Arsenal Transfer News: Marco Reus, Morgan Schneiderlin, Son Heung-min Rumours

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been blamed for the club's failure to sign Morgan Schneiderlin and Son Heung-min, and is reportedly not interested in bringing Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus to the Emirates Stadium.

In a report on the website of The Secret Footballer, a former professional who anonymously documents his insight into the game, a discussion is outlined between himself and an Arsenal scout. It’s suggested in the piece the Gunners could have landed both Schneiderlin and Son before they were snapped up by Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively:

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Arsenal watched Son almost 30 times last season, with all the scouts in agreement that the player would be a fantastic addition.

So what happened?

‘It’s Arsene [Wenger],’ the scout said. ‘He’s so indecisive it’s frightening. We had [Morgan] Schneiderlin done and dusted last January and, by the summer, the gaffer had changed his mind. Son was 100 per cent perfect for us.’

"

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

The Secret Footballer also referred to a scouting report on Son, in which the former Bayer Leverkusen man is effusively praised by the Gunners' assessor. Here are the notes included on the 23-year-old South Korean:

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> Scares the life out of defences. Feet are scarily quick, can turn in any direction.

> Keeps his shape, good discipline, counters quickly, carries the ball a long way up the pitch, aware of team-mates in better positions.

> Scores goals from great positions in the box that others don’t take up (Ljungberg). Hard to pick up and trick.

> Fit, doesn’t stop working.

> Different to anything that we have in the building.

> CAN PLAY FOR US ALL DAY LONG!!

"

Son eventually joined Spurs in a £20.7 million deal from the Bundesliga outfit and made a bright start to Premier League life before getting injured.

Schneiderlin is another player who looked perfect for the Gunners. Although Francis Coquelin has blossomed into a quality holding midfielder, it’s clear Arsenal do need more depth in this area of the field and the former Southampton man boasts all the qualities to enrich this part of the field.

Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

As Tom Williams of Agence France-Presse noted, Schneiderlin has been very impressive since making his move to Old Trafford in the summer:

The scout went on to confirm the Gunners did have an interest in Reus, who is one of the most enthralling attacking players in European football. But it doesn’t seem as though it’s a transfer that is going to materialise either.

“Incidentally, I asked the Arsenal scout about Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who I know the club have watched extensively for two years,” confirmed The Secret Footballer. “‘Not for us now,” the scout said. ‘We’ve got enough of those players.’”

ODD ANDERSEN/Getty Images

While Arsenal are well stocked in attacking midfield positions, a player of Reus’ calibre would certainly bring a major injection of quality into the first team. The German international is a tremendous dribbler, commits opposition players and creates plenty of openings for team-mates as well.

As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, the Dortmund man is a regular contributor for BVB when it comes to goals:

Arsenal didn’t sign any senior outfield players this summer and while they’ve enjoyed a strong run of form in the Premier League lately, there have been signs that when Wenger has to rotate the squad for matches in the domestic cup competitions and in Europe, they may not be quite up to the standard required.

Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

That was on show in earnest in the Gunners’ 3-0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, in which Wenger admitted some of the club’s young players who featured are not ready to perform at this level, per Sky Sports. Former England international Gary Lineker had a critical take on the Arsenal manager's view:

Of the players aforementioned, Schneiderlin could well prove to be the biggest miss for Arsenal. Not only is he a footballer well acquainted with the demands of the Premier League, stylistically he would have been a perfect fit for the Gunners. The difference he’s made to United’s midfield already has been massive.

Son and Reus have both shown their class in the Bundesliga for years and are players who have long looked capable of doing a job at an elite European club. The former seems to have all the traits required to thrive in English football and given the Gunners have long been interested in him, it’d be particularly galling should he become a real success at White Hart Lane.