It seems that Arsene Wenger was serious when he said at the end of the season that Arsenal’s defence was not good enough and that his focus would be on improving it.
So far this offseason it looks like Wenger has picked up a new center-half (Laurent Koscielny) and an experienced goalkeeper in Mark Schwarzer and it looks like he is not done yet.
According to the agent of Algerian center-half Rafik Halliche, Arsenal have contacted him about signing Halliche, who was one of Algeria’s few bright spots at this summer’s World Cup.
Halliche is owned by Benfica, although e has not played for them yet. He has spent the last two seasons on loan at Nacional in a bid to gain experience. That doesn’t exactly inspire me with confidence.
But he has played for this country in both the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup, and at 23-years-of-age, his best football is ahead of him.
Arsenal are also reportedly interested in another Algerian centre-back, Madjid Bougherra, who currently plays for Glasgow Rangers. Bougherra was quoted in the Sun saying:
“I heard that Hamburg and Arsenal are interested [in me] through the papers, but there is nothing official as yet.”
Last season Arsenal paired Thomas Vermaelen with Sol Campbell, William Gallas and Mikaël Silvestre. At least two of these three players will not be with Arsenal next season and Koscielny, Halliche and Bougherra would give Arsenal an infusion of youth and speed at the heart of its defence.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Isaac Vorsah, 20, defender and Andre Ayew, 20, midfielder, both of Ghana, will be great additions to the Arsenal squad. What do you think?
Personally I would like to see Arsenal add a couple of defenders in their mid 20′s with a little more experience than these two Sansa
Bougherra is shyte. That’s all I know for certain.
you’re fucking mad pal.the guy is an absolute star player.but hey,you’re used to sanderos and the likes of him,so i don’t blame ya!
am looking forward to the new season but wenger should pay experience player bcos will can’t to be trophyless this coming season again.up Gunners
I´m not a fan of Bougherra. I think with Thomas, Johan and Laurent we have enough quality. Maybe one more center half, but my favourite one is Micah Richards!!!!
Hey evrey body !
Sincerly, I saw da player Rafik Haliche playing and i focusedon him in this world cup,,,He was simply da best player of his team and one of da best defender of the first round…he’s fast, sober and he is a good head chalanger wid an impressive timing…for arsnel he can do the difference coz he’s simply much better dan Djourou !
Go ahead Arsene Bring him to Fly Emirates.
Best Regards !
rafik halliche or Bougherra are the very big solutions for arsenal
yeah Alijane, we have the same opinion about Rafik Halliche, he a young an experienced player with a warrior mental.
Wenger try to thing about Nadhir Belhadj (the back left of Portsmouth), a fast player with strike vocation
i think it is very good choice for arsenal ; saw him playing in portugal very good defender strong not easy to pass him he will put wayne roney and didier drogba in his pocket like he did with them in world cup and and africa cup
we can’t just go wasting our money on young 20 year old africans when there are young english 20 year olds out there. surely you’re not telling me that there isn’t an english defender in his mid 20′s that’s not better than those ones u mentioned. knowing wenger it will be an unknown quantity who will just do a job but won’t be reliable!
The problem I think with the 20 year old English defenders is that they are overpriced compared to what you can buy in Europe.
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