It’s been no secret that Arsene Wenger has been a long admirer of Swansea skipper Ashley Williams, however this may be the moment when he takes his interest one step further and pushes through a deal for the Welsh international.
Arsenal had previously turned their attention elsewhere due to Swansea’s asking price, but with news that Thomas Vermaelen faces a lengthy wait on the sidelines due to a back injury, Arsenal are now preparing to push through a deal.
There has been question marks over the Arsenal defence for some time now and Thomas Vermaelen has often been one of their most consistent players. Unfortunately, the Belgian has been ruled out of the tour of Asia and is very likely to miss the start of the Premier League season.
This leaves Arsenal short in the defensive department after releasing Sebastien Squillaci and allowing Johan Djourou to go on loan to German side Hamburg. The only defenders who would command a place in the starting eleven are Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, but it is hard to find anyone who could step up to the plate beyond that should one of these suffer an injury or poor form.
It is likely that Williams would be keen on a switch to London and to get a taste of Champions League football. Since gaining promotion with Swansea, the 28-year-old has established himself as one of the leagues best centre-backs in just two seasons. So it is no surprise that he is top of Arsenal’s most wanted list.