Arsenal
Arsenal Identify Ligue 1 Midfielder To Finally Replace Alex Song
Arsenal are to step up their interest in Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons with Arsene Wenger weighing up a summer bid after receiving positive reports on the midfielder.
Despite the transfer window now being closed there will still be plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, Arsenal eye Maxime Gonalons.
Arsenal are to step up their interest in Lyon’s Maxime Gonalons with boss Arsene Wenger said to be weighing up a summer bid after receiving positive scouting reports on the midfielder, according to the Metro.
Gonalons has been with Lyon his entire senior career after signing his first professional contract with them back in 2009, and has gone on to make 138 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit.
The Metro claim that Gunners scout Gilles Grimandi has been closely monitoring the 23-year-old’s progress this season and was in the stands to watch both Europa League games against Tottenham as well as Sunday’s 3-1 win over Lorient.
The report suggests that we’ll now step up our interest with chief scout Steve Rowley joining Grimandi in watching Gonalons during the second half of the season with boss Arsene Wenger understood to be weighing-up a summer move.
The player himself has opened the door to a potential switch after admitted he’s a fan of the Premier League
‘I like the English and the German leagues,’
‘When I see the pitch and that type of game, I feel it’s a dream.’ Gonalons is quoted as saying by the Metro
I’ve been calling for the club to sign a proper defensive midfielder ever since Alex Song was sold to Barcelona last summer and it seems it may finally happen at the end of the season. Gonalons is a mobile defensive midfielder who stands at over 6 foot, so he could be that powerful, athletic, ball-winner we’ve been crying out for this season.
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The Metro claim Lyon will want around £12m for him, so he should be well within our budget. He may not be everybody’s first choice but the fact is we desperately need someone to protect the back four next season and if Arsene thinks this is the man for the job, then I’m happy as long as we’re actively trying to strengthen the squad in the right areas.
Would you like to see Gonalons come to Arsenal this summer? If not, who did you have in mind?
