Emirates outfit plan move for Toffees defender.
Arsenal are preparing a £10million move for Leighton Baines as fears grow over the future of left back Gael Clichy.
Sportsmail revealed last month that manager Arsene Wenger is worried Clichy will not sign a new deal at the Emirates. The French defender, who is out of contract at the end of next season, later admitted he would not recommence discussions over a new deal until the end of this campaign.
Now Everton’s Baines has been identified as the man Arsenal want should Clichy be sold.
The Gunners have looked at Celtic’s Emilio Izaguirre but Baines has been a shining light in a mediocre season for Everton and his performances have alerted Wenger.
An Arsenal source told Sportsmail: ‘Baines is a good defender first and foremost but Wenger likes how comfortable he is on the ball, particularly his delivery and set pieces. Wenger thinks Baines would slot straight into the team with little fuss. Also Baines knows the Premier League inside and out so he would not have to get used to English football like a foreign signing would.’
SOURCE: Daily Mail
How much should we believe about this Daily Mail report? Could it be true? Who is the Arsenal ‘source’? Perhaps however the biggest question would be, how can a reputable article about prospective left back targets that Arsene Wenger may make a move for, not make one single mention of a certain Kieran Gibbs? Yes, that’s right the ready made England international replacement for Gael Clichy, if indeed the Frenchman does leave the Emirates.
Clearly Leighton Baines is a quality player, a very effective wide option both on the attack and in defence. He is also a damn good set piece taker but surely Wenger would not look further than Gibbs, a player he has taken time to help build into the very talented youngster that he is now, surely it is not the Gunners manager’s style to ignore young talent he has at the club?
It seems a fair few of Arsenal’s squad are linked with exits that depend very much on whether the North London club fails to clinch the Premier League title, at least that is what the tabloids will have you believe. Cesc Fabregas, Robin Van Persie, Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin have all been linked with high profile exits but just how likely is it that they will leave this summer?
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