West Brom set to reject Arsene Wenger’s last-ditch attempt to rope in Jonny Evans.
With several key injuries haunting the Gunners, Arsene Wenger’s attempt to acquire 28-year-old Jonny Evans in order to secure his defence seems to be falling flat, with reports in The Sun suggesting that West Brom intend to reject the £16 million bid for the Northern Irishman. The Gunners have found themselves in a tight spot, facing widespread criticism for their 4-3 loss to Liverpool in their Premier League opener.
Their captain Per Mertesacker is nursing a knee injury and will not be able to join his team for another five months. Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny have also been deemed unfit to play following injuries. Consequently, it is with a degree of desperation that Wenger seeks to get Jonny Evans on his side, if only as a short-term solution. Following the defeat against Liverpool, Wenger is more than willing to splurge on controlling the damage done to his side’s defence.
The former Manchester United defender moved to West Brom only last summer after he was unceremoniously abandoned by then manager Louis Van Gaal. West Brom had managed to rope in the 28-year-old center-back for an initial payment of £6 million. With his experience, Evans has now become an asset for the Baggies who are in no mood to letting go of him just yet. West Brom’s rejection of Arsenal’s offer therefore will not come as a surprise to many.
Facing a dire need of an experienced center-back to make up for the loss of their key players to injuries, a report in Bild suggests that the Gunners may also lose current Olympic sensation Serge Gnabry to Hertha Berlin. With no love lost between him and Wenger, the 21-year-old who has helped his team march into the Rio Olympic finals, might just join the Bundesliga in the event that a bid came to pass. These then will be difficult times for the Gunners who will look to make full use of the transfer window before it closes in on them.
