Arsenal recently tabled a £10 million offer for Everton centre-back Phil Jagielka, and as my fellow blogger Mike Holmes stated a couple of days back, it was a very worthy first bid made by the Gunners.
Everton are in no mood to accept such offers and have reportedly asked Arsenal to come back with an offer of around £20 million if they want to sign the England international – an amount which doubles the initial offer Arsenal tabled.
But should Arsenal go to the extent of making a £20 million bid for Jagielka?
Is he a good option for Arsene Wenger to pursue?
Well in all honesty, I am finding it difficult to find the right answer here.
I am pretty sure Wenger would have studied the pros and cons of signing Jagielka by now. I am also sure (if Wenger decides to go for him) that the Frenchman has the negotiation skills to secure a deal in the region of £14-15 million, and if there is any club that is in need of money, it is Everton.
Given the resources available to Moyes, it was a fantastic result for the Toffees to finish seventh last season. But, if they are to compete against fierce rivals Liverpool this season and challenge for a Europa League spot, they need serious investment in the squad. So a £15 million offer for Jagielka will be extremely tempting for the Merseyside club.
But what can Jagielka bring to this Arsenal line-up?
The Englishman certainly has tons of Premier League experience under his belt.
He is 28 years old and has played regularly in the Premier League for over six years now. This kind of experience is something Arsenal could do with. He is also technically superior than Arsenal’s other two targets – Gary Cahill and Chris Samba. In my opinion, I believe he will fit into our team better than the other two defenders mentioned above and would be a perfect partner for Thomas Vermaelen.
Jagielka possesses decent pace and is also a threat at offending set-pieces. His tackling and marking is also very good and he is the kind of ball playing centre-back that Wenger has been craving for.
His other strength is that he is very versatile. I’ve seen him play at right-back for Everton once, where he looked very comfortable and assured.
Personally, I feel Phil has got enough skill and technique to play competently in the holding midfielder role too (I am not too sure if he has played here before), and can be used as a tactical ploy in important games like Pepe was for Real Madrid last season.
On the other hand, he isn’t the ‘tall player’ Wenger was talking about earlier in the summer.
Physically, The Everton defender is less imposing than that of Cahill or Samba, but is still better than Johan Djourou and Laurent Koscielny in the air. Still, he will not improve Arsenal’s set-piece defending as much as someone like Samba would. One more worry is his age. Jagielka isn’t too old at 27, but Samba is of the same age and is available for less (approximately £11 million). Cahill is three years younger at 24, and valued at £17 million – he is more of a long-term investment.
Most importantly, I believe Jagielka wouldn’t be a regular starter at the Emirates.
I rate him on par with Koscielny and Djourou, and his potential arrival will only bring more competition for places. This might make all three defenders work harder and improve their performances, but what Arsenal are in dire need of is a first choice partner for the Verminator. Someone like Samba would be a first-team regular at Arsenal because of his imposing presence and aerial ability – this isn’t the case with Jagielka though.
If available for around £14-15 million, Jagielka would be a fantastic signing for us, purely because of the experience and versatility he would bring to the squad, as well as providing healthy competition for places. However, any more money than the amount I stated, then Arsenal should look elsewhere – Cahill? Samba? Even Subotic?
One thing is for certain, £20 million for a centre-back is absolutely absurd.
Written by Vivek Arulnathan for Gunnersphere.com. Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/gunnerviv
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With all due respect jagielka is worth about 10m to arsenal but to everton hes worth far more so think of it by evertons terms and not arsenals
He is also technically superior than Arsenal’s other two targets – Gary Cahill and Chris Samba????
Are you joking?
Gary Cahill is far more accomplished on the ball and is striker-esque in front of goal….twice the player that Jagielka is. You seem to have taken the press hype on-board, rather than just watch the players performances week in/week out.
Must try harder
Gary Cahill twice the player of Jagielka, I’ve heard it all now. Jesus Christ.
Bell. Jags is the real deal.. Do not want to see him leave Goodison.
I believe Jagielka is worth 20m to Everton. He would be a tremendous loss to us, and he is far better than the other lot you have been linked with.
For anything less than 18m I simply would not wish for Everton to sell him.
you have said in your article, you have seen him play at right back once he has played there a few times also played as a defensive midfielder, he reads the game well, he made lescott look a million dollars because he got him out of the mire numerous times he is definitely better than koscielny and djourou just because of his versatility and he will go for what ever price the buyer is willing to pay be that 15 mill or 20 mill
What a pathetic article. Full of errors and referring to certain facts, that are currently no more than speculation.
Jagielka enough skill to play in midfield? Really? No.
He’s a fantastic centre half, and is capable at RB but not great. He is far better than Samba, and if Cahill is better – then why has Jags always been preferred for England?
Finally, why would Everton sell? Well they won’t that’s for sure. If the money situation is so tight, then there are players that will go before a player that is likely to be the next captain. Oh, and he signed a contract extension this year, so he’s still got 4 years to run.
Struggle to agree with any comments in the article, just lazy writing really.
What you don’t understand, and quite rightly as its not your concern, is that Everton are skint and any upfront cash we get for Jags will NOT go to help Moyes’ team-building…it will go to the banks to keep them off the back of our “fan” chairman
That’s the reality and why fans and manager will be against the prospect of transferring Jags
If i was in mr moyes shoes i would defo hold out for £20 squillion.Jags is class,but if it helps us buy a decent striker(not bendtner!)then all well and good.
Repeat article
Henderson £20 million. Deal with it
Wow. How wrong you are, He is a top quality player thats for sure. I would say that what you are getting from him is speed in a centre back that is difficult to beat. You are getting a defender who will always put his body on the line and will do his best to stop anything getting passed him. In stressful situations he is composed and will pivot,spin and turn attackers to get out of danger. As a ball playing defender – no way, Jags can only pass square and at times gets flustered if he has no options and lumps the ball forwards
aimlessly. I think 15 million with adds ons i.e. cash if you win league etc and Evertonians would begrudgingly bite your hand off especially for someone who is turning 29 in a few months.
Koscielny and Djourou on par with Jagielka – are you joking?
Few things, from an Everton fan.
Moyes may need money for rebuilding, but he wont sell Jagielka unless either he asks for a transfer or Arsenal offer enough to allow us to improve the team. In this silliest of silly seasons, that is 20m+.
Secondly, while he is quick, and good in the air, he isnt a ball playing centre half, and was useless when we tried him as a holding player, and fairly average at right back. He is a centre half. If in doubt, he will bang it out, and in fairness he can clear the ball a long long way! He’s also a good organiser and probably our next skipper.
Given his age, and given Wenger’s record in terms of fees I think he is worth more to us than to you. I reckon Gary Cahill is a better buy for Arsenal anyway as he’s taller and younger.
aresene’s playing mind games with everyone lol
he’s trying to get one of the three(samba-cahill-jag)on the cheap,bidding 10 millions for each hahah
On par with Koscielny and Djourou?
I’m sorry, your article pretty much lost credibility at that point.
I don’t think you have actually watched him play, not properly anyway.
His distribution is awful and he is not comfortable at all at right back or as a defensive mid.
He is an excellent defender and I wouldn’t want to lose him from Everton but, he is not a player who is comfortable with a ball at his feet and I think Arsenal would regret signing him.
Before writing something, please do your research. Jags has played holding midfield at Sheffield united and Everton. Didn’t really cut it there. Blossomed into a fantastic central defender who will chuck himself into a path of any shot. Everton can’t replace him for 15 million so they won’t sell for that. Jags will have to give in his transfer request first.
Stupid argument.
Jags is worth as much as anyone wants to pay. If Wenger pays £20m and Everton accept, he will get one of the most accomplished centre backs in the PL. Jags is far superior to Samba and Cahill, which is why Wenger is targeting him (he could get the latter two if they were better (they’re both for sale, unlike Jags))
Anyway, Everton won’t sell for silly bids like £14m (Cahill and Samba price), which should speak volumes to you about highly rated he is by Moyes. As you note, Everton desperately need money. The fact that the club will refuse to listen to offers under about £20m (give or take) should tell you something.
Try thinking and engaging that excuse for a brain in the future before you write and waste everyone’s time.
well said
absolute nonsense! as I have been watching Jags for a number of years now I have a good platform to base my knowledge.
wouldnt be a regular starter?????? are you mad
why does the professor want to buy him? because with his undoubted ability as a manager he identifies Jags is better than what you have at the moment, and the minute you mention chris Samba you lose all credibility he is the most
over rated player in the league just ask the
centre forwards with and pace or technical abilty who they would prefer to play against!
soory but with the money thats being thrown around this year (carroll,torres,bent,henderson,jones) and what Arsenal want for Fabregas Everton are well within their right to ask for £20mill he’s an England regular at the back he assured, strong and has a good turn of pace, Ferdinand went for alot more than that and Terry would still command that sort of fee despite being poor of late and Jags is in their with those three as Englands main CBs. Arsenal want £45mil for Fabregas or £50mil now thats overpriced he is a top class player no doubt but not £50mill.
Sorry, is he 27 or 28 as your article contradicts itself. Still u make a good journalist the amount of shite that was written. Jags will not leave end of
In my opinion Jagielka is up there with John Terry and Rio Ferdinand as England’s best defenders. £20 million is a fair price but Jags doesn’t want to move to Arsenal so unless Everton force him out it’s a moot point.