Demba Ba: Should Arsenal go for him in January?

According to reports, Arsenal are plotting a January swoop for Newcastle striker Demba Ba, as Arsene Wenger is desperate to fill the void left by Robin Van Persie. The Senegalese International has been an instant success since his arrival from West Ham and has a buy-out clause of just £7.5 million.

Despite being strongly linked to the Gunners last summer, no approach was made and therefore nothing materialized. However, given Arsenal’s recent form, it seems as though Wenger is back for Ba and will tempt the former Hoffenheim hitman with higher wages and Champions League football.

Ba still has 18 months to run on his £50,000-a-week Newcastle deal and manager Alan Pardew has admitted the 27-year-old’s contract buy-out clause is hanging over their heads.

“The one thing I will say on a positive note is that he has never, if I am honest, looked me in the eye and looked like he wanted to do anything else but stay here, and I hope he does.”

Arsenal themselves have been the subject of much speculation following their 2-0 home defeat to Swansea. This is Arsenal’s worst start to a campaign and many are claiming that the club have cause for concern. However, Wenger has responded to comments and rejects claims of Arsenal experiencing a crisis:

“It is fashionable to have a go at Arsenal but this club is in fantastic shape. We have a good team and a strong structure we have built over the years. We are in a strong financial situation and we are mentally strong.”

This season, Ba has already found the net 10 times, dragging Newcastle out of four consecutive losses with his double against Wigan. Newcastle signed Ba on a free transfer from West Ham. During his brief stint with the Hammers, Ba scored seven goals in 13 appearances but was unable to prevent the club from relegation.

Ba struck 16 times for Newcastle last season helping them secure European football for the first time since the 2006/2007 season.

This is an interesting one for Arsenal. The 6ft 2 forward is blessed with a physically imposing stature, he’s an experienced professional and is available at quite a bargain price for someone of his quality. However, the January transfer market is usually reluctantly entered by most managers as they feel it could cause disruption to the team.

Nevertheless, Arsenal are in need of a forward in form, and Demba Ba could be a great addition should Wenger opt to buy him.