This has to be one of the most bizarre transfer rumours that I’ve heard in recent weeks (and that’s saying something). According to The Mirror experienced German International Per Mertesacker has played his last game for the Gunners. They claim that they’ve had access to ‘a report’ which suggests that the Arsenal stopper who is out for the rest of the season will be sold when the summer transfer window re-opens.
Are we really expected to believe that Arsene Wenger is the kind of manager who would sell a player he spent £10m on just 12 months previously? Whether you like him or loathe him, the fact is he hasn’t really had ample time to settle into his new surroundings and deserves at least another season to show what he can do. Let’s not forget that he was also looking extremely solid before disaster struck and he picked up the season-ending ankle injury.
I guess there’s only so much copy you can write on Mario Balotelli and his various controversies. This just whiffs of doggy-doo and it’s clear that The Mirror has no inside line here. Most transfer conjecture at least follows some basic logic (i.e. Liverpool need a goal-scoring centre-forward, so let’s link them to Napoli’s free-scoring Edinson Cavani) but in this case it’s not clear what the thinking is.
Arsenal are notoriously weak defensively, so let’s create a rumour about them selling off one of their best defenders? Who’s going to buy this? The fact that they couldn’t even provide a reason as to why he was going to be sold tells you everything you need to know.
The same article, however, also claims that the Gunners are on their way to signing Ajax’s Captain Jan Vertonghen. This, I’d argue is more likely.
Ajax boss Frank de Boer has already confessed that they are prepared to sell Jan if the right offer comes in. Arsenal have been thought to be interested for a while and the player in question already has a great relationship with Arsenal star and fellow Belgium International Thomas Vermaelen.
A defensive set-up of Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen, Per Mertesacker and Jan Vertonghen (who can also vie with Alex Song for the defensive midfielder position) would be a force to be reckoned with defensively speaking and should help to stop them leaking such easy goals.
Arsenal’s goal this summer will be to keep hold of their best players (Mertesacker included) and bring in some new talent. Jan Vertonghen would make for a good start.
He was certainly not a defensive rock! Far, far from it
If John Cross was involved in that article then it is mega BS.
While Mertesacker is a solid defender, he seems to make a mistake a game — and those often led to goals. With him out, we have shorn up the defense and are conceding far fewer goals. The reality is his positioning is good but he is probably too slow for the EPL (as many commentators argued before the move) and Vertonghen is a much preferable choice. I welcome him moving on, personally.
He seems to make a mistake every game is nonsense, granted he did get out of position a good few times but mostly recovered well. Yes he may be slow but position is generally very good. I can’t see him being sold until Squillachi and even Djorou are sold in my view. personally I think Kos, TV5, Per and Vertongen are good enough centrally to take us to the title next term.
IN FACT, MERT. MADE MANY PIVOTAL MISTAKES THAT LED TO GOALS (WATCH THE GAMES AND BEHOLD). ITS EASIER TO SELL HIM THAN SQUID AND JOHAN, SINCE MORE TEAMS WOULD WANT HIM. I AGREE THOUGH IT SOUNDS LIKE NONSENSE IN THE FACT THAT HE HASN’T HAD AN FAIR ADJUSTMENT PERIOD (LOOK @ KOS). BUT IF WERE DEF. IN FOR JV THEN THIS MIGHT MAKE A LITTLE (NOT MUCH) SENSE. I WOULD PREFER TO KEEP AS BACKUP
Currently watching Vertonghen playing on ESPN, the lad is very efficient, reads the game well and passes the ball very accurately.
The Bears Assessment: very competent, excellent vision, brilliant captain, good leader. Although Arsenal moves the ball much faster, Vertonghen will be an excellent signing for Arsenal.
Complete fabrication.
Personally I rate Per to be ahead of TV defensively. He maid not make the foward runs and threats to score but has the mind to do his job. He was instrumental in Arsenal’s first resurgence forming good partnership with Arsenal’s best centre back, Koscielny.
Absolute Bullshit..Nuff said
They have put two and two together and made 3,000. You need four top center backs to win the Premier League these days. Mertesacker is a top center half whose form dipped in January, like most players use to a winter break first season, due to the fact there is no winter break in the Premier League.
We need to spend the cash in the summer, Arsenal bad form in the middle of season was due to lack of depth in midfield and quality off the bench to produce goals to kill teams off. Injuries to the full-backs did not help either.
No way, anyway what about Bartley? Squallci is the one who will be sold.
SELL RAMSY !!
He’s the worst so called footballer to ever wear an arsenal shirt !
An insult to arsenal and fans !!
RAMSY is destroying this club and it’s future.
Never has a player caused so much hate amongst fans and anger when he comes on!!
SELL RAMSY !!!!!!!
Most hated player by most fans and good news finally even the board have agreed to loan him in the summer !!
I disagree. Few players gave such a good touch as Ramsey. Give him 2 years, he will come good
Your a fucking scumbag you should learn to support your own team and players because it’s fans like you that let arsenal down. Ps it’s Ramsey
I can believe this. He is no rock! He is not mobile enough, he has no pace and he doesn’t use his height effectively.
I say get rid of him and get that Ajax defender Vertonghen in.
You’ve got to be crazy to sell mertesacker. Good article, he just started to gel before he got injured, as you mentioned.
beter mertseca than djorou wat about the mistakes vamelon has made so far call aspade aspde but not abig spoon metsacker is agood defender his game understanding is perfect
Absolutely crap maybe intended to show that arsenal doesn’t respect players. If wenger stuck to almunia for years before attempting to sell him, PM has done quite well
He’s like a large rock in your swimming shorts pocket.
He’s basically identical to Squillaci – and they should both, god willing, be shipped out in the Summer. I don’t care if nobody replaces them. Bartley is better, even Ignasi is better.
Mertesacker was a massive panic buy. Arsenal tracked him for years but had BIG reservations. He’s too slow and poor mobility, that is obvious to any idiot. But Wenger got off to a horrendous start to the season, shit himself and bought a bunch of players on deadline day. But now he’s bought Mertesacker, he won’t sell him for years as Wenger never likes to admit a fuck up.
Djourou and Squillaci OUT and Vertonghen IN !!and then we have a good central defense Koscielny , Verminator , Mertesacker , Vertonghen !!
Hahahahahaha! MALARIA DREAMS! I suggest u see a doctor for Medical attention if u ever dreamt of PER beign sold. Enof of this RUBBISH.