Arsenal Line Up Move for £17m Pair to Resolve Defensive Concerns: Man United & Chelsea Stars Targeted

Emirates Stadium side plot Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge raids.

Arsene Wenger will look to strengthen his defence in January with moves to bring in Chelsea and Man United stars who may well be made available when the transfer window re-opens.

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Though Arsenal have successfully boosted their options in the final third, with new signings Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck both making immediate impacts, things at the back are shaky to say the least.

Arsenal will look to lure Blues keeper Petr Cech to the Emirates Stadium in a £7m deal according to the Metro with the experienced custodian seen as the man to challenge Wojciech Szcz?sny for the Gunners starting spot.

The 32 year old Czech Republic international is too good to be left warming the Stamford Bridge bench and it seems that young Belgian Thibaut Courtois will now serve as Jose Mourinho’s first choice starter and a move away is likely.

Wenger is ready to meet Cech’s £100k a week wage demands and will hope Mourinho is ready to sell to a direct rival, much as he did when he allowed Juan Mata to join Man United in January.

Arsenal are set to hold talks with Man United as Wenger looks to improve his defensive options with a £10m bid for Old Trafford man Chris Smalling according to the Daily Express.

The north London side have been found wanting at the back with Wenger failing to replace Thomas Vermaelen and then having to use Nacho Monreal as a back-up centre-back option with Laurent Koscielny sidelined with injury.

The situation has not been helped by the fact that the usually reliable Per Mertesacker has been fairly woeful this term, no doubt suffering as a result of having had less pre-season action following his involvement in Germany’s World Cup triumph over the summer.

Smalling’s versatility will also be a motivating factor for Wenger, the former Fulham man offering Arsenal an option at right-back as well as in the centre of their defence.