Anyone who has seen Arsenal play in the recent past would attest to the fact that the Gunners have always been a defensive midfielder away from seriously competing for the top honors. It is no secret that after the departure of Vieira and Gilberto they were never really replaced in the team.
This has led to the absence of muscle to support the ever-present skilful and stylish game the Gunners love to play. Following tradition, the current Arsenal team is also crying out loud for a defensive midfielder who could add some steel to the midfield.
Another intriguing problem the current squad is plagued with is the horrid lack of depth at the Centre Back position. Arsene Wenger has got himself into this position after not signing a CB to replace the outgoing Vermaelen thus leaving himself with only two senior CBs going into the current season. A subsequent injury to Kos meant that the team suffered a lot and Wenger was forced to field more than ten different back four combinations by the half way mark of the season. This has resulted in a very shaky defence which has often proved itself to be of a highly porous nature. The defence has not quite been able to complement the attack and if this season is to be saved, there has to be at least a couple of decent signings made at both CDM and CB. The signing of a defender assumes even more importance after Debuchy endured a shoulder injury vs Stoke. Any two decent signings at CDM and CB who could actually help the team would mean a massive transfer window for Arsenal.
Let’s take a look at five players who would readily improve the Arsenal squad:
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Morgan Schneiderlin
Even a kid could tell you that Schneiderlin would possibly fix half of Arsenal’s problems right away, if he was to sign from Southampton this January. To Wenger’s credit, Schneiderlin was pencilled in for a meeting with the Gunners when any possible deals were called off by the men in charge at Southampton. Arsene Wenger should risk going all out Southampton’s star midfielder. A player who would be eligible for UCL, with plenty of Premier League experience. A proven candidate who would fit right in at the Emirates warrants that kind of risk-taking, even if it means shelling out in the figures of £25m, which is the supposed price tag.
William Carvalho
Another player mooted to have been pursued by Wenger in the summer, this man would surely add some muscle (and then some!) to Arsenal’s fairly flair-based midfield. Sporting Lisbon are touted to be looking for an amount of £25m also to be willing to part with their man who has his heart set on a move to the Emirates. It remains to be seen as to how Wenger responds to Carvalho’s recent come and get me plea.
Ilkay Gundogan
You would’ve gotten a tight slap from me had you told me in June that I’d find Dortmund as low as 17th in the Bundesliga halfway through the season. But that’s exactly the way things stand now after 17 games played. Arsenal are believed to have tabled a bid of £15.6m for Dortmund’s midfield man and are rumored to be holding talks about a potential move. Gundogan would be a massive signing for Arsenal and for him to play in the DM role alongside Aaron Ramsey in the box-to-box role is a mouth watering prospect for any Arsenal fan. A deal might be on the cards with BVB looking to sell him while they can with his contract due to expire next summer.
Mats Hummels
Let’s move our attention to the star defender from Dortmund, Mats Hummels. This is another transfer possibility which has been brought about by the plight of the German club. Mats Hummels recently broke down after yet another horrid day at the office with his BVB teammates and is supposedly looking for a new challenge. When a player of that caliber is available, and when you are in dire need of a player in the same position, you must go all out to get him if you are truly ambitious about bigger things. Mats Hummels alongside Laurent Koscielny would be the scariest thing PL strikers have faced in a long long time. Manchester United are also looking to get his signature for a whopping fee of £35m and Arsenal should pull out all the stops in ensuring that they secure the German national’s signature.
Winston Reid
Another name extensively linked with Arsenal is West Ham United’s Winston Reid. Any sort of cover at Centre Back would be much welcome. For Wenger to sign a quality player with EPL experience and with a transfer fee not blowing out the roof, it would be a safe bet. But their manager Sam Allardyce is adamant on keeping the player at the club this January and is not looking to entertain any offers for the solid centre back. Maybe this will mean that Wenger will have to look at other options in Loic Perrin, Van Djik, etc.
Who would you like to see Wenger sign this January? Share your opinion with a comment or a tweet.
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