An eleven made up of strongly linked targets who are apparently high up on Arsene Wenger’s Emirates Stadium wish-list.
Which would you sign? Eleven players who are said to interest Wenger, who is said to have a transfer war-chest amounting to as much as £100m, so which should he look to bring in this summer?
Goalkeeper – David Ospina (Nice)
Highly rated Colombian has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium where he would replace outgoing Pole Lukasz Fabianski as the north London club’s back-up custodian. By all accounts a £4m deal is almost done and that’s a bargain price for the 25 year old, who had an outstanding World Cup.
Left-Back – Alberto Moreno (Sevilla)
Though Kieran Gibbs has pretty much made the left-back berth his own it’s also true the England man has had some well documented injury concerns. Highly rated Spaniard Moreno has previously been linked with a move to the join the Gunners but is now said to be Liverpool bound.
Centre-Back – Joel Veltman (Ajax)
Most recently the Dutch international has been considered a replacement for exit bound Belgian Thomas Vermaelen and there’s no doubting the 22 year old has the potential to be a good long term option. Veltman was part of Louis van Gaal’s 2014 World Cup squad and may be happy to act as back-up to Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny in the short-term.
Centre-Back – Ashley Williams (Swansea City)
Welshman has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for each of the past three transfer windows and given that Micheal Laudrup has left the Liberty Stadium one imagines an exit is plausible but could Arsene Wenger really bring in a player closing in on 30 as a back-up option?
Right-Back – Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United)
Another deal that is apparently done and dusted and the 28 year old is perhaps the ideal man to replace Bacary Sagna, having forced his way ahead of the right-back in Didier Deschamps’ French national team set-up. A move will soon be completed and will see Arsenal pay around £10m for the former Lille man.
Defensive Midfielder – Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton)
Tough tackling Saints star could be the latest to leave the south-coast club and has been often linked with interest from the Emirates Stadium side. The long serving Southampton man could be the ideal man to replace veteran Mikel Arteta and is a player who is in the best form of his career.
Central Midfielder – Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen)
Another midfield target and a player with a great engine who could offer Arsene Wenger a fresh box to box performer and seemingly not a player who would cost the earth. Bender failed to garner a spot in Joachim Low’s World Cup squad and may feel the time is right to leave the BayArena.
Central Midfielder – Sami Khedira (Real Madrid)
German international is apparently a player who could be on his way to Arsenal with some sources claiming that the Premier League side have agreed a £23m fee for the tough tackler. The midfield battler has just a year to run on his current Bernabeu deal so this is the chance for the Spanish giants to cash-in on the 27 year old. Khedira missed most of last season through injury but played a key role in his nation’s World Cup success.
Left-Attack – Alexis Sanchez (Bought)
Barcelona man has already completed his £32m move to Arsenal and will offer Arsene Wenger some much needed support in the final third. The 25 year old had his best goal-scoring season to date last term and then followed it up with a solid World Cup showing but was seemingly not part of new manager Luis Enrique’s plans. The Nou Camp side’s loss could well be the Gunners’ gain.
French international has more than proven himself at Premier League level in spells at QPR and then on loan at Newcastle United, available for as little as £8m the 27 year old former Marseille man could well offer Wenger an alternative to Olivier Giroud up front.
Right-Attack – Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)
Cultured winger had an outstanding season in La Liga, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, and is a player who very much fit’s the bill as regards to the attributes Arsene Wenger looks for in his players. Comfortable on the ball, quick thinking and able to make something out of nothing. Plus he’s French!
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