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Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner will hold talks with German club Borussia Dortmund this week as he looks to make the switch to the Bundesliga. He has not joined Arsenal on their pre-season promotional tour to Asia and will spend the week discussing terms and conditions with Dortmund, according to reports.
English media outlet The Daily Mirror claims that Bendtner, who has long since expressed his desire to leave Arsenal and ply his trade elsewhere next season, is set to move to the German champions. Although other teams like Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon and Benfica are interested, the Dane has given preference to the Bundesliga and is expected to seal the deal over the next few days.
Arsene Wenger confirmed the possibility of both Bendtner and Almunia leaving in his press conference from Malaysia, although he did not reveal the destination club. He said-
“Both of them are possible departures,”
“They are talking to other clubs at the moment. I cannot tell you which ones.”
Bendtner, despite being the subject of widespread derision from large sections of the Arsenal fan-base, has a fairly decent scoring record at the Emirates. He has 22 Premier league goals from 40 starts and 43 goals for Arsenal in total. This in spite of missing large parts of recent seasons through troublesome hamstrings and being played out of position. It has been suggested from within the club that a greater work ethic shown during games would have seen Bendtner reach somewhere near his full potential.
Bendtner found himself shunted to the bench for most of last term owing to the early season form of Marouane Chamakh and the post Christmas purple patch of Robin van Persie. But his best scoring patches at Arsenal have come when he was played as a central striker, and it seems like he will not get enough opportunities to play through the middle at Ashburton Grove.
But now it seems as if the striker will jet off to Germany and discuss a love with Jurgen Klopp. Bendtner was a square peg in a round hole at Arsenal; Dortmund are a square hole and have come to his rescue. Best of luck to him wherever he goes.
In other Arsenal news, the Gunners have sent striker Wellington Silva to Levante on loan for the season, and Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Gervinho is an Arsenal player and has joined training at London Colney.
