It has been reported by the Daily Star that Arsenal are poised to make a £3 million bid for West Ham’s New Zealand central defender as Arsene Wenger looks to bolster his defensive options.
Winston Reid is out of contract in the Summer and is now available to talk to clubs who wish to put a pre contract agreement in place before the defender’s current deal expires but Wenger is hopeful of luring him to the Emirates this month. Reports suggest that Wenger is ready to offer the defender £60,000 a week and a four year deal.
Reid has been ever present this campaign for Sam Allardyce’s men playing in all but one of their Premier League games and contributing one goal in the process, Allardyce has admitted that he is resigned to losing Reid in the Summer claiming the defender has “no future” at Upton Park.
Arsenal are in serious need of defensive additions to their squad and with the latest injury to Mathieu Debuchy suffered against Stoke City at the weekend Wenger will be hoping to tempt West Ham to sell their defender this month.
Although Reid has good Premier League experience the one question mark over the New Zealander is his big game temperament and whether he is good enough to make the step up at the Emirates. Many see the interest in Reid to be another example of manager Arsene Wenger looking for a temporary solution for a problem that has not been seriously addressed.
As everyone knows by now Arsenal have been light in numbers since the departure of Thomas Vermaelen and by now you would imagine Wenger is still regretting that he was not replaced before the Summer window.
The West Ham defender has been arguably Allardyce’s most consistent player so far this season and at the age of 26 years the arrival of Reid for a nominal fee could make perfect sense.
Per Mertesacker has been the weak link this season, his performances have been short of what should be expected, for one thing the 29 year old German is looking past his best and it would be a brave man to suggest he is worthy of a starting place.
It is fair to say that Arsenal are already looking at bringing in one or two defenders as well as a holding midfield player and Wenger has already stressed the need to add “weight” to the squad but it remains to be seen as to whether West Ham will succumb to their advances.
