Real Madrid full back Alvaro Arbeloa wants to move away from Los Blancos.
Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with the player for a long time, but it is reported by the Express that the former Spain international would prefer a move back to former side Liverpool, this January.
The 31 year old is reportedly frustrated and unhappy at the lack of game time he has got this season, having only started five league matches. Carlo Ancelotti has preferred 23-year-old Dani Carvajal in the position and the youngster has put on solid performances every time and has cemented his place in the starting 11.
The report claims that Arbeloa is keen to move to a new club this winter, a place where he could be guaranteed a starting spot.
Arsenal were heavily linked with the player in the summer, especially when talks of a serious rift between Arbeloa and Casillas were doing rounds. The Spanish media has reported at the time, that the Gunners were interested in the player and had made inquiries for him.
The 31 year old World Cup winning Spanish defender has vast experience and is also versatile. The full-back is equally apt at playing on both sides, despite primarily being a right back.
Mathieu Debuchy suffered from a shoulder injury very recently and could well be out for two or three months. In such a situation, it is understandable that the club starts looking for players to bring in to ensure that injuries don’t hamper the season’s aims. Even though Arsenal haven’t been linked with Arbeloa recently, it would make sense for Wenger to get the player in his squad as he is well acclimatized with the Premier League and could immediately be slotted in the starting 11.
A move to Chelsea would not make sense as the reason for Arbeloa wanting to move to another club is to get regular game time, and if he goes to the Blues, his primary concerns would not be sorted. Jose Mourinho currently has Cezar Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovic and Filipe Luis competing for the starting spots and Arbeloa would only make a few apperances here and there if he moves to the London based club.
For Liverpool, the player could be a handy addition. Glen Johnson is certain to leave the club at the end of the season. Javier Manquillo is currently Liverpool’s only available right back as Jon Flanagan is out with injury. Rodgers has recently employed the 3-4-2-1 formation and has used Lazar Markovic as the right wing back, a move that has worked. But with the return of Daniel Sturridge, there is a serious possibility of the formation shifting back to a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, in which case the addition of an experienced right back would do a lot of good. These reports claim that the player prefers a move to his former club and negotions for the Reds could be made easier if this in fact, is true.