Another season is drawing to a close which means that the intriguing summer gossip is already underway, and who better to be linked with a move to North London than long time Gunners target Felipe Melo.
The Juventus midfielder has been highly inconsistent since his £22 million switch from Fiorentina in 2009, and could be deemed surplus to requirements at the Italian club this summer.
Melo’s agent has already confirmed that the Brazilian will favour a move to the Premier League, which will no doubt put Arsenal on red alert as they try to add some much needed steel to their current midfield. Melo’s agent, Jose Rodriguez Baster, was quoted on Sport.co.uk stating:
‘The situation is that we have been talking to Juventus but there is no official position on his future.’
‘He has been playing really well in the last couple of games and during the last few weeks of the season we have been talking to the club and there are differing opinions on his level of performances.’
‘Right now he is doing well and we have no official communication saying that he is for sale, but if Juventus decide they want to sell him the Premier League would be one of his favourite options available to him.’
‘In the coming days we will know a little more.’
Arsene Wenger has admitted in the past that he is a keen admirer of Melo and was in fact interested in signing the midfielder two years ago, but the 27-year-old opted for a move to Juventus instead.
Wenger was quoted in many newspapers last year saying:
‘We were interested in Melo during the summer, then he went to Juventus and that team has struggled and certainly he has not had the season that everyone predicted he would.’
‘We still think he is a very talented player. We are still looking at Melo.’
The news of Arsenal’s interest in Melo will undoubtedly receive mixed reviews from the club’s fans.
Melo has failed to hit top form at Juventus since joining them, and wasn’t a stand out performer at the 2010 World Cup finals last summer in South Africa. However Arsene Wenger has an aptitude of getting the best out players who have lost their way.
Since Patrick Viera left Arsenal in 2005, many believe that the Gunners midfield has lacked defensive capabilities as well as strength and aggression.
A number of Arsenal fans have been crying out for a powerful defensive midfielder to step into the club this summer, and maybe, just maybe, Felipe Melo is that man.
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I think Melo would be a good addition to the Arsenal Squad!
I think he’s got the potential and he would add a bit of steel and be able to challenge Song for his role, but he’s always seemed a bit temperamental to me. Maybe just my imagination, like quite a few things, I reckon it could boil down to the formation we use next season; 4-3-3 not going as planned.
I think Melo would do well for Arsenal. He is straong, powerful and has plenty of aggression which we lack in the middle of the park. I also think he would challenge other players for positions, which will be good as it means the other players currently playing will have to step their game. If we get him, it will be good to have healthy competition at Arsenal.