Arsenal have had some real success in recent transfer windows by looking to Spain’s La Liga for new players. Although Arsene Wenger is still waiting to get value for money from the performances and consistency of the club record signing Mesut Ozil, you really cannot argue with the others.
Alexis Sanchez, Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla together did not cost all that much more than we paid Real Madrid for the German, and most of that money was the reported fee of around £35 million for the Chilean striker. So apart from the big two of Barcelona and Madrid, the other clubs in La Liga have struggled financially and generally been unable to fend off transfer interest from the Premier League.
But that is apparently not the case anymore with Sevilla, whose Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak is being linked with a move to Arsenal this summer. So the Spanish football expert Graham Hunter has told Sky Sports that Wenger will not find it easy to sign the player unless he goes in with a really big transfer bid.
He said, “First of all it is news to Sevilla that Arsenal have looked at Krychowiak.
“You could accept that Sevilla are Europe’s great selling club – with Porto they are probably the shrewdest at buying short and selling long and making huge profits.
“It’s not unheard of that with Krychowiak, who has been there a season, they might double or treble their money after 12 months.
“But, they have sold a huge amount of players in the last few seasons to make them an immense amount of money.
“They are guaranteed in the Champions League, their revenue streams have increased beyond all recognition and, because of that, they will not want to sell. They will no longer be the cash and carry for bigger clubs to come in with heavy budgets.
“If Arsenal decide that this fierce, tough-tackling, clever, goal-scoring central-midfielder – who meets the criteria of what critics of Wenger have been saying Arsenal have needed for three four or five seasons – then yes, he would suit them.
“However, if they are to get him they will have to ram-raid Sevilla to convince them to part with him ahead of what is a Champions League season for the Andalusians.
“He’s the right player, but late timing coupled with a Sevilla side who are cash rich [could see him stay].”
While Wenger has been willing to spend decent amounts of money for the Gunners in recent years, do you think that he will be willing to do so this time to get Krychowiak? If the boss was really keen to get this player then he would surely have made his move before now don’t you think?