Arsenal’s defensive crisis: is this £8m Premier League ace the answer?

With Arsenal’s hunt for further defensive options seemingly on-going and the transfer window about to slam shut, Arsene Wenger is doubtless finding himself to be in an increasingly desperate situation. If he doesn’t act quickly, he and the rest of the Arsenal hierarchy could get caught with their pants down.

Since agreeing to send Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona, The Gunners have looked curiously short of options at the back. Desperate times lead to desperate measures.

This brings me to Arsenal’s rumoured interest in West Ham defender Winston Reid. Is he the answer to The Gunners’ prayers, or should Arsene Wenger be looking elsewhere?

The Metro claim that Arsenal are looking to wrap up an £8m deal before the end of the transfer window. That’s not a bad price for a player who has a decent amount of Premier League experience (he’s thus far accrued 95 appearances for West Ham).

The 26-year-old has also collected 17 caps for the New Zealand international team, so he’s also got some experience of playing at the top level. In fact, when Ryan Nelsen retired from international football back in 2013, Reid was named captain of the All Whites.

He’s a good defender and a leader. In this respect, he doesn’t look like a bad third-choice centre-back option.

Winston Reid would certainly be able to add some physicality to Arsenal’s brittle defense. He’s 6 foot 3 inches tall, stocky and he loves a meaty challenge. He’s also a smart cookie and rarely gets caught unaware.

At 26-years-old, he should be about to enter his peak years as a footballer. Now looks like the right time to snap him up. If he is available for £8m – as the papers suggest – then it’d be hard to turn your nose up at this deal.

He may not be the big name signing that fans are holding out for, but he could still prove to be a great addition to the squad.

What’s your take? Should Arsenal really consider snapping up this West Ham defender?

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