Reports in yesterday’s Manchester Evening News claimed that Arsenal are ready to offer Manchester United an astonishing sum of £12m to tempt them into selling England international defender Chris Smalling.
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The 25-year-old has only made 18 Premier League appearances so far this season, and is far from guaranteed his spot in Louis van Gaal’s side next season – with the Red Devils boss likely to strengthen in the upcoming summer window.
However, the original story suggests that the Dutchman is ready to decline the offer and keep hold of the player.
With Arsenal looking likely to pursue defensive reinforcements, we’ve come up with five viable alternatives to pursuing a deal for Smalling…
5) Virgil van Dijk (Celtic)
The Celtic defender has been linked with Arsenal in the past, most recently ahead of the January transfer window, when he was tipped for a move by talkSPORT. The 23-year-old has been an integral part of the Scottish side since he joined them in 2013, and was the club’s Players’ Player of the Year last season. A Dutch youth team international with bags of potential, he’d be a good back-up option for the Gunners.
4) Winston Reid (West Ham United)
The New Zealand international is a long-term target for the Gunners – with reports such as this from the Daily Mail having regularly linked him with a move across London for the best part of a year. He recently signed a new contract to seemingly extend his stay at Upton Park beyond the end of this season, but could no doubt still be tempted into moving. The question is, how much will the Hammers demand for him?
3) William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)
A defensive midfielder by trade, but the Portuguese international’s versatility could make him an appealing option for Arsene Wenger. Carvalho was strongly linked with a move to Arsenal last summer, but the switch never happened, as talkSPORT reports. The 22-year-old has enjoyed another season of development in Lisbon, and could now be ready to make the step up to the Premier League in 2015-16.
2) Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund)
The World Cup winning defender has been linked with a whole host of European giants over the past 12 months, with the Daily Mirror tipping Arsenal as the favourites back in November. The Mirror reports that the German is valued at £30m, and admit that Manchester United are also heavily interested in the player. Wenger has reportedly asked to be kept informed of developments regarding the player’s future.
1) Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)
One of the most sought after young defenders in Europe. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who managed Varane during his time at Madrid, recently described him as the best young defender in the world, with those quotes reported by the Daily Mail. According to the Daily Express, the Frenchman could even be tempted into a move to the Premier League, having grown frustrated with a lack of playing time in Spain.
