Arsenal Transfer News: Yann M'Vila Well Worth Price for Gunners

As Simon Jones reported in his column on Mail Online, Arsenal is interested in acquiring Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila.  

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has some reservations about the Frenchman’s lifestyle, according to the Mail Online article, and there is also M’Vila’s hefty price tag to consider. The same article has it at £17 million.

He is worth it.

The departure of stalwart Alex Song has left a hole in the midfield, and M’Vila can fit it perfectly. Arsenal’s possession-oriented style of play requires intelligence and athleticism in abundance from its defensive midfielders, and that is what M’Vila is known for.

Playing for Rennes in France’s Ligue 1 in the 2011-2012 season, M’Vila led the team with 2.5 interceptions per game and also recorded 3.1 tackles per game, according to WhoScored.com.

This should be enough to replace Song’s defensive contributions, even when you factor in the greater competition M’Vila will face in the English Premiere League.

Song, however, led the Gunners in assists last season with 11, also according to WhoScored.com. M’Vila would almost certainly not be able to even come close to duplicating that feat, but he is only 22 years old with a lot of learning on the job left in front of him.

M’Vila possesses the skill and touch to improve upon the 83.9 percent of passes he was successful on last season (WhoScored.com), and Wenger would seem like a good person for the young player to learn from.

He would have time to learn. Arsenal has done well to replace the offense it lost with Song’s departure, acquiring attacking players Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla earlier in the transfer window.

Their presence means M’Vila wouldn’t have to worry about producing on the offensive side of the pitch and would allow him to contribute for the Gunners right away by doing what he does best: win balls and control he center of the field.

Those are two things that are crucial to the brand of football Arsenal prefers, and they make Yann M’Vila a perfect fit for the team.

But if that isn’t enough to make Wenger and company pull the trigger, there’s also this: According to the Mail Online article, rival clubs Tottenham and Manchester City are also eyeing the French international.

Spite is a very powerful emotion.