Arsenal could be about to resurrect their interest in Werder Bremen’s Per Mertesacker after the player dropped a thinly veiled hint that he fancied a move to the Premier League.
The Gunners were strongly linked to the central defender last summer after he had shone for Germany in the 2010 World Cup, offering the Bundesliga club £10m for his services. That approach was turned down with Mertesacker deciding to stay and talks aboiut a new deal were planned. However, talks broke down last December and now the 26-year-old has entered the last year 12 months of his contract prompting more talk of a move away – not least from the player himself.
“For a national player it is a good thing to get experience of playing abroad,” Mertesacker told German daily newspaper Bild. “I have said that England excites me.”
With Thomas Vermaelen breaking down with injury in the pre-season friendly defeat to Benfica on Saturday, the need for more over has once again been exposed. Manager Arsene Wenger retains an interest in Bolton’s £17m-rated defender Gary Cahill but he might see Mertesacker as a more viable option as he is iunlikely to cost half that amount given his current contract situation.
COMMENTS