Bendtner Linked to Malaga and Galatasaray

With Robin Van Persie almost certain to leave the club this summer, another striker is set to leave too. With Van Persie’s move gaining all the media attention, Nicklas Bendtner’s exit will definitely be a side story to the big exit this year, even if Bendtner does think he is the best player in the world.

Bendtner impressed at the European Championships this summer, scoring twice and turning heads amongst the Arsenal fans along the way. His agent has confirmed that he will be leaving Arsenal this summer, claiming that there is ‘worldwide’ appeal in his client and that a “top club” will be signing him.

Recent newspaper reports claim that Bendtner, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, will have the choice between Spanish moneybags Malaga and Turkish champions Galatasaray. Malaga will be in the Champions League qualifiers and the Turkish side are in the group stages of it having won the Turkish league last season. Although I wouldn’t regard Malaga as a top club yet, they are building something there with all that money. Galatasaray are a big club in Turkey and Bendtner will win trophies out there. Either of these moves will give him Champions League football, something he didn’t get at Sunderland last season. So from his point of view they would both be good moves. He will get a good wage at both clubs too I’d imagine, so overall if you’re Bendtner, you aren’t complaining.

With former Gunner Julio Baptista injured for at least 4 months at Malaga and Ruud Van Nistelrooy having retired this summer, Malaga are lacking firepower up front. They hope that Bendtner can continue his form from the Euros in La Liga next season, should the Dane sign there. Galatasaray will want to add players with Champions League experience to their side. There are quite a few names in their squad at the moment that are recognisable to English fans, with Bendtner’s former Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Eboue there following his move last summer, former Liverpool players Albert Riera and Milan Baros as well as former Bolton striker Johan Elmander and the English born Turkish international Colin Kazim-Richards. They have been linked with a move for both Bendtner and Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov, although Bendtner appears more keen on the move than Berbatov does.