With Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna now almost certain to quit the north London club on a free transfer this summer, we look at the five replacements that manager Arsene Wenger is currently looking at to take over from the Frenchman at the Emirates next season ….
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Serge Aurier (Toulouse)
Reports in France of late claim that scouts from the north London club have been running their eye over the Ivory Coast international on several occasions recently as the Gunners step up their search for a new right back to lure to the Emirates for next season.
And by all accounts the Premier League giants have been hugely impressed with what they have seen from the 21-year-old, who has managed to register a total of seven goals and six assists in his 31 Ligue 1 outings for his side.
Calum Chambers (Southampton)
Another starlet to have emerged from the south-cost club’s famed youth academy, with the England Under-19 international having already managed to catch the eye of several Premier League clubs so far in this campaign with his impressive displays on the right-hand side of the Saints back four.
Chambers, 19, has a contract at St Mary’s that runs until June 2017, although it is believed that were the north Londoners to make Southampton an offer they cannot refuse for their young starlet, then Chambers could very well be on his way to the capital this summer.
Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund)
Another player who the north London club have been keeping close tabs on now for some time, with boss Arsene Wenger actually having tried to lure the experienced Poland international to the Emirates last summer after the attacking full back had shone for his side on their run through to last season’s Uefa Champions League final.
However, at that time Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp was not prepared to allow the 28-year-old to leave the Ruhr Valley, however, that situation is said to have recently changed, therefore opening up the possibility of Wenger returning for the defender this summer.
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
The young all-action Republic of Ireland international was recently chosen in the Professional Footballers’ Association Premier League Team of Season, a fair reflection of the 25-year-old’s outstanding campaign at the back for the Merseysiders.
Coleman has been in eye-catching form bombing down the right flank at Goodison Park under new manager Roberto Martinez, with the full back having scored six goals and created two others as well in his 34 top-flight appearances, although that also means that the Gunners will need to break the bank in order to get their man.
Fabian Schar (FC Basel)
The young Switzerland international is versatile enough to be comfortable operating either as a centre back or as a right back, an added attraction to the Gunners signing the 22-year-old when the summer transfer window does finally reopen for business.
And with Schar having been particularly impressive in the Swiss champions’ Uefa Champions League campaigns of late as well, you can understand just why the north London club are said to be so keen to lure the player to the Emirates or next season.
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