BARCELONA ARE weighing up a move for the Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy after missing out on his signature last summer. It is thought that if the Catalan club were to offer in the region of €11 million Arsenal would be prepared to do business. Arsene Wenger, the manager, has the England Under-21 left-back Kieran Gibbs to promote, with Armand Traore as cover.
Barcelona also have a long-standing interest in the Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, and there are fears at the club that they will attempt to sign him once the transfer window opens. Fabregas will spend the summer with his Spain team-mates at the World Cup and they are likely to urge him to return home.
Barca’s interest in Clichy also has history. The 24-year-old was aware that they wanted him last summer but because he did not make any appreciative noises, they assumed that he did not want to join them and moved to sign Maxwell from Internazionale instead. Barcelona also have the 30-year-old France international Eric Abidal for the position.
Clichy has changed his agent since last summer to Darren Dein, who represents Fabregas and Thierry Henry, the former Arsenal striker who is now at Camp Nou.
Pep Guardiola, the Barcelona manager, was impressed with Clichy’s performance in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final, which Barcelona won 4-1, and he remains keen to add a marauding left-back to complement Dani Alves on the right. Clichy is Arsenal’s longest-serving player, having first played for them in the 2003-04 season.
But Wenger could have a new-look defence next season, having admitted “we have to add something, for sure”.
There remain doubts over the futures of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre and Sol Campbell. Wenger has money to spend but does not like to pay over the odds and, as such, may consider the merits of the Germany centre-half Christoph Metzelder, whose contract with Real Madrid expires this summer, rather than Fulham’s Brede Hangeland, who would cost upwards of €11 million.
Guardian Service
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