The Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta was up on the podium at Wembley collecting the FA Cup on Saturday, despite not playing in the game, but Arsene Wenger has since revealed that he fully expects the Spaniard to sign a new contract extension with the club to stay at the Emirates for another year.
Due to injury Arteta has only played 11 games this season, but the 32 year-old recently said that he would re-sign if he felt he was fit enough to play a part for Arsenal next year, and Wenger obviously thinks he is going to be ready. “Yes he has a part to play,”
“He went up to the lift the trophy up. Of course he feels a little less part of it because he wasn’t in the squad today but he will be next season.
“I think he has nearly signed.”
The fact is that if Wenger keeps either Mikel Arteta or Matthieu Flamini at the club as backup to Francis Coquelin, then where will there be room to bring in someone like Arturo Vidal?
One position where Arsenal may definitely need to buy is in left-back, as it has been revealed that Nacho Monreal, who only has one more season left on his contract, has refused to sign an extension with the club, and may be headed back to Spain with Athletic Bilbao.
The 29 year-old has been great this season and has kept Kieran Gibbs mostly on the sidelines, but Wenger has continuously named the younger Gibbs as being important to the club’s English ‘core’ and perhaps Monreal may feel he is more guaranteed to play if he goes back to his homeland.
He could be a great loss to our settled Cup winning side next season…..
Monreal has become another Kosclieny for us in the sense that he has been consistently good this entire season. Oerall he has improved his passing, defending, when to move forward, and his decision-making. I even saw him pull some filthy moves on Villa in the FA Cup final. Gibbs is pretty decent too, but Nacho has deservingly earned his starting spot. I would hate to see him go now.
I would hate to see Nacho go after such a big improvement, I just hope Arsene can get a decent replacement for him, heard we’re already monitoring Rodriguez from Wolfsburg wouldn’t be mad at that.
Monreal just stay boy!
While he had a fine season, there’s no better time to sell than now. #WarChest
Not at all, would rather allow the contract run out than to sell him. Next season is huge and we want him here. We finally have a solid defending right back.
gibbs has the agility but monreal can read the game better and cross better than gibbs healthy competition though between the 2.
Monreal has been the most consistent left back in the second half of the season in the league,would be stupid for him to leave and go to the basques who got thrashed the same day he was celebrating a second fa cup trophy in his 3 years in the club stupid rumour meant to unsettle the team we no longer are a selling club those days are gone period.COYYYYYGGGG
@Brianu
Monreal is Basque. So for him o want to return to his homeland is understandable. We should respect his decision and let him go…
I personally feel that the rumours linking monreal to a move away are completely false.there is no way arsen is going to sell one of our most consistent players of late.we all know monreal can play as an emergency centre back and arsene likes versatile players and he has made monreal one hell of a consistent performer…and talking of leaving,who would even consider leaving Arsenal now?
similar rumor doing the rounds about Chelsea’s costa.
I would be bitterly disappointed if Nacho man left us for a Europa club. I mean, the move doesn’t make much sense unless he’s homesick, and it looks anything but that. I understand Spanish internationals tend to want to play in the BBVA so that they get more chance of getting into their national team, but when you have Azpi, Alba and Gaya fighting with you for that spot, and you are 29, with all due respect he should really retire the whole idea that he would become a Spanish team regular and focus on the club side of things. If he can take Arsenal to that next level, and win us the PL, as well as take us far in the CL, he has more chance of getting into that Spain team than if he does going to a Europa league team where he will barely get a look at by Del Bosque.
Would hate to see Nacho head to Basque country, him and Le Coq have been our most improved players all year. With that said, Rodriquez from Wolfsburg, or even Creswell from WHam would be quality additions.
Im beginning to feel that the demolition of WBA and FA Cup beatdown of the fighting Sherwoods will sadly shape Arsenals less than ambitious some transfer activity.
Theos goal return and desired move to the center of the pitch to complement OG will probably convince Le Prof that he has enough quality horses upfront. Still would love to see a Martinez, Lacazette displace the Frenchman but opinions are like, well u know.
Would rather have Wanyama than MS anyway, but VIDAL would be a massive signing to complement Le Coq and add more attitude and aggressiveness to middle of the pitch. Adding Milner if Theo does feature upfront would yield a similiar return to Sanchez in work rate, professionalism, and quality. There’s a reason Pelegrini, other than English born quotas is dying to extend the former Villa man.
Schez has the quality go be #1 again, but if Cech is available you sign the guy and make s decision between Ospina and Woj. I dont care about his age or lack of game time, his experience in the biggest of games is worth 10 million alone.
IN:
Vidal ($28M)
Milner (Free)
Creswell(AW seems to favor KG) ($5-10M)
Cech ($10M)
OUT:
Podolski ($5M)
Campbell ($8M)
Flamini (released)
Nacho ($5-7M)
Schez ($8-10M)
Not a whole net spent for 3 fantastic players and probably the most underrated left back in the EPL
He has already ousted Gibbs for leftback spot. If he goes expect us to concede 3 or 4’s again next season when Gibbs goes bombing down the left flank on a consistent basis.
i don’t think Arteta signing is a good thing for ext season,Arteta is a liability in defensive midfeild for me especially now at his age,with his legs.Don’t 4get if Arteta had stayed fit Wenger would never have brought in Coquelin.People like Arteta,Flamini and Diaby are blocking up places in the squad for fresh younger players who would offer healthier competition.I hope Wengers not condemning us to just another ok season with these kind of contract extensions
I suspect so..if we hold with what we have and don’t twist!
There is more to a healthy squad than being packed out with young “next big thing” players. The likes of Arteta, Mertesacker and Rosicky are essential in a squad environment. Every successful team has 3 or 4 old heads lurking in the squad ranks. Arteta has never been a liability, most of our better performances last season involved him. The thrashings were not down to individuals – would be absolute nuts to pin them on him. He might not have the legs (not as if the likes of Pirlo, Carrick, Alonso etc have the legs either) but he has the brains and ability to be useful in certain situations and is still good enough for cup comps etc. He can also be the spokesperson, go-between with our important Spanish speaking contingent in Bellerin, Monreal, Alexis, Cazorla, Ospina, Martinez etc. Agree with Flamini and Diaby though.
i didn’t say young i said younger big difference,i disagree Arteta slows up our build up an hes just not good enough to into the team.p.s.(you can’t compare Arteta to Pirlo,Alonso or even Carrick,they a all distinguished internationals and in Pirlo and Alonso 2 world cup winners
Well give me the names of “fresh younger” players with experience and leadership qualities. Fresh (whatever that means), younger players with great experience seems like a contradiction in terms to me. You mentioned him being a liability because of “his legs” – I gave examples of other players who struggle to cover the ground but can contribute. And sorry, Arteta is twice the footballer Carrick is or ever was. Didn’t make it in the Spanish set-up but hardly a crime, would have walked into England midfield any time in last decade.
So arteta stays, Schez stays. Theo stays.
So possibly No DM, keeper or striker. Transfer Reality hitting me hard!;)
Wish it was the other way around. Monreal has been fabulous this season
Anyway, it’s up to him. If he wants to leave then that’s his choice
What we must do is sign a Top LB if indeed he does leave. Also sign a young LB
Currently for RB we have Debuchy, Bellerin, Chambers, Jenkison
For LB Gibbs and Monreal
I think Flamini has played LB a few times. Not sure if we have a good LB in Academy
Complete Bull story, he’s going no where end of. I do however think we should not extend artery deal by him doing so I think you can all say goodbye to the likes of a Morgan, kondogbia being bought.
For progress not numbers but the right players need to be bought, cech, either of the 2 named above , Reus or benzema and no doubt we will be challenging for the title next season. This can be done for 60-70mill and we have way more then that on the bank.
Monreal cannot leave.
Offer him the game time, he is actually there doing it any way.
put a clause about performance…the man is up to it.
He cant leave.
No good player can leave.
Not worried on either front … Arteta if fit can provide rest for some of midfield and while Monreal has improved a lot he is not a powerful defender backs off far too much and lacks Ariel strength … plenty of better left backs out there to strengthen that side of defence …so Viello kondogbia and Rodriguez/darmian would do me for summer signings … Sell poldi Ryo Campbell no goals flamini etc bring on some of youngsters …