Laurent Koscielny won’t play any part for France in the World Cup this summer, after the defender suffered an injured against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
5Jose Gimenez
- Age: 23
- Current club: Atletico Madrid
- Contract until: 2020
- Market value: £31.5m
Gimenez recently signed a contract extension to 2020, otherwise he would’ve been a free agent this summer. Still, that’s not a particularly long contract in today’s market, especially for such a young and talented player.
In fact, recent reports suggest the player has a £57.3m release clause. If Arsenal wanted him badly enough, they could just pay up and get him. The Express wrote in February that the Uruguayan was Wenger’s “top target”.
Gimenez is a regular in Atletico’s well drilled defensive back line. They’ve only conceded 14 goals in 29 league games this season, the second-lowest in the league.
The 23-year-old is a threat on set-pieces, as he’s so strong in the air, and he also puts his body on the line to make blocks regularly. If Arsenal are willing to pay a bit more to lock down the position for a few years, Gimenez could be their best option.