After all the Arsenal transfer rumours connecting the club with the Southampton and France international star Morgan Schneiderlin over the last year or so, I think we are all expecting Arsene Wenger to make a serious, and hopefully successful, attempt to sign him this summer.
And although the Saints have been able to hold on to their central midfielder so far, it seems clear that Schneiderlin is ready to move onwards and upwards, especially if his current club do not make it into the Champions League, which now seems unlikely.
Wenger may not stop there, however, and poor Southampton could be in for another heavy plundering just like last summer, as Metro are reporting that Arsenal are also looking at their Senegal international Sadio Mane. The exciting 22-year old has really hit the ground running in his first Premier League season. He is the Saints’ second top scorer with seven goals from just 18 starts and five sup appearances.
Strictly speaking, Mane is a midfielder but he often operates more like a wide forward, with great pace, drive, technical ability and goal threat. I wonder if the Theo Walcott contract situation has made the Arsenal boss start to consider having to replace the England forward this summer, when there will be just a year remaining on his current deal. One former Saint for another perhaps?