Arsenal, Premier League

Ask any Charlton Athletic fan about their relegation from The Premiership last season, and the vast majority will tell you the same thing: had they had Alan Pardew at the start of the season as opposed to Iain Dowie and then Les Reed, they would still be amongst the elite now - which is why most of them feel confident their stay in The Championship will be a brief one.

They would feel even more confident if they can manage to keep hold of Darren Bent, yet even the most optimistic Addicks fan will accept this is unlikely. Yet whilst more departures are likely before the start of the season, Pardew has already been active in adding to his squad - Chris Iwelumo (free transfer, Colchester United) and Luke Varney (£2million, Crewe Alexandra) will look to forge a new strike pairing, and Paddy McCarthy (£650,000, Leicester City) will add more steel to the back four.

McCarthy is expected to battle Madjid Bougherra and, should he stay, Souleymane Diarra for a place in the heart of the defence, yet if reports are to be believed, he could also be in competition with Arsenal’s Philippe Senderos. The Swiss international is reportedly a target for Pardew, who will be looking to add him to his squad on a loan basis as he did with his Gunners team-mate Alexandre Song last season.

Many believe Senderos has failed to live up to his early reputation as one of the best young players in Europe

Although at 22-years-old Senderos can be classed as still learning his trade, many believe he has failed to live up to his early reputation as one of the best young players in Europe. When Arsene Wenger successfully fought off competition from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Juventus to sign the player from Servette in a £2.5million deal in 2002, it was considered a huge coup for the Londoners.

A shoulder injury restricted him to just nine Premiership starts last season, although he did come in for some personal praise from Wenger before this blow. Whether the Frenchman would allow him to leave the club on a temporary basis could well depend on if he adds to his own defensive options during the transfer window - at the moment, only Kolo Toure and William Gallas are proven centre-halves.

If Wenger is to allow a defender to leave the Emirates to gain first team experience, he is more likely to look towards Johan Djourou or Armand Traore and offer Senderos another chance to force his way into the first team and make the position his own. However, Charlton are at least set to enquire as to his availability in their ambitious plans for a return to the Premier League.

Should Arsenal part with Senderos? Share your views by leaving a comment below.

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