Arsenal great Charlie Nicholas has urged Arsene Wenger to sign Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane and Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton to become title contenders next season.
Nicholas believes the Gunners are just two key signings away from a turning into a title contending side, and suggests Varane and Sschneiderlin are the two names that should be on top of Wenger’s wishlist this summer.
Schneiderlin, 25, has and continues to be linked with a move to Arsenal and are expected to rekindle their interest in the French midfielder once again when the transfer window opens. While Varane, 21, who is reportedly being chased by a host of European clubs, would be, in Nicholas’ eyes, the perfect defensive signing for his former club – though it would be difficult to lure him away from the Bernabeu:
‘I still think they’re two players away from being the real deal. It’s the defence and the protection of the defence that need attention – he [Wenger] recognises that now.
‘Coquelin has done really well but I would like another holding midfield player to come in, perhaps a Schneiderlin type of player.
‘Ideally, if the situation arose I’d like to go and get Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, that’s who I’d really love Arsenal to get.’
With the help of some top signings such as Mesut Ozil, Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez to name but a few, we have progressed as a club in the past two seasons or so, but we still suffer the same problems at the back and haven’t got a top enforcer protecting the back four. Yes, Francis Coquelin has done well in the past couple of months, but fans are still dubious about whether or not he can hold that positions for seasons to come, while our defence still remains our ultimate downfall. Wenger brought in Gabriel from Villarreal in January and the Brazilian has showed signs of becoming a very composed defender in the future, and it seems he will become Per Mertesacker’s replacement next season. Should the German defender leave at the end of the season, then a new defender will have to be brought in and although it would be difficult to see Varane at Arsenal, the young Frenchman would be the ideal signing for me.
So, is Nicholas right? Are we two players shy of becoming a title contending side once again? And is Varane and Schneiderlin the two signings Wenger needs to make this summer?
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