Arsenal’s frailties have again come to fruition this season, after early promise they look like they could again finish the season without a trophy to their name.
They have slipped 11 points behind league leaders Leicester and recently exited the Champions League and FA Cup.
The pressure is again mounting on boss Arsene Wenger who many believe should now step down to make way for somebody with fresh ideas.
But over recent months a lot of criticism has gone the way of defender Per Mertesacker and it looks like the 31-year-old German’s days at the Emirates Stadium could soon be numbered.
Here we look at FIVE possible replacements for Mertesacker should he move on in the summer…….
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE CENTRE-BACKS!
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John Stones
Stones hasn’t enjoyed his most successful season this campaign, for Everton but he is still probably the most highly-rated English defender out there at the minute.
Maybe last summer’s transfer saga where he was continually linked with a move to Chelsea, and was the subject of as number of bids is still playing on his mind this campaign but there is no doubt he could do a job with the Gunners.
A footballing centre-half, he has grown immensely since he arrived at Everton for just £3 million in 2013.
He now has seven caps to his name for England as well as showing himself to be one of the most accomplished young defenders in the Premier League at the minute.
Mats Hummels
Hummels is also one of the most highly rated defenders in Europe.
The German, who has been with Borussia Dortmund since 2009, has won a number of admirers throughout the game for a number of consistently strong performances both for club and country.
A member of the German World Cup winning squad in 2014, where he scored twice, he has also won the Bundesliga twice with Dortmund and was part of their squad that exceeded all odds to reach the Champions League final in 2013.
It would be a great signal of intent for Arsenal were they able to get hold of a player of Hummels’ pedigree and he would be a top signing for them also.
Diego Godin
One path that the Gunners haven’t particularly gone down over recent seasons has been to add real experience to their squad, but that is what they would get with Diego Godin.
Now in his 30’s, he is highly experienced through Europe, and beyond.
He has nearly 100 caps to his name for his native Uruguay and has been part of Atletico Madrid’s most successful period over the last few years.
Since his arrival at Atletico in 2010, he has won five major trophies as well as narrowly missing out on the Champions League in 2014 when they were beaten by arch-rivals Real.
That same year, though, he scored the goal that won Atletico their first Spanish title in 18 years at the Nou Camp.
Vincent Kompany
This one doesn’t particularly look all that likely at the minute, but with incoming City boss Pep Guardiola expected to make big changes to his squad then this would be a coup for the Gunners.
Kompany is still City’s best defender but it all depends on what Guardiola wants to do.
However, should he leave then the Gunners surely must be prepared to swoop.
The Belgian has been in the Premier League for eight years and has a wealth of experience of the league.
He has captained City to two Premier League successes and is the sort of person that could lift Arsenal towards a major title challenge.
Naldo
The most experienced player on this list, the Brazilian has a wealth of experience throughout Europe over the last decade.
He has been in the Bundesliga for 11 years with spells with Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg and although he doesn’t have the experience of lifting major trophies, he has only four in that time, personal experience would be key on this one.
He has played over 300 times in the Bundesliga and has experienced many Champions League occasions but at the age of 33 this wouldn’t be a long-term vision.
However, he could still cut it at the top level for another couple of seasons but it is likely that they would want to go down the route of signing somebody a little bit younger.
