This link was doing the rounds at the start of the season, but Ray reaffirmed his commitment to the Gunners. Now that Trevor Sinclair has asked for a transfer away from Upton Park (and looks likely to move to Sunderland - another club who were said to be sniffing around after Parlour) the tongues are flapping again, and none more so than the West Ham manager's...

"I am very uncomfortable talking about players who are with other clubs but I have always been an admirer of Parlour."

....errrr, not that uncomfortable, then.

Sinclair's departure could make Roeder even more keen to tempt Ray from Highbury, but it's hard to see why it'd make West Ham any more tempting for the Romford Gunner. The only glimmer of plausibility comes from the idea that Arsenal may want to clear a path to regular first team action for Jermaine Pennant (and following him, maybe David Noble). But at the moment we have to say that Parlour brings a determination to the Arsenal midfield which some of our more celebrated midfielders cannot.