Arsenal Transfer News: 5 Central Defenders to Strengthen the Gunners Back Line
If we learned anything from Arsenal's 8-2 defeat against Manchester United, it was that the defence needs strengthening quickly.
It is the sort of result that usually causes football managers to take action, and it appears Arsene Wenger will sign at least one new central defender before the window shuts at 11 p.m. (BST) tomorrow.
There are plenty of options with players who have been linked with Arsenal for some time. So flick through my five targets and let me know which one is the answer for Arsenal.
Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen)
1 of 5At the time of this writing, Per Mertesacker looks set to become an Arsenal player.
A fee and personal terms seem to have been agreed upon, and the player is now set to complete a medical prior to the move to North London.
Mertesacker appears to be the right sort of player for Arsenal and could form a solid partnership with Thomas Vermaelen.
Mertesacker has gained experience playing in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen and Hannover 96—he has now made over 200 appearances in the German top flight.
His form in the Bundesliga has also seen the player become a regular for the German national team.
He is now 26, so he has the experience but still plenty of years left for Arsenal to benefit. If the transfer goes through, Arsenal will be getting a solid, big and strong central defender with top-flight and international experience. He ticks all the relevant boxes.
Alex (Chelsea)
2 of 5Alex doesn't seem to be in Andre Villas-Boas plans, with news that he is set to miss out in a place in Chelsea's 25-man squad.
Alex certainly has the experience that Arsenal are looking for from playing in the Premier League and the Dutch top flight with PSV. He also has some international experience with Brazil.
But should Arsenal be concerned about signing a player from a title rival that isn't seen as good enough by Chelsea?
Also, Alex is now 29 and may only have a limited number of years left at the top level.
Gary Cahill (Bolton)
3 of 5Arsenal's interest in Bolton defender Gary Cahill is one of the worst-kept secrets in football.
The advantage of this target is that he is English, and many people have reported the importance of having an English core.
Cahill is 25 and now starting to break into the England setup. The defender has gained some good experience playing in the Premier League with Bolton, and many people feel it would benefit his career to move to a bigger club.
However, Wenger rarely buys English and may feel he can get better value for his money elsewhere.
Scott Dann (Birmingham)
4 of 5Scott Dann formed a solid partnership with Roger Johnson at Birmingham City. Despite their relegation, both players were predicted to be in demand by Premier League clubs.
Johnson has now moved onto Wolves and it looked likely that Scott Dann would also move. However, up to now Dann remains a Birmingham City player.
Arsenal has said to be tracking Dann, and at 24 he seems to be a good age.
Again, the player is English and will feel that he has a shot of playing for England if he is playing Premier League football.
However, Birmingham are holding out for a big fee, and Wenger may feel that there is better value to be had elsewhere.
Chris Samba (Blackburn)
5 of 5Chris Samba is a well-built central defender who has proved himself to be a quality Premier League player with Blackburn Rovers.
He also has the useful knack of coming up with crucial goals. Samba has been an Arsenal target for a while and would certainly prove to be a good addition.
At 27, he has the the required experience but would still offer a fair few seasons at the top level.
However, Blackburn will be keen to hold onto to their prized asset to help their chances of staying in the Premier League for another season.
