By Tayo Amosu
August 10th, 2014
Arsenal’s Captain, Thomas Vermaelen, whose replacement is reportedly sought at the Emirates, is reportedly close to joining Barcelona.
News of Arsenal’s interest in Manchester City’s 21-year-old defender, Matija Nastasic, as a replacement, has filled the media for the past few days though not taking the shine off the quest to get a quality defensive midfielder at the North London Club.
Therefore, the top spot on Arsenal’s scale of preference is a strong battle between a Central Defender and a Defensive Midfield maestro, if the club was to choose one.
As a matter of fact, the manager expressed the fact that, just one player more, at most two, would make it this summer as Arsenal players.
Now, the attention at the club other than the immediate FA Community Shield match between the Gunners and Champions Manchester City is which player or players would fit in into the positions and is readily available in the transfer market.
An official @BBCSport account belonging to @bbcsport_david (David Ornstein), a BBC Sports journalist who provided accurate Arsenal transfer news in the recent past, tweeted: ‘‘Arsenal continue search for Vermaelen replacement and also in the market for DMF, but may sign one player who can perform both roles #afc #bbcsportday’’.
The response on his timeline was filled with player names that are thought to fit into both roles, but of note is the 22-year-old Portuguese that the club has been linked to in the past few weeks, William Carvalho.
When it comes qualities to be checked for Arsene Wenger to make a decision on a player, the ability to serve as a utility player by being versatile enough to play well in more than one role would come first.
Wenger is synonymous with a brilliant, athletic and refined form of the game which gives a fluid general outlook to any team he manages, thereby making an average player extra-ordinary.
Wenger has enjoyed some success with versatile players in the past.
Mathieu Flamini, in his first stint with the club played, Right Back, Left Back, Defensive Midfielder and even Box to Box midfielder at the club.
He was relevant because of versatility as Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva were still playing with Arsenal then.
He couldn’t have gotten his most preferred defensive midfield role in that squad. Also, Thierry Henry was a very good product of experimentation.
He played as forward during his time at Arsenal and could operate from the Right, Centre and Left side of attack.
Alex Song played as Centre Back, Left Back, Right Back and Defensive midfielder before leaving for Barcelona where he has also been used as a centre back during an injury-plagued period at the Catalan club.
Most supporters of Arsenal would readily subscribe to the acquisition of a player who can play at least in the Centre Back and Defensive midfield- the two positions Arsenal is lacking presently.
Calum Chambers though, is said to be that versatile, but his experience and game time for Southampton would be called to question, if saddled with the utility man’s responsibility at the club.
William Carvalho fits the bill perfectly as he has reportedly been shifted from offensive midfield to defensive before.
His frame, work-rate and strength makes him even more snugly suited for many other roles in the defence and midfield of Arsenal than any other player the club has been linked with, for a Thomas Vermaelen replacement.
