Who Should Replace Alex Song?

Anderlecht's Lucas Biglia

By Nick Lander

With Alex Song's impending departure to Barcelona, Arsene Wenger has two options. Promote from within or find a new recruit. The latter is far more convincing. While it is disappointing that Song is set to leave, it will represent a good piece of business by the club, who signed him for just £1m. It will also represent a the club's new attitude to players, which seems to be 'you are 100% focused and on board or you will be sold.' A refreshing approach in an era when players seem increasingly to hold all the power.

Promoting from Within:

The likes of Abou Diaby and Mikel Arteta may also be considered to play the holding role, but for me either would be a short-term fix, rather than a long-term solution, so there are four possible candidates to replace the outgoing Cameroonian: 

Emmanuel Frimpong - Age: 20 Arsenal Appearances (Goals): 14 (0)

Frimpong made his breakthrough into the Arsenal first team in pre-season before the 2010/11 season, but an injury to his cruciate knee ligament put paid to his first team chances that year. He came back stronger and (for the mostpart) impressed in last season, especially in the Carling Cup game against Manchester City. Physically, Frimpong is probably the most ready of the four internal candidates, but sadly another cruciate knee ligament injury (sustained whilst spending the second half of 2011/12 on loan at Wolves) means that Frimpong will not be available until October at the earliest, so whilst he may be the best solution in the long-term, Arsenal will need an immediate replacement.

Francis Coquelin - Age: 21 Arsenal Appearances (Goals): 21(0)

Coquelin has shared the holding midfield role with Alex Song during pre-season, and has performed fairly well, but may lack the physical prescence to play that role in the Premier League. Technically assured, and comfortable on the ball, most of Coquelin's opportunities came at full back last season, where he impressed. Although he did play well in midfield too, being one of the few players who emerged from Arsenenal's disastrous start to the season with any credit.

Craig Eastmond - Age: 21 Arsenal Appearances (Goals): 10 (0)

Eastmond has played the holding role in the Premier League before and did impress me. Having said that, that those games came in 2009/10 which would suggest that Wenger was rather less impressed. He traveled on the Asia tour and played quite well. With Arsenal said to be ready to listen to offers for the youngster, it is unlikely that Wenger will put his faith in Eastmond, but if called upon, I think that he would be ready.

Nico Yennaris - Age: 19 Arsenal Appearances (Goals): 3 (0)

Yennaris is far less likely to be turned to. He only made his senior debut last season, and has been mostly been used as a right back. Quite short, Yennaris isn't strong enough either, so to be playing in the holding position would be a big ask. However, he may be ready in a couple of years after spending some time out on loan.

New Signing:

Before you read my thoughts on who Arsenal could bring in, I would like to state that I am by no means an expert on French or Belgian football, and do not regularly watch it. My scouting has been done by watching a few YouTube clips of all the players, but I hope that I will still manage to paint a reasonable (and accurate) picture of their respective merits.

Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht) - Aged 25, Argentine Biglia is rated at around £8m by Belgian club Anderlecht, where he is contracted until 2015. Arsenal are believed to have had an interest in him since 2006, before he moved to Belgium. He is not the tallest player, be his is strong on and off the ball. He also is quite a skillful player, who posesses some of creative guile we are so used to seeing from Alex Song.

Yann M'Vila (Rennes) - 22-year-old M'Vila is a very good player. Sadly, he knows it and has the attitude problems of a young player who is aware of his abilities. Arrested three times in the last two years and with a number of spats with managers behind him, M'Vila's attitude is what has put off some fairly solid interest from Arsenal earlier in the transfer window. He is technically accomplished though, with a good right foot and a good passing range too. His vision is also excellent and he could be as capable as Song going forward. He also has the potential to bulk up a little more, to become a far more powerful player, and a truly menacing opponent. Rennes want at least £17m for him, were he available for £10m or under, I think he would be worth the gamble, but for that sort of figure, he is too bigger risk, and only the likes of Manchester City could afford for him not to perform as hoped.

Etienne Capoue (Toulouse) - Capoue has just one France call up to his name, and is behind M'Vila in the French pecking order, but at £9.5m he would be at least £7m cheaper. There are also far fewer questions over his attitude. To me it seems that he is the least mature of the quartet that I am suggesting, the furthest from the complete player and not quite technically at the same level. Were the Gunners making the same search two or three years down the line, he might be the man, but at his current stage of development, he seems to me to be too far off the finished article to be better than any of Arsenal's internal options.

Nigel de Jong (Manchester City) - The Dutchman has just won the Premier League and Charity Shield with City, but he only has a year remaining on his contract at the Etihad, and the Citizens do not seem to be in a rush to tie him down to a new deal. That he already has Premier League experience would be a major draw. He also has the defensive discipline that some Arsenal fans feel Alex Song is so desperately lacking, with City generally looking a better side with him in it. Despite that, de Jong spent much of the second half of last season warming the City bench as Yaya Toure was unleashed in a deeper role. Potentially available for less than £10m I am sure that de Jong would be worth a bid to test the water at the very least.

Some people may be surprised not to see Nuri Sahin's name on that list, but my understanding is that he will be brought in whatever, and would have come on loan even if Song were not leaving.

Were Frimpong not injured at the moment, I would have given him the opportunity until at least January, but that is obviously not possible. With that the case, I hope that Wenger moves for one of Biglia or de Jong. I think that either would do a sterling job for Arsenal and prove to be a really good signing.

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