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Wenger Seeks Sagna Replacement

By on April 18, 2014

The Premier League season is coming to end and so is the contract of Arsenal right-back Bacary Sagna…

It is looking increasingly likely that Sagna will be playing his football away from The Emirates Stadium next season as he has still not agreed a new contract with the Gunners. Sagna knows that he could likely double his £50,000 a week salary and Inter Milan and Manchester City are said to be interested in the French international. Therefore Arsene Wenger is more than likely to be in the market for a right-back, with Carl Jenkinson being the only other recognized right-back in the first team squad.

Toulouse’s Ivorian right-back Serge Aurier is likely to be top of Wenger’s shopping list this summer. Wenger is said to be a keen admirer of the 21 year-old defender, he has supposedly been on Arsenal’s radar since he joined RC Lens back in 2009. Since joining Toulouse, the Ivorian has continued to confirm his status as an exceptional talent and this season has to rank as his best yet. It is rather quite surprising that Wenger hasn’t already signed Aurier given his admiration for the full-back.

Aurier himself seems keen on a move to the red side of North London. The young right-back has dropped hint after hint that he would love a move to Arsenal, including posting photos of himself in the kit. If you take a quick glance at his Twitter timeline and it becomes clear that there is only one club he wants to join. It has become common knowledge that he has been an Arsenal fan since childhood, but it’s more than just this which could see Aurier make a move to the Gunners this summer.

So far this season Aurier has been used in a variety of roles, largely dependent on what formation Toulouse have played. Mostly the Toulouse boss Alain Casanova uses a 3-5-2 formation, which has led to Aurier playing both as the third center-back or right wing-back, and he hasn’t looked out of place in either position.

The No19 for Toulouse is also a tall and athletic player meaning he can easily cope with even the most physical strikers, whilst his pace means that he can also cope with quicker front men. However, his best trait is his energetic nature and his incredible stamina which allows him to bomb up and down the right side of the pitch and offer up an attacking threat as well as defending – something Arsene Wenger is known to look out for in full-backs. This has led to Aurier scoring six goals and contributing six assists to his team this season.

Although, this does also seem to be his biggest weakness: such is his enthusiasm, he can be guilty of being caught out of position quite often. Yet it must be noted he is still only 21 years old and this is an aspect of the game that improves with experience.

This could be the perfect time for Arsenal to make a move for Aurier, who is already playing at a very high level but still has room for development. With goals, assists, energy and a sound defensive footing, he could well become one of the world’s finest full-backs.

This deal looks at its likeliest this summer as he Gunners boss met agent Stephane Courbois in London to discuss a deal to keep Koscielny at the Emirates Stadium, however, Wenger also spoke to Courbois, who represents Aurier, about the Toulouse right back in the meeting and was told what it would take to land the Ivory Coast international this summer. Aurier is understood to be available for a transfer if clubs meet Toulouse’s £8.8 million price-tag with Paris Saint-Germain, Monaco, Manchester City, Chelsea and AC Milan all seemingly interested.

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