There have been Arsenal transfer rumours for the last two years about the Spanish left back Nacho Monreal making a possible return to his home country with a number of La Liga clubs linked. But earlier this month the reports began to filter through that Monreal was close to agreeing a new contract to stay at Arsenal and today that has been confirmed on the club’s official website.
The new three year deal will keep the excellent defender at the club for another three years, at which point he will be 33-years old. Given what Arsene Wenger has been saying about the newly signed Gunner, however, we have every reason to believe that Monreal could be here for even longer than that.
The Frenchman was fulsome in his praise of the former Malaga and Osasuna star, extolling his excellent professional attitude and dedication and insisting that he is a perfect role model for the other players in the Arsenal squad, especially the younger Gunners.
The manager also told Arsenal Player that he feels that Monreal has made great strides since moving to north London and is now widely regarded as one of the very best in the Premier League, which is why the very good England international Kieran Gibbs has been finding it so hard to get a place in the first team.
Wenger said, “He is a very important player at the club because he can play left-back and centre back. He has the consistency in his performances that is requested at the top level.
“Overall, his attitude has been absolutely fantastic on a daily basis since he arrived here. He’s 100 per cent committed and I think as well he has always improved since he has arrived and has shown that in many big games as well.
“He’s calm, focused and dedicated. He’s well-accepted and loved by his partners. He has the modest approach of a player who wants to give his best to the team. Everybody senses that and that’s why I think it’s important for the club to have that stability.
“Everyone in the Premier League would say that he has become a very strong player. Arsenal are gifted at the moment, I must say, with two top-class left backs. We have many young players. They need to be surrounded by experienced players, especially at the back.
“We now have experience at the back. Nacho is part of that – he’s a good example for the young players and we have a good bunch of young players. We have seen another one with Alex Iwobi the other day, who has shown talent. They need to see how you behave at that level.”
This is great news for Arsenal right now and over the next few years. Keep it up Nacho!