If Bacary Sagna does leave Arsenal in the summer, as is becoming increasingly likely, Arsene Wenger will be losing one of the best right-backs in world football. It’s not exactly a position that where great players tend to blossom, bloom and excel. If a club gets hold of a top quality right-back, they’d do well to keep hold of him.
Sagna has been one of the Premier League’s best over the last half-decade. Sure he had an iffy season last year, after a suffering two leg-breaks in quick succession and he’s getting on in years, but he’s still a great option. The Gunners seem to be letting this one go a little early in his career.
Still, mistakes like this can be fixed if the right player is brought in as a replacement. Luckily enough, if The Metro is to be believed, The Gunners are already weighing up their options.
The source suggests that Arsenal have ‘been cleared to sign’ Dutch right-back Daryl Janmaat in the summer, ‘for a bargain price’. Exciting news, right?
The 24-year-old has been in discussions with his current club, Feyenoord, over a new contract. Unfortunately the two parties have been unable to reach an agreement and it’s beginning to look like he’ll join a new club this summer. Could this new club be Arsenal?
He’s got just a year left on his Feyenoord contract, so the Eredivisie side will be keen to sell him whilst they can still get some kind of return. The Metro are even suggesting that he could be available for as little as £3.5m. That’s hardly a bank-breaking fee, is it?
Arsenal will have to buy a right-back in the summer and buying a cheap option will allow the club to focus on bringing in a world-class striker (and another centre-back).
It also happens that Janmaat is a top quality right-back. He’s got 13 caps for the Netherlands and will be a major part of their World Cup squad in the summer. He’s also been one of his club’s best and most consistent performers this season.
In other words, there’s plenty of reasons for Arsene Wenger to be interested. Now let’s see if he can close the deal.
What’s your take? Would Daryl Janmaat be a good signing for the Gunners? Should they try and convince Bacary Sagna to stay?
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Arsenal should sign Sagna so long as the price is not so punitive as to cripple the club in the future. He deserves a new contract; he’s been one of Arsenal’s best and most reliable players all season and he’s been loyal to the club. He deserves to have his present contributions and the stability his presence will bring.
Arsenal should still sign Janmaat or or a similar player because Jenkinson is not ready yet. I really like Calum Chambers from Southampton, but if Janmaat is of similar quality, he might be a much cheaper alternative.
If Sagna goes, Arsenal should sign both, and either way, loan out Jenkinson to give a him a season of first team football. Jenkinson has been impressive going forward but less so defensively and Arsenal need to know if he can be the long-term answer on the right or even a quality squad player. It would be too risky to bring in a new right back and count on Jenkinson to cover if the signing did not work out.