2 – Kostas Manolas (AS Roma)
We’ve been handed some interesting updates in the pursuit of the defender that has been on Premier League clubs radar for the last few years.
He may be a top target for Antonio Conte’s Chelsea as they look to plan for life after John Terry, but Manolas is now a serious candidate to slip into an Arsenal jersey.
According to reports, Wenger sent scouts to watch the centre back in action against Porto this week as Roma crashed out of Champions League action in spectacular fashion.
The Serie A giants will miss out on football at the highest level this season, and that includes the on-loan Wojciech Szczesny and former Gunner Thomas Vermaelen.
That could be a massive turning point in the future of Manolas, who is only 25 and has already established himself as one of the most demanding central defenders in Italy.
What’s the latest?
Well, following the exit from Champions League football Wenger has as little as seven days to convince the Greek international to switch to life in the Champions League.
Whilst Manolas has insisted he remains happy with Roma, the presence of Arsenal scouts will at least tell him that the interest is genuine and something could still be done.
His contract runs out in 2019, but despite that he could be available for just over £20million, with that fee definitely rising once Roma understand the desperate situation Arsenal are in.
That’s what lets Manolas down with the Gunners, he’s got a big personality and he’ll know he’s already second-choice to Mustafi and I don’t think that will sit well with him.
He’s been a regular in the Roma starting XI for the last couple of seasons and changing that to compete with Gabriel and Rob Holding for a place isn’t something that will appeal.
Roma are sitting pretty having wrapped up a number of defensive signings, and they now have Vermaelen, Juan Jesus and Spurs’ Federico Fazio at their dispersal so selling Manolas wouldn’t be the early stages of a crisis.