Wenger to go double Dutch for a Dane and a Belgian at Arsenal
Published:Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, will look to Holland this summer in a bid to build a squad worthy of challenging the two Manchester clubs at the top of the Premier League.
The Frenchman has been assured by the Gunners’ board, that funds will be made available, in order to add genuine quality to his group of players.
Ajax duo, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen, sit atop Wenger’s wish list and will be his main priority come the end of the season.
Eriksen, 20, has proved a real success this year and has drawn the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson after an impressive display against the Red Devils in the Europa League, as well as counting Pep Guradiola as an admirer.
A product of the highly-praised youth academy in Amsterdam, Ajax coach Frank de Boer would be loathed to lose the impressive play-maker, but a move to England could be too great an opportunity for the Danish international to turn down.
It is believed the 2011 Dutch Football Talent of the year and Danish Footballer of the year, would be available for around £20 million, a price that Arsenal believe offers good value for a player emerging as one of Europe’s brightest talents.
Vertonghen is much like current centre-half maestro Thomas Vermaelen, in that he came through the Ajax ranks and even wears the same armband at the Amsterdam Arena, that adorned the Arsenal centre-half before his move from the Dutch capital.
At 24, the Belgian international looks the perfect fit for Wenger’s side.
The ex-Monaco manager has always favoured a more technically minded defender and sees the man who plays alongside Vermaelen at international level, as the perfect replacement for the panic signing of Per Mertesacker.
If Wenger can bring Vertonhgen to the Emirates to partner the excellent Vermaelen it could give Arsenal a solid base to attack the top two.
In what looks likely to be a busy summer in North London, the signing of the Belgian could be the biggest of all.
