Keisuke Honda will become a free agent in the summer after the Japanese playmaker decided not to extend his stay at CSKA Moscow.
With only four months left to run on his contract, interested clubs will now be able to approach the 26-year-old and sign him on a pre-contract.
CSKA director Roman Babaev recently confirmed that he had tried to extend Honda’s contract, but has realized that the versatile midfielder wants to seek pastures new:
‘We tried to extend his contract, but we can’t force him.
‘It is up to him what happens next.’
It is believed Liverpool are keen to land Honda, who has been capped 41 times for Japan, and could hold talks with the player within the next few weeks.
Taking this all into account, should Arsenal step in and challenge Liverpool for Honda’s signature? I believe so.
Honda would certainly offer us more options in the attacking third – due to his versatility, would cost us nothing to bring in and, I believe, would suit our style of play perfectly as he is a very technically gifted footballer with great movement, awareness and creativity.
I personally don’t like to see our club seal free transfers, but this is one I’d like to see happen.
Arsene Wenger has in the past looked at Honda, who has netted 20 goals in 74 appearances for the Moscow club since joining them back in 2010, and should do so again after his latest developments at CSKA.
To take a leaf out of Dr. Pepper’s book – what’s the worst that could happen?
Should we look to sign Honda on a free this summer?
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Yeah,lets buy another Gervinho !!
It might be time to buy someone to whet the supporters appetites.Honda can probably play but so can most of our current squad now its time to up the ante.Ps i thought giroud might not be mobile enough to trouble spurs rearguard yesterday and so it proved.Front three of ox pod theo would have functioned way better.To see spurs yesterday you would have thought theyd just won the league with their gloating
Should have got him a couple of years ago … Now, there are other players I think we should go for.
Typical Arsenal though, when the chance to get a good player is there we don’t do it.
Arsenal need two centrehalfs and a defensive midfielder. Vermaelen has been exposed at the back and Koscielny and Mertesacker are both sub-par.
Seriously, all the talk about strikers is secondary to the defensive weaknesses at Arsenal. Plus a new goalkeeper would help greatly.