Roma’s star defender Kostas Manolas has reportedly agreed to a lucrative contract with the Giallorossi. While it may sound a rather bad news for the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, who’ve in recent weeks shown great interest in the services of the Greek defender, it actually isn’t.
According to the report, the new contract includes a release clause of £32.75m, meaning the defender will be available in the market should any club decides to match Manolas’ release clause.
Arsenal, in particular, have shown great interest in Kostas Manolas for a long time and it’s past time, the Gunners finally make a transfer move for the talented centre back.
The departure of Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Paulista has significantly affected the defensive depth for the Gunners this season and it was clearly reflected when Shkodran Mustafi went injured.
Considering the fact that veteran defender Per Mertesacker is about the hang up his boots at the end of this season while young defender Callum Chambers hasn’t been given many first-team opportunities this season, the Gunners are rather shallow when it comes to the defensive department.
Therefore, head coach Arsene Wenger could certainly use someone like Kostas Manolas in his squadron.
The 26-year-old Greek International is by far the most highly rated defender at his current club, AS Roma. Since moving to the Italian capital from Greek club Olympiacos, back in 2014, Manolas has found resounding success in the Italian top flight.
During his time at Roma, the defender has stood loyal to his club, reportedly rejecting a big money move to Zenit St. Petersburg. He has been one of the best players since his arrival at the club and has earned rave reviews from a number of experts from all over Europe for his brilliant show in the backline.
Arsenal will be greatly boosted by the addition of Kostas Manolas. Not only will the Greek add some much-needed depth in the defensive department but he also has the potential to evolve as a world class defender, potentially eclipsing the highly rated Laurent Koscielny in the future.
Lauded for his pace and aerial prowess, as you would normally expect from a Greek defender, Manolas has all the traits necessary to thrive in the rigours of the Premier League and notable has the ability to lead the defensive charge from the back, with remarkable temperament and great fighting spirit. There’s no doubting the fact that head coach Arsene Wenger will be delighted to have Manolas at his disposal next season.
