da bet sport： Unai Emery and Arsenal should offer Nacho Monreal a new contract before the January transfer window opens.
What’s the story?
da dobrowin： According to Mundo Deportivo (via the Mirror) Barcelona are looking to strengthen their squad at left-back as the La Liga champions try to fill the void left by Lucas Digne as backup for Jordi Alba. The 32-year-old is believed to be on the Barcelona radar, along with Liverpool’s Alberto Moreno.
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has set his sights on an experienced player and Monreal looks to be the favourable choice. With 215 Arsenal appearances to his name in the space of six years, Monreal would be a good fit for the current Barcelona squad.
Barcelona will also be eager to improve on their recent Champions League record and the risk of a player like Alba burning out will become a real factor. Monreal on the other hand has been one of Arsenal’s most underrated players and his potential has been overlooked for some time now.
Offer Monreal a new contract
Along with Aaron Ramsey, a contract extension for Monreal should be seen as one of Emery’s main jobs this season. Monreal, who is in the final year of his contract, missed Arsenal’s opening round fixture against Manchester City due to injury, but has already shown, since he returned, that he will be an important player for Emery this season.
The Spaniard was one of the club’s standout players last season, scoring six goals in 38 appearances and was a nominee for Arsenal’s Player of the Year Award. Despite his age, Monreal has grown tremendously in experience during his time at the club. With the positions of Sead Kolasinac and Ansley Maitland-Niles still unsure, Arsenal don’t have any other left-backs. The consistency that Monreal brings to the team is hard to ignore and will be crucial in the club’s quest to get back into a competitive position.
The idea of bringing in a new signing remains an option, but within the current Arsenal squad the presence of players like Monreal or Laurent Koscielny is much needed and the type that Emery requires.
Letting Monreal go in either one of the next two transfer windows will just create further defensive problems for an already struggling back-four.