Arsenal are about to bid £15m for Stade Rennes defensive midfielder Yann M’Vila, according to the Daily Express.
The France international star is viewed by many within his home country as the natural heir to Arsenal and French legend Patrick Vieira, and it is easy to see why.
Just over 6 feet tall, M’Vila is exceptionally powerful in terms of physical strength, and is a disciplined presence anchoring the midfield with his calm passing game.
For Arsene Wenger, the argument is simple.
Buy M’Vila and let Jack Wilshere off the leash alongside Aaron Ramsey, as his dynamic running and passing game would be a fantastic asset to the currently slightly stagnant Arsenal attack without Fabregas.
In tougher matches, Alexander Song could be deployed alongside M’Vila to mop up opponents’ surges forward.
However, it could be a tough ask for Arsenal to convince either Rennes to sell, or M’Vila to up roots.
The Frenchman has spoken about wanting to stay one more year in Ligue 1 to ensure he is selected for his country at EURO 2012, while Rennes feel his value is only going to increase.
£15m may well not be enough, with Rennes believed to be holding out for around the £20m mark.
Should Arsenal break the bank though, Yann M’Vila could well prove worth every penny.
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