Aston Villa player an example behind Arsene Wenger’s change of transfer plan

 

PSG travelled to London, without persona non grata Serge Aurier, on Tuesday and the match against Arsenal is big news in France.

Arsenal are reported on a lot in the French media, thanks to Arsene Wenger and his very French tenure at the club, and there’s page after page in Wednesday’s copy of L’Equipe.

However, it’s pointed out that things are changing. Now, L’Equipe believe, Arsene Wenger is looking more towards the Bundesliga for his recruits, feeling those in France’s Ligue 1 are no longer good enough, or at least not good enough yet.

Aston Villa’s Jordan Amavi is brought up and used as an example, with a ‘market expert’ telling L’Equipe: “As soon as a player makes some good matches, like Jordan Amavi, he is transferred. The L1 is a bit like the Belgian championship, the players leave very early. Logically, the level drops. To strengthen a club at Arsenal’s level, apart from PSG and Monaco, there are only three or four interesting players in France.”

That sounds overly harsh, there are still plenty of very good options in France, there’s several in the Lyon side for example.

The Amavi point may hold some water. Moving to Aston Villa at 21 years of age, perhaps the youngster didn’t have enough experience behind him and would be a better player now if he’d stayed where he was. But then he’s not doing badly at all considering his injury last season. It’s impossible to be certain either way but, still, L’Equipe seem to be looking down a little on Ligue 1.

Arsenal have wanted players such as Alexandre Lacazette, so it’s not for a lack of trying.