The Copa America has been serving as a good distraction this summer with Chile and Peru advancing to the semifinals and they await the winners of the Argentina vs. Colombia and Brazil vs. Paraguay games. However, it’s transfer news that has been dominating the back pages with the usual bits and bobs here and there.
Morgan Schneiderlin is a player that has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal for as long as I can remember and it’s evident that Southampton is resigned to allowing the player leave this summer but the Saints have placed a price tag of £25 million for one of their prized asset. The Mirror has reported that LVG has given Ed Woodward the go-ahead to make a bid for the midfielder and from all indications, Manchester United is ready to meet Southampton’s asking price. The club spent close to £150 million last summer and they’d continue in that vein as they have been linked with a host of players, including Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos.
If Schneiderlin makes the proposed move to Manchester United, some Arsenal fans would be hoping that Wenger has plans to get a quality holding midfielder to support Francis Coquelin next season. Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini are candidates to play the role of backup to Le Coq but we know that they are past their primes. Coquelin was regarded as a major success story last season but many fans believe that he cannot play every game in the forthcoming season but we will see how things pan out as the weeks progress.
Elsewhere, amid the uncertainty surrounding Sergio Ramos’ future, the Mirror has reported that Real Madrid has identified Laurent Koscielny as a possible replacement. It’s been reported that the Spanish juggernaut are set to offer the Gunners a fee worth £21 million for the Boss. Koscielny has been at Arsenal for five years and has grown from strength to strength to become an indispensable member of the squad.
According to Squawka, Koscielny won 56 percent of his headed duels in the Premier League last season and, in typical Arsenal fashion, maintained an impressive passing accuracy of 89 per cent across his 27 appearances. The centre-back’s 93 interceptions demonstrates his excellent reading of the game, while his total of 166 successful clearances hints at the calming influence he has on his fellow defenders.
When the French defender was out injured for a considerable chunk of the campaign, Arsenal struggled defensively as Arsene Wenger featured the likes of Nacho Monreal, Calum Chambers and even Matt Debuchy to play alongside Per Mertesacker. With his return to the team, Arsenal’s fortune changed for good and as expected, the club finished the season strongly as well as winning the FA Cup to crown their efforts.
Arsenal is now at the peak of their financial powers and I don’t believe that they’d be swayed by Real Madrid’s advances. The only challenge would come if Koscielny opts out, like Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie and co. Then again, what do I know.
I’d monitor the situation in the coming weeks.
Sayonara.
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