This week Goal.com reported that Arsenal are poised for an £11m move in January for Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira, who was a subject of wide-spread speculation during the summer of an Arsenal switch. Other various reports too say that Arsenal has agreed a deal in principle with the UEFA Champions League winner for their midfielder, Khedira. However, realistically, it doesn’t appear Arsene Wenger would ever bring the player to the Emirates, not even in these desperate times! The Real Madrid player’s weekly wage and his injury record seem to act as limiting factors, masking his qualities in this Arsenal’s quest to sign a quality defensive midfielder. Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) had reported before the summer transfer window closed this month, that the Arsenal manager was seriously weighing his options between the experienced but injury-prone World cup and UEFA Champions’ League winner and a much younger William Carvalho who seems a long term plan.
During the summer transfer period, a fee of £27m was initially said to have been agreed between Arsenal and Real Madrid and it was all rosy until Khedira’s weekly wage demand stalled the deal. He demanded £150,000 on a weekly basis which Arsenal was not willing to pay. Then in a bid to revive the deal the player was said to have slashed his wage demand to £134,000 but still Arsenal didn’t deem it fit to continue the negotiations. Afterwards, it was said that Arsenal would move with a £30m for the player, indicating that contract talks had resumed. Then later, Chelsea was reported to have agreed a deal with the player to bring him to Stamford Bridge next summer and then news broke that Real Madrid was said to have offered Sami Khedira a contract extension which doesn’t seem the defensive midfielder is willing to take. The Khedira story continued to be a regular feature on gossip and transfer rumour columns in newspaper dailies and blogs.
The Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger in his prudent and reasonable nature wouldn’t bring Khedira to Arsenal unless he has been transformed by some spiritual forces! Wenger has proved that though he wants trophies, laurels and success, he wouldn’t pursue them at whatever costs. If the 28-year old experienced defensive midfielder, with a disturbing injury record, makes it playing for Arsenal in January or in the nearest future, then that would demonstrate the manger’s desperation to grab titles at whatever cost, an orientation popular clubs with Billionaire owners who put undue pressure on their coaches and staff. This is because Sami Khedira’s injury record should be a cause of worry to any manager who intends to win laurels. If a coach desires to win the league and many laurels then he must have players that could deliver all season long with minimal injury problems. Arsenal has had a fair share of league set-backs as a result of injuries to key players and even last season, the North London club had as much as 13 players out injured, a list which includes key players like Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs. What Arsenal do not really need right now is a player who is injury prone no matter how germane he is to winning trophies, because of the simple reason of uncertainties. Between 2007 and 2014, Sami had been out injured for at least a month, each year; therefore, you don’t depend on a player like that without adequate back up plan.
Also, being on a very high weekly wage wouldn’t help this deal at all. Though in the summer, Khedira tried to make his Arsenal switch possible by reducing his wage to £134, 000 per week from the initial £150, 000, personal terms may not be agreed by his representatives if Arsenal doesn’t build up at least a £100, 000-a-week package. Even at £100, 000-a-week, it is too much on the high side for a 28-year-old who gets injured at least twice in a season. Furthermore, Sami Khedira in recent times cannot be referred to as a defensive midfielder but rather a box-to-box midfielder. However, Arsenal needs a defensive midfielder and not a box-to-box player as Arsenal is very blessed with such players in the midfield. If Sami Khedira signs, it would mean one of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Santi Cazorla would lose his position.
Therefore, it would be very surprising if this reported £11m deal for Sami Khedira pull through as the sensibilities are against the move and Wenger more than any other manager hungry for success, would do well to act as expected, apply his senses!
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