Ashley Williams, the Wales captain has been in superlative form this season and has already helped his team capture the Capital One Cup. He signed a new three-year contract last October but has been linked with a move away from the Liberty Stadium to a bigger team in the summer.

The 28-year-old has attracted interest from both Arsenal and Liverpool, but he favours a move to the Emirates, even though Rodgers worked with him during his time at Swansea. Arsenal are in a better position than Liverpool to offer Champions League football, though things could change at the end of the season.

Arsenal haven’t been formidable at the back and have conceded cheap goals this season and manager Arsene Wenger wants to bring in Williams to shore up his defence for next season. Wenger has frequently chosen two out of Mertesacker, Koscielny and Vermaelen as his first choice centre back pairing, but he is eyeing a new partnership for next season and wants a player in the same vein as Phil Jagielka who he unsuccessfully tried to sign in the past and Williams fits the bill.

The Capital One Cup winners lost the impressive Scott Sinclair and Joe Allen last summer and with several players impressing this campaign, they may lose a few more top players. And Laudrup could not contain his disappointment at the prospect of losing his captain in the summer to Arsenal.

According to Metro, Laudrup said, “When there are rumours about these clubs wanting someone from here it is because the player has done well and Ashley has. What else can I do? I can’t call Arsenal and say ‘Is it true?’ – and I don’t think Arsene Wenger would answer anyway, he has other things to think about. It is just part of the game.”

He added, “We will have to cope with these stories and remember it means people have seen what we have done here and what the players have done. He and Chico have been a great pair. They are doing great together and I will be unhappy to lose that pairing for next season.”

Clearly it will not be easy to sign Williams as there will be other teams interested in him but if Wenger can get him he would be an awesome improvement at the back and might help bring Vermaelen back into form. Sorry but Mertesacker can only be a back up and Koscielny deserves to be out of the dog house – not sure what he did to get into the dog house in the first place.