Arsenal are eyeing a deal to sign Ryan Bertrand from Southampton this month.
The Gunners allowed Sead Kolasinac to leave to join Schalke on loan until the end of the season, leaving just Kieran Tierney as the only out-and-out option at left-back in the squad.
Mikel Arteta admitted this in his recent press conference, whilst adding that players such as Cedric Soares, Bukayo Saka and Ainsley Maitland-Niles were options for the role if needed.
Arsenal are supposedly on the lookout for a new left-back however, and the Standard claims we are eyeing 31 year-old Bertrand, who previously came through the ranks at Chelsea.
The defender was the first player to make his Champions League debut in the final of the competition, when Roberto Di Matteo opted to play him in an advanced winger role against Bayern Munich back in 2012, but failed to earn himself a regular role at the club in the coming seasons, and eventually left for Southampton.
Since moving south to Hampshire, the defender has emerged as one of the most consistent in his role for years to come, and has been linked with moves over the years, only to stay put.
The only thing to deny him a regular run in the Saints first team has been the odd injury, and he would be a great option for any top side personally.
Bertrand could well be available on the cheap however, with his contract set to expire in the summer, when he could leave the club for free, and I would love to see him come in and provide strong back-up to Tierney, as well as being decent competition for the first-team role.
Am I alone in rating Bertrand highly enough to contend with Tierney for a role?
Too old but can do the job in the short term.
He has matured into a very solid and dependable defender and any dip in form for Tierney and he’ll be on him. Would be a very good signing. We are NOT a CL club anymore. He would improve our squad and its balance.
This deal should Not automatically be based on
I would love to see this deal happened.
I can only hope this is another ridiculous rumour…nothing quite says loser move more than when we prop-up a player by talking about his exploits in 2012…imagine if we sent Kols on a 6 month loan so that we actually had to get a replacement loan from an over-ager no less…this is starting to look like an old school Wenger January transfer window…the only way this could be happening is if Kols was the leaking info weasel, which is plausible considering his role as Ozil’s protector, otherwise this would be ANOTHER pathetic decision…
Ignore the headline then. He’s been a solid EPL LB for majority of his career. Tierney is the starting LB. Bertrand is good cover. Are you expecting us to get Alaba or Davies? He’d essentially be another Cedric signing and just help out if KT picks up an injury or we have a packed schedule. We already have a starting LB position sorted. Strange how people are reacting to some of our signings/rumors today. They are all good moves. Bigger moves will happen in the summer.
That’s a classic option and I wonder those against this deal what’s their wish. I have been a secret admirer of Bertrand for a long time since he left Chelsea. The guy has been consistent and he can change the game at any given time. I support the deal.
Thanks RSH for inside info on a LB I’ve watched play since he first came into the League…FYI, he currently makes more than our Tierney and if it’s a transfer and not a loan, he’s not going to be worth the potential wages, based on what he currently makes(btw higher wage than Kols)…of course I’m not expecting Alaba or Davies, what I’m expecting is that this team finally changes their MO regarding player recruitment and team building…instead of acquiring the services of 31 year old LB or undersized Keepers or loans for another CM without clauses, in case he’s a revelation…I don’t think placing higher expectations on a club that has quite frankly been a shite show for some time is asking too much…these deals reek like Wenger 11th hour transfer dealings…this simply suggests to me that Arteta is under the gun to achieve particular results or he won’t have the ability to do anything in the summer…whereas my point is that if this club has faith in Arteta’s future prospects we should be using this season as a true transitional period, which means no adding to your wage bill, unless bringing in a player you envision as having a real future with the club, getting rid of deadwood and those who aren’t considered pieces to the puzzle and finding out what you have within the ranks of your developmental program, which means you don’t bring in guys who will take those minutes yet have no foreseeable future with the club…this is about the long-game not some sort of pie in the sky push for a top 4 position…I realize that if we were a club that hasn’t been plagued by half-measures, band-aid solutions, poor transfer decisions and a top4 wage bill for a middling club, these could be construed as plausible cover solutions, but we’re supposed to be changing the culture here, so we can’t continue to make short-sighted nonsensical decisions considering who we truly are at this particular juncture.
Who covers Tierney then? He can’t play every game, Kolasinac is gone. I suppose AMN can do it but it’s a huge huge downgrade. You say you want the club to get serious yet you think tierney can do it all by himself. That’s just as pie in the sky. We are in agreement about if his wages are worth it or not, but I don’t see what losing minutes or player development has to do with your argument. Tierney already gets massive game time. Bertrand wouldn’t sign to be ahead of Tierney, what’s the issue ?
It just makes you wonder what’s going on behind the scenes if they felt it necessary to ship Kols out, who btw wears the captain’s armband since arriving at Schalke, when he was the only cover for LB, only to bring in an even older player on a similar, if not higher, wage…this is why I suggested that maybe Kols was the leak and thereby needed to leave…fact is Cedric can play both sides and AMN can cover on the right, plus you have Chambers, who hasn’t played, and if Saka had to cover a game or two, no biggie because their functional playing as a wingback in our current tactical formation…not to mention, don’t we have a single decent youth prospect, just in case? No matter how you slice it these aren’t the actions of a well-oiled machine…is this what Arteta actually meant when he claimed they had a definitive plan for this window? seems unlikely based on what I’m witnessing
Just to correct my earlier statement, as there was some discrepancies online regarding certain wages…Kols 5.2, Tierney 4.2 & 3.65…if this information is true,, he does make less but not substantially less…still too much as a back-up…problem with a guy like Bertrand is why would he leave a guaranteed starting gig, with a chance of re-upping, for a back-up gig at Arsenal without a raise and/or longer-term commitment…this is worrisome because history suggests we don’t do well with these type of deals…still hopeful that this is only a rumour
were not was
As a proper left back cover for Tierney, he would be perfect in my opinion – as long as we offer him a rolling one year contract and his salary isn’t too high.
Must say, if the two rumours are true, Edu/Mikel will have had a very good window, with all positions covered.
We want fresh blood
EPL experienced, always been a solid player. Homegrown… this would be a smart move. As ken said, all depends on salary tho. Have to avoid crazy wages for these guys. I hope this gets done though. Would be a smart addition.
No you are not alone, Patrick! On a free or very low cost deal as our number two LB he would be a sensible and well chosen deal.
I would prefer DANNY ROSE THOUGH, IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE AS I THINK HIM REAL TOP CLASS.
NO SILLY, TOO HIGH, SALARIES IN EITHER CASE, IS A MUST TOO.
Good shout Jon – MA sorting out cover for every position, along with the versatility that AMN, Chambers and Pepe(?) will give us as well.
Slowly but surely building his team, let’s hope these loan deal rumour come to fruition.
I cannot see Bertrand ,who was a full international not long ago, leaving Southampton, where he is first choice to move to Arsenal where he will not be.I suspect Artetw would prefer to bring in a younger, up and coming LB like Mitchell of Crystal Palace perhaps.Nothing against Bertram who is a very solid LB and a cut above Kolasinac.