da leao： “I was contacted personally. Arsenal are interested,
da winzada777： “But for now, there is still no contact with Saint-Etienne.”
Could Arsenal finally be about to address their defensive concerns? The words of Loic Perrin appear to suggest that Arsene Wenger is keen on the Saint Etienne captain, who is known for his versatility. Able to play at centre-back, his main role, as well as right-back and in a deep lying midfield role, the 29-year-old appears to be a good fit for the Gunners, and the deal looks even sweeter when the fact that he’ll be eligible for the Champions League is thrown in, too.
But, is he the best option out there? Perrin is relatively unknown outside of France and is now edging towards the back end of his career, and with younger and better suited players around, maybe Wenger should be aiming a little higher…
Winston Reid
Aside from Perrin, Reid looks to be the favourite to arrive at Arsenal before the month is out. The New Zealand centre-back’s contract at West Ham is set to expire at the end of the season, and the Hammers’ move for Doneil Henry suggests that Sam Allardyce is actually preparing for life without his Oceanic star.
One of the Irons’ top performers in what has been an excellent start to the season, a move in the region of £6m-£8m would be a wise one for the Gunners, who have been lacking a player of Reid’s qualities at the back this term.
Fabian Schar
Another soon to be out of contract centre-back on Wenger’s radar is Schar. Interest in the Swiss ace from north London has cooled of late, but he remains on Arsenal’s agenda with his situation at Basel yet to be resolved. The 23-year-old is believed to be holding out to assess his options, and with a good World Cup behind him, there are rumoured to be many suitors out there.
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Valued at less than £10m due to the prospect of a free transfer looming, the youngster offers a good long-term defensive solution for Wenger to consider, with Per Mertesacker edging towards the latter stages of his career.
Virgil van Dijk
Scottish football’s top defender, Van Dijk is being tipped for a 2015 move south of the border, despite claims from Celtic boss Ronny Deila that he will be able to keep his man. The Dutch ace has been a revelation since his switch from Groningen last year, and has been lauded for his all-round defensive qualities as well as ability on the ball.
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These attributes would suggest that he’s an ideal fit at Arsenal, and his status as somewhat of a newcomer are likely to see him content with an understudy role to Laurent Koscielny and Mertesacker. A fee of £10m-ish is rumoured to be enough to convince Celtic to sell, making him an option for Wenger.
Benedikt Howedes
A little above the budget options Wenger seems to be considering, a £15m+ move for Howedes may be a wise one. The Schalke ace was a key member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side over the summer, playing admirably as a left-back. A central defender by trade, his performances in the Bundesliga with Schalke have attracted much praise for some time, and his versatility is likely to appeal to Wenger with injuries an almost constant issue in the red half of north London.
Tyrone Mings
Dubbed the ‘new John Terry’, Ipswich’s Mings has been earning rave reviews for his showings in the Championship this term. Currently filling the role left by now West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell, the 21-year-old’s long-term position is believed to be at centre-back, with his towering 6ft. 3” frame and ferocious pace the building blocks for a top Premier League enforcer.
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Wenger is already thought to be interested in Mings, and it’s fair to say that he would certainly be a better option for the future than Perrin. The Tractor Boys are in no hurry to get rid of their man, but a tempting January offer may be enough to alter their stance.