Arsenal: 15 major transfer rumors rated by plausibility and need

7. Chris Smalling—Plausibility 1/10, Need 0/10

The second worst idea of the year, not too far behind the guy that’s coming next. But I’m actually worried about this one because the rumors have been hanging around far longer than I expected and there are still murmurings that Arsenal could move for the for Manchester United defender.

Chris Smalling has never made sense. Ever. Not even when he was 25 and still “needing a chance” at United. He was still a stupid, rotten idea. The fact is that he was never able to make it in England, now he’s doing decently in Serie A at the age of 30. Leave it at that. We don’t need to play the Smalling lottery and see if he can translate Italian success to English relevance. Not when he is supposedly going to cost £25m-ish. For that fee, we can get over half of Jonathan Tah, and frankly, I’d take a fraction of Tah to Smalling any day of the week.

Again though, this rumor does get a one in plausibility simply because I can’t conclusively say that the chiefs here at the club won’t do it. Clearly they are in the market for a centerback and Smalling is, in fact, a centerback. Which is the one factor in his favor.

In the end, though, this is likely a rumor that will die before it takes flight in the actual transfer window. Along with what’s next…