Arsenal & Liverpool Heading For Battle Over £8m Defender

With the January transfer window now open for business we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer gossip. Today, Arsenal and Liverpool are linked with Ashley Williams.

Arsenal and Liverpool are set to go head-to-head for £8m-rated Swansea City captain Ashley Williams in the summer, according to the Mirror.

The report claims Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers wants to raid his former side and bring the 28-year-old defender to Anfield, but will have to wait until the summer when his self-imposed transfer embargo expires.

Rodgers signed midfielder Joe Allen from the Swans when he took over at Anfield last summer but it’s understood he agreed not to buy any more of his former players for a year, but the newspaper suggests he’s set his sights on Williams and will make a move for the defender at the end of the season.

However, the Mirror claims that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is also a huge admirer of the Welsh captains and is eyeing a summer move himself after having the centre-back scouted on several occasions this season.

Williams has certainly been hugely impressive at the heart of Swansea’s defence over the last two years, so it’s no surprise if he’s attracting interest from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool.

Read more Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

The Mirror claim the League Cup finalists awarded the Welsh international with a new three-year deal last October and value their captain at around £8m – which seems reasonable value for a player whose proven in the Premier League.

With Rodgers having worked with Williams during his time at the Liberty, I would consider Liverpool as favourites to sign him, but will he be able to force his way past Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger to claim a first team place at Anfield?

Would you like Williams at your club? Get involved in the comments section below.