski. "I am going to do everything in my power to
show that I deserve to be respected.

"Then maybe they will start singing my name – that would be wonderful."

Mark Schwazer is no closer to an Arsenal move as of today.

Contrary to an unsubstantial report by a certain blog (which recently claimed Fabianski will be Sunday’s No.1 with Almunia sent to Coventry), the Fulham goalkeeper is not closing in on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

As of now, no agreement whatsoever has been made between the two clubs to grant the player the process of a medical exam.

The Cottagers have reiterated they are yet to receive any renewed approach from Arsenal over Schwarzer since a failed bid in May but after omitting the the player from his squad on Saturday, new manager Mark Hughes is likely to respect the Australian’s wishes should he force for a move across the capital.

Schwarzer himself has publicly expressed an interest in joining Arsenal, but Wenger is currently considering his available options at the club and is yet to renew his pursuit of the 38-year-old.

When questioned about Arsenal’s goalkeeping situation just over 24 hours ago, Arsene Wenger responded that:

“At the moment it is better for me not to talk about that because it doesn’t help the keepers who play for us, so it is better that we focus on the goalkeepers we have. I believe Almunia had a good game.”

The Gunners boss is believed to be still keen on moving for a new goalkeeper, but to avoid an overload of options, the Frenchman will do so only if any exit for one his shot-stoppers is sorted out.

Almunia has recently been linked with a move to Osasuna and the Spaniard has also stated he will seek a move elsewhere should a new goalkeeper be brought in at his expense.

Arsenal are in talks with Benfica over the sale of French defender Armand Traoré, according to reports in France and Portugal.

Portuguese outfit Benfica are thought to have been given permission to talk to the player, although a deal has not been agreed with Arsenal. The Gunners are keen to do business for a figure of around £2 million plus a large sell on fee. The Frenchman is surplus to requirements in North London and the club have turned down loan offers from French Ligue 2 teams earlier in the summer.

Armand has already been informed he would play in his preferred position of left wing if a deal could be done. The 20-year-old joined Arsenal from Monaco in 2005 and has 12 first-team appearances to his name.

Arsène Wenger, Manager of Arsenal Football Club, is announced as the President of the Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup Local Organising Committee. He joins former professional footballers Emmanuel Petit and Lilian Thuram, as special supporters of Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup.

Arsène Wenger, President, Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup said: “The Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup will bring together different national teams made up of homeless players, orgainsed by charities who help the homeless all year round.

“What is important for a guy who is homeless is to give him a target again in life, for him to know that when he gets up he has training. He takes a shower, has lunch and knows that he has training again the next morning.”

“It gives him something to think about, it gets discipline into his life again. When you lose that discipline, it becomes one of the big problems for Young people. They cannot find a job because they are not shaved, not showered. Everybody rejects them, they feel on the outside, excluded.”

Beating homelessness through football, the Homeless World Cup is an annual world class, international football tournament inspiring 64 national grass roots football projects and over 30,000 homeless players a year to change their lives: over 70% change for the better.

The 8th Rio 2010 Homeless World Cup takes place from 19 – 26 September 2010 at Copacabana Beach, Rio, Brazil before the baton is handed to the Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup from 19 - 29 August 2011. Homeless World Cup is supported by Nike, United Nations, UEFA, global ambassador Eric Cantona and international footballers Rio Ferdinand and Didier Drogba.