Reports: Arsenal to make late move for Serie A star
What's the rumour?
Transfer windows are great for solving problems, aren't they? Well, currently, Arsenal have a left-back problem and as a result, new manager Unai Emery is planning to make a late move for AC Milan's Ricardo Rodriguez, according to The Daily Mail.
However, Milan are keen on keeping the 25-year-old Swiss international and will hold out for a fee close to £30 million.
In case you didn't know...
Arsenal are going to be without Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal for their opening fixture of the new season of the Premier League. Sead Kolasinac could be out for 10 weeks after picking up a knee injury.
Their first-choice Nacho Monreal has also picked up a knee injury and though he has returned, he has not trained with the team yet.
The heart of the matter
Owing to these injuries, Arsenal are without a first-team player to start at left-back this weekend. As a result, Ainsley Maitland-Niles is tipped to start for the Gunners against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday.
Ricardo Rodriguez, who was impressive at the World Cup for Switzerland, moved to AC Milan last summer after spending half a decade at Wolfsburg.
Rodriguez joined the Serie A giants and made an instant impact. Hence, Milan are not interested in selling him but according to the report, they might be tempted to offload him for a sum in the ballpark of £30 million.
His international teammate Stephan Lichsteiner joined Arsenal earlier this transfer window. The 34-year-old veteran fullback moved on a free from Juventus. And he is raring to go already. Lichsteiner said,
‘We are ready and it was important to show this. I see players with big character and big qualities. I think this team just needs this last fire to explode.
‘It’s the same project like seven years ago at Juventus. It’s important to come back into the Champions League. Step by step we will grow and go forward.
‘When you are at big clubs like Arsenal it’s important to have in your head the aim to win titles.’
Rumour rating/probability: 4/10
Daily Mail is no tier-one source and splashing the cash for a stop gap doesn't sound like something Arsenal would do.
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What's next?
If Ricardo Rodriguez moves, it will be great for Arsenal. However, once their injured players are back, it will lead to overcrowding and that's not going to be good for anyone. As for Rodriguez, the wise thing to do would be to stay put at AC Milan.