Despite most Premier League clubs spending an absolute fortune during the summer transfer window, there’s a good chance that there’ll be a decent amount of spending done in January as well. Apart from Chelsea (and perhaps Southampton), every club in English football seems to have a major issue that it needs to solve.
For Arsenal and Liverpool, it’s their defense. Both clubs spent a lot of money on their attack, or their midfielder, but failed to do enough to bolster their leaky back-lines. Why The Reds are relying on Glen Johnson is beyond me. Why Arsenal have Nacho Monreal playing as a left-sided centre-back is also a little difficult to understand.
Suffice to say, both sides will be hunting for defenders this January. They may even run into each other once or twice in competition for the same player.
This brings me to The Metro‘s claim that Arsenal are set ‘to anger’ Liverpool by beating them to Benfica’s veteran full-back Maxi Pereira. The source suggests that Arsenal have cut to the front of the queue and could be about to sign the Uruguayan as part of a cut price deal.
This begs the question: if Liverpool want the player so much, why don’t they just offer a little more cash? It’s not like there’s that much difference between the two clubs. Pereira is no more likely to win silverware at the Emirates than he is at Anfield.
Either way, it’s easy to see why both clubs are interested. He’s a right back whose all round game is very impressive indeed. He’s a strong tackler who takes up smart positions defensively and isn’t afraid to bomb forward when the opportunity to calls for it. Now that he’s 30-years-old, he can call upon a wealth of experience. He’s a leader and a top defender.
Whoever gets his signature will have won a significant battle. It’ll certainly be interesting to watch this one play out.
What’s your take? Where should Maxi Pereira end up: Anfield or The Emirates?
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