Arsenal: 10 Realistic Replacements for Manchester City Bound Gaël Clichy

According to ESPN Soccernet, want-away Arsenal left back Gaël Clichy will be Manchester City’s newest signing. 

Assuming Clichy leaves, who will manager Arsène Wenger replace him with?

It won’t be Marcelo, Aly Cissokho, Fábio Coentrão, Marcel Schmelzer or Taye Taiwo.

Let us be more realistic. Here is an evaluation of 10 realistic replacements for Clichy. 

Kieran Gibbs

• Age: 21
• Club: Arsenal
• Nationality: English 

Kieran Gibbs has spent the last three seasons as Gaël Clichy’s understudy, perhaps being groomed as an eventual successor. 

Though when given the chance to impress, Gibbs has hardly looked impressive, in fact, he’s looked out of his depth. 

Pros:

• - Athletic.
• - Knows the Arsenal set up and philosophy well.
• - Payed his dues watching and learning from Clichy, thus should be given a chance. 

Cons:

• - Defensive ability is questionable.
• - Offensive output isn’t productive enough to compensate his lack of defence.
• - Injury prone. 

Conclusion: There are better options in the transfer market, though the cost-effective replacement is giving Gibbs a chance. 

Armand Traoré

• Age: 21
• Club: Arsenal
• Nationality: French 

When I first watched Armand Traoré play, I was very impressed, not only did he possess the necessary physical attributes to make it at the English Premier League level, but he had a touch of quality about him. 

Problem for Traoré is he hasn’t progressed since, and at just 21 years of age, there are questions whether he has the right mentality to play for a top flight club like Arsenal. 

He certainly didn’t prove that at Juventus when he was on loan. 

For a player who was quicker, stronger and more gifted than Fabio Grosso and Paolo De Ceglie, Traoré still played limited minutes—10 games as an unused substitute, three games as a substitute, and seven games where he was substituted. 

Injuries, indifferent displays, and an unfortunate period where he was grieving over his father’s death, have ended up with Juventus, who had a horrible season, rejecting any possibility of buying Traoré. 

Pros:

• - Very gifted from an athletic perspective. Not only is he tall, strong but has pace to burn.
• - Doesn’t appear to have any flaws in defence. 

Cons:

• - Does he have the heart, the will, the determination to succeed at the highest level?
• - Injury prone.

Conclusion: It would defy logic for manager Arsène Wenger to replace Gaël Clichy with Traoré, who hasn’t given any legitimate reasons, aside from potential, as to why he deserves to be the successor. 

José Enrique

• Age: 25
• Club: Newcastle
• Nationality: Spanish 

People often forget José Enrique looked very ordinary for Newcastle pre-relegation. 

Yet since Newcastle’s re-promotion back into the English Premier League, Enrique has looked an entirely different player, by showing that he not only can defend, but he can offer something from an offensive perspective. 

Pros:

• - Proven performer in the English Premier League.
• - Reliable. 

Cons:

• - Is nowhere near athletic as Kieran Gibbs or Armand Traoré.
• - Unlikely to develop into a world class left back, will always be good, but not spectacular. 

Conclusion: With 12 months left on his contract, Arsenal could tempt Newcastle with a £3-5 million bid for Enrique.  

Maxwell

• Age: 29
• Club: Barcelona
• Nationality: Brazilian 

A star in the Eredivisie with Ajax, Maxwell looked like a player who could develop into a world class left back. 

Though his career has been summed up with one word—inconsistent. 

Certainly under José Mourinho at Inter Milan, Maxwell was never going to last, as he was marketed around, with Barcelona paying €4.5 million for his services. 

This season for Barcelona, Maxwell hasn’t capitalised on his opportunities, and he’s been ok in the 41 games he’s played. 

If not for Carles Puyol’s injury which moved Éric Abidal into centre defence, and then Abidal’s liver tumour, Maxwell wouldn’t have played that many games. 

Pros:

• - Good technical ability.
• - Fits well with the Arsenal philosophy. 

Cons:

• - Inconsistent.
• - Drifts too forward, and neglects his defensive duties.
• - Defensive ability is questionable

Conclusion: Barcelona don’t really need Maxwell with the emergence of Adriano, and are unlikely to ask for anything more than €5-8 million. 

Davide Santon

• Age: 20
• Club: Inter Milan
• Nationality: Italian 

Once touted as the next Paolo Maldini, Davide Santon’s career is in limbo right now. 

Two and half years ago, he had a terrific game at left back against Cristiano Ronaldo. Subsequently, attitude issues, and so-so displays combined with an argument with then manager José Mourinho elevated Santon’s swift fall from grace.

Just to illustrate how much Santon’s stocks have dropped, Inter Milan loaned him to Cesena, and in return got Yuto Nagatomo. 

It was unprecedented, Italy’s next Maldini swapped for an Asian footballer.   

To make things worse for Santon, Inter Milan decided to sign the impressive Nagatomo. 

Pros:

• - Technically gifted
• - Can play at right and left back
• - Good physical attributes
• - World class potential 

Cons:

• - Attitude issues
• - Determination is questionable
• - Confidence is probably at an all time low right now 

Conclusion: From a tactical perspective, would you want a right footer at left back? That’s the tactical conundrum, but it’s a red flag that Inter Milan are seemingly trying to usher Santon out of the San Siro. Manager Arsène Wenger has to access whether it’s worth the risk taking someone whose stocks have plummeted so drastically like Santon. 

Leighton Baines

• Age: 26
• Club: Everton
• Nationality: English

For me, Leighton Baines has been the best left back in the English Premier League this season. 

Baines possesses a terrific work rate, he doesn’t disregard his defensive duties, and he’s absolute quality when it comes to either providing or scoring—7 goals and 12 assists in 44 games 

Pros:

• - Solid defender.
• - Good offensive productivity.
• - Best left back in the English Premier League this season. 

Cons:

• - Doesn’t have world class athleticism.
• - If signed, Arsenal are unlikely to recoup or make a profit off their transfer fee for Baines. 

Conclusion: Arsenal’s most expensive signing was Andrei Arshavin for £15 million. Baines signed a five year contract in 2010, and having cost Everton £6 million, it’s likely that Arsenal will have to spend £15 million+ for Baines—certainly not consistent with manager Arsène Wenger’s philosophy. 

Emilio Izaguirre

• Age: 25
• Club: Celtic
• Nationality: Honduran 

What an absolute steal for just £580 000, Emilio Izaguirre has had a breakout first season in the Scottish Premier League—winning the SPFA Players' Player of the Year and Scottish Premier League Player of the Year. 

A tenacious and talented player, Izaguirre has the traits to play at a higher level. 

Pros:

• - Cavalier like wing play.
• - Solid offensive productivity. 

Cons:

• - Better attacker than defender.
• - Recurring hamstring injury. 

Conclusion: It would be wise for Celtic to cash in on Izaguirre, with his transfer stock high. However does manager Arsène Wenger believe rate Kieran Gibbs and Armand Traoré over Izaguirre? Izaguirre may have thrived in the Scottish Premier League, but can he succeed in the English Premier League? 

Filipe Luis

• Age: 25
• Club: Atlético Madrid
• Nationality: Brazilian 

Filipe Luis was destined for bigger and better things when he was at Deportivo La Coruña, until he suffered a horrific injury, almost Eduardo like, against Athletic Bilbao in 2010. 

Smartly Deportivo La Coruña sold him to Atlético Madrid for €12 million, and whilst Luis has shown a lot mental fortitude in bouncing back from his injury, he isn’t footballer he used to be. 

That being said, he’s still had a good season, though that rapid acceleration he used to have seems a distant memory. 

Pros:

• - Technically sound.
• - Fits into the Arsenal philosophy. 

Cons:

• - His horrific injury has curtailed what could have been an exceptional career.
• - Will need time to adapt to English lifestyle. 

Conclusion: I think Deportivo La Coruña have conned Atlético Madrid, and why did they even sign a player who suffered such a serious injury for €12 million? If Arsenal make a €5 million bid for Luis, will Atlético Madrid cut their losses?

Felix Bastians

• Age: 23
• Club: Freiburg
• Nationality: German 

I think Felix Bastians has been the third best left back in the Bundesliga this season, behind Marcel Schmelzer and Phillip Lahm.  

Interestingly Bastians couldn’t make it at Nottingham Forest. Either politicking held him back, or he’s vastly improved as a footballer. 

Perhaps a combination of both, because he’s a strong lad, he can defend, good football IQ and has been a consistent performer for Freiburg this season. 

Pros:

• - Versatile as he can also play as a centre back or a defensive midfielder.
• - Solid defender.
• - Good physical presence.
• - Familiar with English football. 

Cons:

• - Won’t offer the same attacking output as other more attack oriented left backs. 

Conclusion: Will be cheap, he’s currently studying a journalism course at Staffordshire University, he’s familiar with English football and English life. Oh and he can defend, so why not sign him? 

Federico Balzaretti

• Age: 29
• Club: Palermo 
• Nationality: Italian 

Federico Balzaretti not only has been Palermo’s best left back, but the Serie A’s best left back this season. 

Balzaretti’s constant forays into opponent’s defences have been defining trait this season— two goals and seven assists in 40 games.   

His consistent performances were rewarded with a call up to the Italian national team. 

I ranked him as the 14^th best defender in Europe this season. 

Pros:

• - Adventurous left back who fits the Arsenal philosophy.
• - Good offensive productivity. 

Cons:

• - Spends way too much time up forward—shouldn’t come as a surprise that Palermo had the worse defence in the Serie A. (That’s not to say he can’t defend, he can, but he sometimes he chooses not to)
• - If signed, Arsenal are unlikely to recoup or make a profit off their transfer fee for Balzaretti. 

Conclusion: His contract ends in 2013, so perhaps Palermo may look to make a profit off the €3.8 million they paid to Fiorentina for Balzaretti. Though his agent, Marcello Bonetto insists Balzaretti will not leave Palermo this summer. Also is Balzaretti willing to leave Italy?   

Other Reinforcements for Arsène Wenger to Consider

Does manager Arsène Wenger need more steel in the midfield? Here is a ranking of the top 20 defensive midfielders in Europe this season, for him to select from.

Has Wenger considered poaching some of recently relegated River Plate's most talented youngsters?