Arsenal might finally get the chance to bring in the player they have been waiting for since Song left for Barcelona. Real Madrid’s Asier Illarramendi could be the one to become the perfect anchor for the Gunners’ midfield which has been missing a defensive minded footballing midfielder for a while now. Despite having Arteta to fill in the gaps, the Spaniard has not been on top of his game lately with injuries preventing him from performing during key moments in the season. Flamini’s form was also on and off and Coquelin, despite some impressive performances, lacks experience and strong competition. The big question everyone is asking themselves now is if Arsenal really do need a big transfer or if Coquelin just needs competition to grow as a team regular.

Wenger could be asking himself the same question considering his indecision regarding players like Khedira or Schneiderlin who were seemingly willing to move even since last summer. Looking into the moves the French boss made, it might look like he had a plan for Coquelin all along. It is very possible that Illarramendi will be offered a deal but it will be nowhere near the amount speculated in the press. According to Metro, there is a chance Arsenal will want to buy Illarramendi for the same amount Real Madrid bought him from Real Sociedad which is about £28m. This sounds like a lot especially if all is needed is competition for Coquelin