Stick, because if goes, we have Jenkinson, and you know Wenger will rather play him than buy another right back.

I think its worth the extra wages over 3 years to keep an experienced player who can cover several roles in the squad.

He may only be any good for another 18 months, but you could recoup some of his wages with a small fee when selling him.

so we should do all we can to keep him. we have other areas we need to concentrate on this summer and could do without also having to find a decent RB

Stick with him, maybe try for 2 years though, there's a lack of real quality full backs these days (that are realistic anyway, can only think of Coleman that we could go for an have a quick impact) and replacing him could be harder than just giving him a 2/3 year deal to allow young Bellerin to learn and maybe take up the reins in a couple of years.

If he genuinely wants 100k p/w for 3 years (probably all media BS as per usual but here goes...) then he can kindly jog the fack on.

There must be younger players out there who can do the same if not a better job. After a few games even Jenkinson looked half decent at RB for us FFS, I really don't think it's such a difficult position to excel at in this Arsenal team. And by excel I mean offer good defensive cover and very average crossing/attacking play.

If Jenkinson was meant to be first choice next season he should have played alot more and slowly have been phased in but Sagnas played whenver fit so it seems Wenger doesn't think Jenks is ready.

Next season could be like 08/09 where we needed to replace Flamini amd Hleb. We did it Nasri and gave Denilson a bigger role and our midfield went from

Hleb__Fabregas__Flamini__Rosicky

to

Walcott__Fabregas__Denilson__Nasri

I fear something similar could happen next season with our defence. With Sagna and Vermalen both likely to leave an injury to either mert or kos could see our defence going from

Sagna__Mert__Kos___Gibbs

to

NewRB__Mert__NewCB__Gibbs

if that does happen we will struggle

If Jenkinson was meant to be first choice next season he should have played alot more and slowly have been phased in but Sagnas played whenver fit so it seems Wenger doesn't think Jenks is ready.

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That's EXACTLY how I see it!

I like Jenks. I love his enthusiasm, his attitude and his athleticism.

I DON'T like his positional sense (which is a fundamental at Prem level playing fullback) and he has a real propensity to 'go to pieces' if & when he makes a mistake.

In an ideal world, Jenkinson could do with a season long loan at a decent(ish) Prem club where he's the nailed-on 1st-choice. I think after a season you'd get a much clearer picture of how legitimate a shot he has at being 'a top' Prem player, which is what Arsenall NEED.

IMO consideration will already have been made to replace Sagna.

The club made their final (contract) offer some time ago and it has not been signed. Suspect he may go back to France.

IMO consideration will already have been made to replace Sagna.

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You'd think that would be the likely scenario.

I actually think the right (or leftback) spot at Arsenal is a very important part of how Arsenal set-up, both defensively and offensively.

Aside from the obvious defensive responsibilities, ANY Arsenal fullback needs to have a Hell of an engine on them and IF you watch Arsenal play, it's interesting just how many (someone get me the Statman*) of Arsenal's attacking moves start from the fullback positions.

The club made their final (contract) offer some time ago and it has not been signed. Suspect he may go back to France.

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Very possibly. Realistically that'd be PSG or at a real push Monaco.

That said, (don't laugh) Man City 7 very recently Liverpool have been linked & as strange to some as it may sound, I wouldn't be all that surprised IF Sagna ended up at either of those clubs.

Bellerin has a future with arsenal, we need to bring him through eventually

A 3 year deal on £100k pw is far in excess of what Sagna is really worth. OK, he's been decent recently, but he's hardly reached the peak of a couple of years ago. In fact, with the cumulative effects of his injuries, performance wise he has regressed.

The obvious downside to him leaving is that our established back 4 would be disrupted, and there's no guarantee that we wouldn't get a Andre Santos type to replace Sagna. However, we simply cannot afford to give aplayer who is no longer at top of his game a massive wage packet at more than 2 years.

I love Sagna (and his fine Mrs) to bits, but there's a limit. Imo, i think we should look towards identifying a longer term quality replacement.

Bellerin has a future with arsenal, we need to bring him through eventually

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From what I've seen I really like this lads style. But I can't comment in depth as I've not seen the lad at close quarters over a period of time. Be interesting to see what anyone who has, has to say on the boy?

What does bother me, a little anyway, is that he was very much surplus to requirements at Watford and (in the end) didn't even make their matchday squad. I appreciate he's a young lad, but if he's struggling to make the squad of a Championship team, then maybe he has a long way to go & any talk of knocking on the door of the Arsenal 1st-team is VERY premature?

Moist

Just have a feeling (based on nothing whatsoever!) that his time with us is coming to an end.

He is not just as quick as he once was and as you noted our full backs need pace in abundance.
That said at present Jenkinson (for all his enthusiasm) doesn’t fill me with confidence as can go missing at times.

I am hoping that with (all being well) CL football secured we will bring in 2/3 players (in the Ozil bracket) so we can make a sustained challenge next season, and RB may be a position that needs addressing in the summer.


Serial - re Ludivig (sp) Sagna's wife. Have heard a number of tales about her and other French players

Sagna should move on. Get in the likes of Piszcek or Coleman or even Debuchy and I'd more than happy to replace Sagna. At least, with those, we'll finally get a proper attacking RB. That's the modern game.

Apparently he has told his team mates he is leaving

At 31, as others have said, he has already began to regress a little, IMO.

As good as he has been this season, I'm already a little wary when he comes up against a pacey and powerful winger - I recall Yannick Bolasie posing a real threat when we played Palace earlier in the season - and at his age, it's likely he's only going to get slower.

Speed is a vital attribute for any full-back, but given the nature of our system, it's particularly important to have a mobile right-back to cover the channels for the relatively immobile Per Mertesacker down the right-hand side.

I really don't think we should be looking to give him anything more than 1 year, and definitely not anything longer for the reported 100k per week.

Sheriff

All very well having attacking full backs but the examples (maybe the exception of Piszcek) you have provided aren't the greatest defensively (to say the least).

I can most gooners are worried that Sagna's departure will mean Jenkinson taking over, rather than any quality we'll lose over Sagna. Sagna does have his pros. He's very versatile and already this season he has slotted at CB seemlessly. If Wenger was to view him as a 3/4th choice CB, i'd be happy to keep him on.

But his qualities as a RB are declining. He's losing his pace, his positional awareness seems to be out of sync, and his fitness will continue to be an issue.

For 100k per week i would not want him signed on. He is not as good as he once was and is loosing his pace quite quick.

I think we should give him that contract. Need him because there aren't many right backs better than him and none that would be available.

"All very well having attacking full backs but the examples (maybe
the exception of Piszcek) you have provided aren't the greatest defensively (to say the least)."

Coleman and Debuchy are pretty good defensively. Sagna's only real advantage over them is his superior aerial ability. Sagna has his fair share of defensive shockers. I'm sure Arsenal - as always - have been generous with their wage offer, so if he's dreaming of something up to or close to 6-figure wages, we should call his bluff and he can move on.

The replacement issue is an interesting one. I love the way Seamus Coleman plays and his improvement since his introduction to the Premier League is nothing short of admirable. But (as touched on, I think?), he is afforded a lot of protection at Everton. Coleman (unless Arsenal changed their system) would struggle to play a similar style to that which he does at Goodison.

Piszcek!!! Now there's someone I'd take. Quite possibly the best rightback in Europe (imo). He wouldn't come cheap mind.

Debuchy? Good, but 'irrational' is his middle name, I'm not really sold on that one.

Sebastian Jung at Eintracht Frankfurt could be an option. A serious engine on the lad and his style is relentless.

I should stress that when I say that Piszcek is (imo) 'the best' rightback in Europe, I mean, the best rightback that Arsenal could possibly sign.

In spite of Lahm playing in midfield (under Pep) a lot of the time at Bayern these days, for me, the German is hands-down the best rightback going.

Montoya still hasn't signed an extension at barca.. but wenger wont get him as he will 'kill Jenkinsons career" same with Corchia and Aurier from the french league.

Moist

Agree but would he also command circa 100k a week. Would prefer to outlay 100k on Piszcek than Sagna imo.