Are Arsenal next to raid Southampton: should Wenger snap up this ambitious Frenchman?

Southampton are in a very interesting position at the moment. They’ve just enjoyed a banner season, with a number of players announcing themselves at the top level of the game. Unfortunately, these same footballers have attracted a large amount of attention from the Premier League big boys.

As a result, by the end of this summer, The Saints could well lose their best players, but have a lot of money to spend in the transfer market. It will be fascinating to see if the club adapts or dies.

Whilst Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana have attracted the most attention, the Saints do have a few other players who could move on this summer.

Take, for instance, Morgan Schneiderlin, who’s made it clear that he wants to take a step up this summer. At first he references the fact that he’s aware that Southampton are currently facing a mass exodus:

“Listen, I’m aware of Southampton’s situation. On a personal level, the club know my position and know what I want to do. I had a good conversation with all the directors.”

Then he goes on to talk about his ambitions:

“I’ve been there for a long time now. We’ll see how things go, but the directors know my position and what my intentions are. Everyone has ambitions, everyone has his own future in his hands, so we’ll see. Every player wants to play on big occasions.” (Source: The Mirror)

He’s clearly keen to join a club that can provide him with a chance of winning silverware next summer. In fact, The Mirror notes that ‘the 24-year-old is looking at his options and favours Arsenal’. Intriguing stuff.

Schneiderlin is a talented defensive midfielder who would certainly add a bit of bite to The Gunners midfield. With Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini both getting on in years, Schneiderlin could prove to be an astute signing. The French connection certainly doesn’t hurt.

There’s no word as yet as to how much Schneiderlin might cost. But given his recent comments, there’s now every reason to believe that Arsenal could get this deal wrapped up pretty quickly.

What’s your take? Are The Gunners right to pursue Morgan Schneiderlin? Where do Southampton go from here?

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