Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal with Newcastle United to sign right-back Mathieu Debuchy, according to reports in the Metro.
The Gunners are in the market for a right-back following the departure of Bacary Sagna to Manchester City on a free transfer after spending seven seasons with the North London club. The Emirates side have been heavily linked with Serge Aurier in recent weeks, but Debuchy has now emerged as his likely replacement.
The report states that Arsenal have agreed a £12 million fee for the player and the deal will be officially announced once Debuchy returns from the World Cup. He is currently part of the France side which has reached the quarterfinals, but they could be back home at the weekend if they lose their match with Germany on Friday night.
Some reports last week stated that Arsenal have stepped up their interest in him and the 28 year old dropped a big hint last week by admitting he wants to play in the Champions League. He said:
I miss European football and the Champions League in particular.
For the moment, I’m concentrating on the World Cup. We’ll see about the rest afterwards.
Debuchy has been very impressive and is arguably one of the vital cogs in Frances renaissance these World Cup finals. He turns 29 next month and has an adequate amount of experience behind him to come in and fill the void left by Sagna. The current Newcastle man is in his prime, is arguably more dangerous going forward than Sagna and slightly less injury prone.
His signing will allow Jenkinson and Hector Bellerin, the other two right-backs in Wenger’s squad, more time to develop and mature into Premier League calibre defenders. His arrival would also give Jenkinson the opportunity to work under an assured player and hopefully develop him into a better professional, so that when the time is right he can step in and be the long-term replacement for Debuchy.
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Serge Aurier is also an exciting youngster linked to make a move this summer, but the Frenchman may be the more sensible option, as he’s far more experienced and has already played in the Premier League. He has the ambition of playing in the Champions League and at such a relatively good price it seems to be a no brainer. His signing might not be a big one, but could prove to be very important.
Should we sign him? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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