Arsenal

Wenger asks Arsenal board to help him land £45m Chelsea target in January

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John Stones (3)

According to reports from Fichajes, Arsene Wenger has asked the Arsenal board to help him sign Chelsea and Manchester United target John Stones in January.

The 21-year-old has emerged as the most exciting home-grown defender in the Premier League since joining the Everton ranks from Barnsley in January 2013, his agility, pace and skill particularly rare for an English centre-half.

The England international’s emphatic rise over the last three years hasn’t gone unnoticed by Europe’s top clubs. Chelsea notoriously saw three bids rejected during the summer transfer window, the last and most lucrative believed to exceed the £30million mark, whilst Manchester United also made their interest known but refrained from making an offer.

Both clubs have been linked with the 6 foot 2 defender yet again over the last few weeks as we approach the January window, alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal and European champions Barcelona.

And Spanish publication Fichajes claim that Gunners gaffer Arsene Wenger is so intent on signing Stones in January that he’s asked for extra assistance from the club’s board.

The Frenchman should have plenty left in the kitty after not signing a single outfield player during the summer, but may deem it necessary to request specific backing from his superiors to instigate a deal that could cost the club a whopping £45million.

That would make Stones the most expensive signing in Arsenal history and the most expensive defender in Premier League history. But Everton appear determined to hold onto their prodigious centre-back until the summer – hoping his value could further increase at Euro 2016.

Also in the news:

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Arsenal could bid for Chelsea starlet hailed ‘more talented than Hazard’

Wenger suffers yet another injury blow with Arsenal’s ‘brains’ out until March

Euro giants ready to sell £32m Arsenal and Chelsea target on one condition

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  • paul35mm says:

    The number is the right one. £45 million, but this should be a one off thing. Arsenal go in, make the offer, and Everton have one chance to say yes or no. Man U might pay more; or Chelsea, who might see Zouma and Stones as the second coming of Terry and Cahill. Man City might also imagine Stones as the natural partner for Mangala for the next decade.

    Stones’ price will only go up beyond £40 million in England. There are other defenders in Europe with Stones’ ability available for much, much less; but to a Champions League side from the Premier League, an English player who is a starting CB with Stones’ current quality and his room to improve, £45 million is the right number.

    If the bidding goes higher, Stones will never live up to it; it’s impossible for a defender to create the kind of positive headlines that justify big money, but they can make mistakes that bring on the kind of caustic abuse that Elaquim Mangala has suffered this season. Stones has scored an own goal or two already; but they’re forgiven because he’s a home grown lad who is still seen as up and coming. If he signs for big money, that ends.

    Arsenal should offer £45 million with a loan back for the remainder of the season; which is how Chelsea secured Kurt Zouma. It’s good for everyone. Arsenal have plenty of cover at centerback right now; with Gabriel and Chambers more than adequate to allow for rotation and injuries, and Stones should fnish the season at Everton.

    They should do it so the deal becomes effective early in the window so Everton can use some of Arsenal’s cash to bolster their current campaign and the rest to buy a good replacement.

    Whether he goes now or in the summer, the Toffees dreaming of Stones being the second coming of Leighton Baines and rotting in Liverpool his entire career should stop smoking that particular intoxicant. Everton won’t make top 4 and another Europa League campaign might be the end of Roberto Martinez. Stones is too good a player for Everton, (sorry Toffees). The thing is, Stones should use the time and leverage he has to make a smart move. Man U or Arsenal are the teams he should focus on.

    If he goes to Chelsea and struggles, they’ll ditch him like day-old bathwater. Ask Juan Cuadrado, Demba Ba, or Mohammed Salah. At Man City, with all their talent at the back, Stones might find himself struggling for minutes unless he comes in and is imperious from the beginning. City have a lot og big nasties on their back line and they are in the title hunt every year. There won’t be room for settling in.

    Arsenal, however, have a good record of giving their players time and room to settle. Mesut Ozil was allowed to play through his tough stretches, as was Giroud, Wilshire, and Ramsey. At Arsenal, Stones might become another legendary English CB. A back line of Gibbs, Stones, Gabriel, and Bellerin would be a title-winning defense.

    Man U have the beginnings of a potentially imperious defense. Stones might just complete the puzzle. Shaw, Rojo, Smalling, Stones, and Darmian… that’s a three-at-the-back, five wide defense that would be very, very difficult to score on; for the next ten years.

    • Joe says:

      Dream on . Stones will go to Barcelona when we decide to sell him and it will be above 55m. Everton won’t sell him to one of our main rivals in the chase for the Title . Have some respect for the club that had won more titles than Arsenal . Man utd . Chelsea and city in the late 80s . We are on our way back so please try and think before you open your mouth . We are still 4th in the all time league titles and have spent more years in the top flight than any other club in England.

    • 46&2 says:

      Spoken like a true top 4 “fan”, its going to be more nearer 50 million than 45 BTW. Why in gods name would he go to Arsenal when he has teams that actually win league titles after him? I suspect he’s Spain bound.

  • G the Q says:

    What a load of absolute codswallop – by both the author and that arrogant “manufactured” Sky 4 fan above

  • pheel says:

    i think stones will be a perfect march for arsenal than that of barcelona,chelsea,man u

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