With Arsenal’s defence looking increasingly unconvincing game by game, and Laurent Koscielny still not completely recovered from an Achilles tendon injury, the Gunners are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements. Here are three players who would be ideal additions.
1. Winston Reid – West Ham
Winston Reid isn’t the most high profile name in the world, but he has impressed ever since his arrival at West Ham, having been plucked from relative obscurity after an impressive World Cup. The big New Zealander has a few seasons of Premier League experience under his belt, an asset which can often be overlooked, but is one of the key factors to consider when signing a player in January. January signings are often brought in to make an instant impact, and foreign defenders often take time to adapt, as has been seen with both Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny. Reid has been consistently performing well for West Ham in the Premier League for a number of months, and so would not require the ‘settling in’ period which many foreign recruitments require.
Additionally, Reid would be available on the cheap, with his contract expiring at the end of the season, and Sam Allardyce recently admitting that the defender has no future at the club, then West Ham would surely be willing to accept a bid in the region of around £5m, a fee which a club like Arsenal would have no trouble stumping up. That being said, Arsenal need defensive recruitments now, and West Ham might be tempted to hang on to him until the summer so as not to give an edge to a potential rival for the top four. Nevertheless, Arsenal could tempt the Hammers with a moderate bid, and see whether Reid can be acquired.