It looks like Arsenal are soon going to have to get used to life without Bacary Sagna. Considering his input over the last seven years, the future suddenly looks that much more intimidating. Replacing the Frenchman certainly won’t be easy.
From the sounds of things, Arsenal have done their best to convince Sagna to stay, but they can’t compete with the financial firepower of some of the Premier League’s other clubs. The Mirror claim that Manchester City are currently offering him a £120k-a-week contract. Let’s not forget that Sagna is 31-years-old. It’s little wonder that The Gunners are struggling to compete, is it?
The Mirror also claim that Arsene Wenger already has a target in mind for when Sagna moves on. He has ordered his scouts to keep tabs on Schalke 04’s talented right-back Atsuto Uchida. The 26-year-old has been a long-term Arsenal target and certainly has a lot more experience than the North London side’s other option, Carl Jenkinson.
He has made 127 appearances for the Bundesliga side and has 65 caps for the Japanese international side. He has experience at every level so it’s easy to see why Arsene Wenger might be interested.
Uchida has bags of pace, isn’t afraid to run at defenders, cut inside and cause havoc. He’s also an astute defender who carries out all his duties with diligence. It strikes me that he’s a good all-rounder.
He may not be the best, or most exciting option available on the market (I’m not sure who that is – maybe Everton’s Seamus Coleman?) but he’s a good one. What’s more, he’s unlikely to break the bank and I’m sure he’d fancy a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners are a side that’s capable of winning silverware once more. If they improve next season, they’re likely to challenge for the Premier League title again. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
There’s no word as to how much Uchida might cost, but it’d certainly be interesting to see Arsenal make a speculative bid.
What’s your take? Should The Gunners be targeting Atsuto Uchida? Are there any other options that they should be considering?
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