Arsenal
Arsenal Agree Three-Year Deal With Williams, £10m Move Expected Within Fortnight
Arsenal have agreed terms with Liverpool target Ashley Williams and are expected to complete the £10m signing of the Swansea City captain within the next 2 weeks
With the summer transfer window set to re-open, there is plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, Arsenal are reported to have agreed terms with Ashley Williams.
Reports today are claiming that Arsenal have agreed terms with long-term Liverpool target Ashley Williams and are expected to complete the £10m signing of the Swansea City captain within the next 2 weeks.
Williams was in superb form at the heart of Michael Laudrup’s defence last season, marshalling the side to a 9th place finish in the Premier League and lead the Welsh club to a League Cup triumph at Wembley.
His form has alerted the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool but Goal.com are claiming today that the Gunners have won the race to land the 28-year-old after agreeing terms over a three-year contract worth £60,000-a-week.
The report suggests that Arsene Wenger has made a centre-back a priority this summer with the future of Thomas Vermaelen in serious doubt and it seems he has identified Williams as the man to replace the Belgian international.
Goal claim the north Londoners are in negotiations with Swansea and have opened the bidding at £8m, but a deal worth around £10m is expected to be finalised within the next fortnight. While I’ve not found Goal.com to be a wholly reliable source in the past, the Daily Mail are also running a similar report so it seems there may be some foundation to this story.
There is no doubt Williams was in impressive form last season but you’d have to question the logic of Arsenal paying £10m for a player who’ll turn 29 in August, will therefore have little sell-on value and is unlikely to be a regular first team player next season. Vermaelen is 27 and arguably a better all-round defender anyway, so surely it would make more sense to keep hold of him?
Brendan Rodgers is on the look-out for an experienced centre-back to replace Jamie Carragher so I’d say a move to Liverpool would make more sense in many ways, but then there is the question over whether the clubs owners would sanction the purchase of a player who’s close to hitting 30 as they’re believed to prefer buying younger players with potential sell-on value.
Read more Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news
Will Arsenal fans be happy if Williams replaces Vermaelen? Will Liverpool fans be disappointed to miss out? Get involved in the comments section below.
atid
May 24, 2013 at 6:58 pm
Wouldn’t be happy if he replaced vermaelen but if he replaces djourou then I will be well happy with our defence with two decent back 4 line ups. IMO all this vermaelen leaving stuff is just the papers making 5 out of 2+2. The only other defensive change that would leave us to do is replace santos with a versatile defensive player that can play across the whole back 4.
LFC_Fan
May 24, 2013 at 7:16 pm
Thank God; now we are safe from another British hack. Age must be catching up for the best manager of EPL era (undoubtedly from club financial point); he decided not to buy Company for 8mn, when 23/24 & now has spent 10mn for a 30 years old heavy duty mid table ball hoofer, who ‘ll be all at sea playing for a team always pressing forward to win, that too at 65k/week.
Relieved again, I was really anxious that BR ‘ll buy another overpaid & hyped British garbage. For that money & salary, one can find twice the CB in mainland Europe or Latin America.
Adeyemi olaide
May 24, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Good news,bt he supose to replace johan jourou and not verm.still keeping the faith
Olawale
May 24, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Arsen wenger should think very well before selling verman! The tarminator. Instead he should consider jhoan doru exist. Up Gunnersss let keep the faith
@ben_1daEbiri
May 24, 2013 at 10:58 pm
I wouldn’t like to see Vermealen leave Arsenal,he just ran out of gas(form),but surely he’ll get back to his feet
@ben_1daEbiri
May 24, 2013 at 11:01 pm
I wouldn’t like to see Vermealen leaving Arsenal,he just ran out of gas(form) which is common among players but surely he’ll get back to his feet
lopez
May 24, 2013 at 11:59 pm
I bet Vermaelen will be playing as a Defensive Midfielder next season with Williams playing next to Kocielny and Mertersacker on the bench…..it would be a great way to add strength into the Arsenal sqaud
seini
May 25, 2013 at 12:07 am
vermealen still got so there is no way he should go.
Zakson
May 25, 2013 at 12:43 am
he can never sell vaminator he just out of form sell d’juru instead
Ahmed Sheikh
May 25, 2013 at 1:28 am
Is a welcome news but i will not be happy if vermealen leave but rather johan jourou,
Roland C Rozario
May 25, 2013 at 5:41 am
Just see the comments!
Buying a Brit with experience …but just due to his age …another excuse for just whinning. A problem!
Its just truly hard to please!
Look Williams is a proven CB and certain to be an asset!
Adam Arthurs
May 25, 2013 at 2:58 pm
only problem is if he sells vermaelan cos hes better then williams, definitely better cb’s out there this is bad news i feel
aguyi ezekiel
May 25, 2013 at 7:38 am
wenger should not make any mistake of saling verminetor becos he is far better than ashely
Yemi Adesina
May 25, 2013 at 8:06 am
age is still there 4 verminator jourou is the best sales
Thomas Musvovi
May 25, 2013 at 8:07 am
Wenger must keep Verminator becs he can turn him to play as a defensive midfielder. Wenger must replace doru with williams and then he must offload all deadwoods and replace them with at least 6 fresh and quality players. I think this time there is no panic buying.
Mesay ethiopia
May 25, 2013 at 10:29 am
Boss wenger must keep our verminator b/c he can play as left back center back, defensive midfiled like as devid luiz he has a great skill . I wants to say well come to a great williams he is better Center back in EPL!
elyrs lokii
May 25, 2013 at 10:55 am
truly and happy are we to hear that ashley williams can be joining us and also very sad to hear varmanator can be leaving us. if the managing committe and the adinistration at emirates can favour us as the Gunners fans, then ‘THEN’ they better keep varmealen and buy williams and consider replacing other weak guys in the club. If Arsenal seek to win the tittle next season, then they dont have to make silly mistakes but think very well in order to do the best in the summer. all in well.
Daniel
May 25, 2013 at 12:16 pm
U are wellcom to arsenal vemeline should stay
michael dredge
May 25, 2013 at 5:23 pm
I think vermalen should stay and add up with williams,per and koscielny.
ariko james uganda
May 26, 2013 at 8:56 am
Wenger should jst buy good defenders n let him ssell dioru away away n bring in rooney n jelovic .