Juventus tell Arsenal to forget about Felipe Melo

Arsenal might have to think again about signing Felipe Melo from Juventus. The Brazilian defensive midfielder has been at the centre of speculation about a move to the Gunners for several weeks but it appears the Italian club intends holding on to the 26-year-old. "Melo will remain with us," said Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc in an interview with tuttojuve.com, adding: "Do not make any more comments about the transfer market. We will focus on these matches left until the end of the season without looking too far ahead, but by demonstrating our qualities on the field."

As reported in The First Post yesterday Melo had a spat with Juventus fans during the recent 3-3 draw with Siena, an incident that culminated in the Brazilian making a public apology. Melo, who arrived at Turin from Fiorentina last summer on a £21m deal, has struggled to adapt to life in the Europa League with Juventus (who tonight take on Fulham) and is reported to be keen to join Arsenal.

One player apparently not so eager to remain at the Emirates is Armand Traore. The 20-year-old joined Arsenal from Monaco in 2006 and after a slow start is beginning to find his feet at the club. But in an interview with French rag Le Parisien, Traore says he wants to return to the French capital to play for Paris St Germain, the "club of his dreams".

"PSG will always be PSG," said Traore, which presumably means they'll continue to underachieve. It's sixteen years since they last won the French league and this season they're more mediocre than usual, languishing in 12th place without a hope of European football next season. But in Traore's imaginative young mind, PSG remain a European powerhouse. "They are a great club which made a whole generation of people dream during the years 1990-2000," he simpered. "And the Parc des Princes is a mythical stadium. Still today when I talk to other players, prestigious or not and of all nationalities, they talk to me about PSG, telling me that they dream about playing there one day."

Quite which players he's been talking to, Traore didn't say, but he himself would jump at the chance of running out each week in