Arsenal have sent scouts to watch £15million-rated Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes in action, according to the Daily Mail.
Howedes has talked up a potential move to England in the past, but he would need regular first team football in order to agree to any move. With Laurent Koscielny carrying a recurring injury and Per Mertesacker’s form falling faster than Borussia Dortmund – Arsenal could satisfy Howedes’ on-pitch demands.
The 26-year-old has two years remaining on his current contract and is valued at £15million. Considering he is entering the prime of his career and has 31 caps for Germany, this valuation is understandable. What makes him even more appealing to Arsene Wenger is his versatility. Howedes is more than capable of playing at right-back and has even played at left-back in his career.
He’s not world class, but he still has many years to improve considering he is a defender. Mertesacker and Koscielny are at least four years older than him and both of those players have found their best form in their last 20’s. If Howedes is the defender Arsenal sign, many will wonder why we bothered selling Thomas Vermaelen. A similar quality of player with similar versatility. Perhaps Wenger didn’t predict Mertesacker’s form to drop and Koscielny’s injuries to recur.