The main and most interesting/amusing (take your pick) rumours so far are:

Robin van Persie. Various papers etc reckon we've signed the "new Dennis Bergkamp" from Feyenoord. The Dutch club claimed to have rejected a bid from the Gunners in the transfer window, and we're still excited about the potential for Shakespearian puns. Feyenoord say they're expecting to make some sort of announcement about his future sometime this week.

Shaun Wright-Phillips. I'm not saying he's not an exciting prospect, but one can't help wondering if this rumour is mainly heart over-ruling head. The story goes that he's been the talk of the Arsenal dressing room, but do we have space for another winger? It'd be great to have Wrighty's boy on the team, he certainly seemd to enjoy his part in the classic Keegan turnaround at WHL earlier this season, and it'd make it a lot easier for his stepdad to decide which game to go to each weekend....

David Beckham. When he left for Spain there was a lot of talk about how him and his wife really wanted to come to London, but Man Utd wouldn't sell him to their rivals so he went for a brief cahs-in in Madrid instead. So, all the talk linking him with Chelsea makes a lot of sense. As for the talk about us maybe nicking him from under their noses: well, we couldn't match Abramovitch's money but on the footballing side of things there'd be no contest, surely? It kind of looks like Beckham's being used in Spanish power struggles again. A contender for Real President, Enrique Sobrino, says that if he takes over he'd listen to offers, because recent scandals have been damaging to the club. Is this really a potential vote-winner. I always thought that the Spanish would put the footballing side of things first, and Beckham's proved a fine acquisition on the pitch.

Nore that these are all attacking midfielders. There's some sense to that because even though we signed Reyes, Wiltord is expected to leave and while we hope Dennis stays another year at least, one has to recognise that he won't last for ever. David Bentley is as yet unproven, and it seems that the plan is for him to be given a chance to prove himself in a loan deal next year. My gut feeling is that even though Pennant has had a good year at Leeds, Wenger won't be thinking of him as an Arsenal player in the long run. Kanu has put in some good performances this year, better than for ages, but looks like being very much a fringe player at best. One can't help feeling it might still be best for everyone if he moved on. On the other hand, while we have Henry, Reyes, Vieira, Dennis, Pires, Freddie, Gilberto, Edu, and Parlour, is a new signing in the front 6 really going to get many games?

Thanks to Lehmann's slightly excessive tendency to go on excursions out of his box, and the fact that everyone now seems to know that he's easy to wind-up at corners, there will also naturally be a lot of talk about keepers. Van der Saar, Barthez, Antni Niemi, Frey, they'll all be talked about.

But surely what we really need is a new centre back. While this season has seen the spectacular emergence of Kolo Toure, it's also seen, surely, the end of Martin Keown. He hasn't looked like himself at all, and with his testimonial coming up one has to suspect that his days are numbered.