Wenger ready to replace Mertesacker and Vermaelen.
Arsene Wenger wants to completely overhaul his central defensive pairing after losing patience with Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen, reports the Daily Mail.
And the tabloid believes the Arsenal boss is ready to strip Belgian Vermaelen of the captaincy and hand Jack Wilshere the armband for next season.
The Frenchman has reportedly told his scouts to draw up a list of possible replacements for the inept Mertesacker and Vermalen, which is said to include Nicolas N’Koulou of Marsille, Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Amorebieta, Real Madrid’s Raul Albiol and Swansea skipper Ashley Williams.
After strong starts to the season, both Vermaelen and Mertesacker have been guilty of costly lapses of concentration of late and both were left flat-footed twice in the space of three minutes, as Arsenal conceded two quick-fire goals in Sunday’s 2-1 defeat in the North London derby.
With right-back Bacary Sagna also expected to depart in the summer, Gunners fans could be treated to an entirely different back-four at the beginning of next season as the one that started the current campaign.
The Mail reports that Wenger is also entertaining the idea of signing a new goalkeeper and centre forward, although no games are offered as to who these might be.
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