Arsene Wenger likes to plan ahead and he is always monitoring prospects and good young players at other clubs’ academies. The Arsenal boss is well-known for signing promising youngsters from other clubs as they become available as their contracts come up for renewal. Arsenal have a well-respected academy and have developed many quality players after acquiring players as youths from other teams. Names like Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin come to mind as Arsene Wenger convinced both to leave Barca to join the Gunners – moves which paid off for both.
According to ESPNFC, Valencia’s Jose Luis Gaya has emerged as a primary target for Wenger who is looking for someone to be an understudy to first choice left-back Nacho Monreal. Fans seem to think that Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Gaya sounds like a dream back four not only now but for quite a long way into the future and they might be right. The Spanish left-back who started his career as a striker, would be a perfect fit for Arsenal’s playing style. He is fast, attack oriented and incredibly dedicated to the game plus he is only 21.
Even though he is under contract with Valencia until 2020, he could be tempted by the idea of playing in the Champions League and also in the Premier League. Being so young, he will have all the time in the world to adapt and would also have a great mentor in Monreal as well as being able to get guidance from 4 of his compatriots in the Arsenal squad.
The problem with Gaya’s transfer is linked to one of his strongest attributes – he is extremely loyal and dedicated. So dedicated in fact that he might want to stay and help Valencia fight relegation – the Spanish side are 17th in La Liga. Valencia coach Cesare Prandelli said of Gaya on Tuesday:
“With young players, you have to be patient and work with them. He is very serious, a very applied player.”
This kind of attitude plus his skill-set on the field is what Arsenal are always looking for and if Wenger does manage to sign the young left-back, surely he could provide a long-term solution for the Emirates side. To emphasize his commitment to the Mestalla based team who signed him to a 5 year deal in the summer of 2015 with a release clause of €50 million, Gaya who did not entertain any other offers said:
“All I wanted was to remain at Valencia and to continue grow. To be part of this group is the best feeling that you can have and to be able to defend these colours is the maximum.”
Price-wise rumors have it that he could cost a lot, somewhere in the vicinity of £40million which seems sort of outrageous. However when you consider that Manchester United paid the best part of £30 million for Luke Shaw and Jose Luis Gaya has represented Spain at every level and he is reportedly a target for Real Madrid his valuation does not seem so crazy. If Wenger can sign him, Arsenal would have two superb full-backs to rely on for many years to come plus two young centre-backs who could all grow together.