There is a very strange Arsenal transfer rumour going around today that the Gunners are preparing to sell Nacho Monreal back to a Spanish club to balance the books after buying Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal.
The Express reckons that Monreal, who has been very helpful at times this season during our defensive crises is NOT considered to be “a long-term defensive solution at the Emirates”, due to him only being 5ft 10in.
Okay that may be a bit small for a centre-back, but Monreal is actually a natural left-back and was only used in the centre during emergencies, so why the problem with his height? It is also reported that Monreal only has 18 months left on his contract, by which time he will be 30, so why on Earth they think we would get £15m for him is totally beyond me, especially as that is miraculously the same price as the much younger Paulista.
I guess it is fair enough to say that Monreal will not be an automatic starter for the Gunners when (IF?) we had everyone of our defenders fit, but he is a more than adequate backup to have around and could easily be an important part of the squad for the next few years if Wenger decides to extend his contract.
Another reason I doubt that there is ANY truth in this rumour s the fact that Arsenal (and Arsene himself) has made move to bring Paulista in this January because we are desperately short of defenders, so the possibility that he would even consider selling ANY one of them seems to be nothing short of a crazy fantasy……