Arsenal Transfer News: Six Reasons Why Left-Back André Santos Will Fail

According to Sami Mokbel and Matt Barlow at Daily Mail, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has decided to buy left-back André Santos for £6.2 million from the disgraced and relegation-destined Fenerbahçe.

Wenger has lost it. He has gone off the rails.

This has flop written all over it.

Here are the six reasons why new Arsenal left-back Santos will be an epic flop.  

Brazilian International? Give Me a Break.

Ricardo Mazalan/Associated Press

If you're an Arsenal supporter and you've never watched André Santos play, don't be fooled into thinking the guy is pedigree because he's played 22 times for the Brazilian national team.

Remember Tottenham Hotspur buying Brazilian international Gilberto, and Spurs fans blindly putting faith into the flop because he played 35 times for Brazil. How did Gilberto go?

Diego Maradona had his boys in the failed Argentinian 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.

One of Brazilian manager Mano Menezes' boys happens to be Santos.  

As Tim Vickery at Sambafoot said, "I wonder if the favouritism Mano shows to some players might cause him difficulties further down the line."

André Santos Omission

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

André Santos was so mediocre leading into the FIFA World Cup that then-manager 
Dunga went with the unorthodox tactic of playing Michel Bastos, who was playing as a right winger for Lyon, at left back. 

If André Santos is so good, why couldn't he make into the Brazilian World Cup squad let alone the first 11? 

What's more astonishing was even Gilberto made it into the World Cup squad.

Inept Performances for Brazil

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

André Santos had a Copa América to forget.

Surely you must be worried when Roque Santa Cruz, who played eight club games leading into the tournament, constantly went past Santos.

It wasn't because Santos lacked athleticism, it was more so a lack of defensive awareness.

Santos would move up, Cruz would move into the space vacated by Santos, Brazil would turn over possession and off went Cruz cruising down the vacant flank. 

That's how Paraguay scored their first goal.

What about in that friendly when Santos was caught in possession against Germany?

It sums up his defensive awareness. The supposed defender is in La La Land at times.

These are just some the major mistakes that come to mind. He's so hopeless when it comes to defending that you may as well play him a left winger. 

If Bacary Sagna has worked so well at right back, why can't Arsène Wenger find a left-sided version?

Not Even the Best Attacking Full Back Available

Natacha Pisarenko/Associated Press

If Arsène Wenger wanted to go for an attacking full back, why didn't he go for someone like Pablo Armero?

The speedy Colombian had a good Copa América surging from left back, and was excellent against Arsenal as a left winger. 

Wenger watched on with a grimace as Armero cut straight through the entire Arsenal defence.

For Brazil, André Santos isn't even the best attacking full back, or near it (Real Madrid's Marcelo holds that claim).

André Santos in Turkey

Dominic Favre/Associated Press

I don't follow Turkish football so I will reference Sefa Atay at FourFourTwo.com. 

He tweeted the following about André Santos' performances in Turkey:

"

[N]ot a great defender, decent technique and ability going forward... sucker for a night out and went missing too often... hit or miss

If Andre Santos is an Arsenal player then I'll eat my laptop... hardly exceeded expectations at Fenerbahce

"

Turkey Flops

IBRAHIM USTA/Associated Press

With the exception of Tugay, players coming from the Turkish Süper Lig to the Premier League have mainly flopped.

Just to name a few: Alpay, Bülent Akın, Emre, Hakan Ünsal, Tuncay. 

According to Sefa Atay, Andre Santos struggled to meet the expectations in Turkey. If he isn't one of the best players in that league, how is he going to flourish in the Premier League?

Your Opinion

Dominic Favre/Associated Press

What's so infuriating about this deal is that for £6 million Arsenal could have bought José Enrique, who is Premier League tested and a solid left back. 

Instead, it would seem Arsenal have knee-jerked, offloaded the useless Armand Traoré and taken a massive punt on André Santos. 

Clearly, Arsenal didn't watch Santos when he was in a Brazilian shirt, yet Sefa Atay doesn't rate the Brazilian in Turkey. 

On what grounds did Arsenal sign Santos?

I hope Arsène Wenger wasn't persuaded by Mano Menezes. 

If you're an Arsenal supporter, what do you think about this deal?

Would you choose Enrique or Santos?