Should Arsenal snap up Jese offer if Real Madrid reports are correct?

Morning all,

If you believe what you read, which is always a dangerous approach to take, then Arsenal have been offered the opportunity to take highly-rated forward Jese off Real Madrid’s hands in the January transfer window.

Spanish magazine Don Balon – not a publication we peruse that often either – have suggested that a deal could be struck in the New Year, and the British press are falling over themselves to report that a big-money agreement will be pushed through.

Real, allegedly, believe that they could generate anything up to £20 million for a product of their famed academy system – which would represent quite some business for them, given that he cost them nothing.

In the grand scheme of things, and if those figures are correct – with it possible that there may be a bit of wiggle room in there to get Florentino Perez to lower his demands – then a move may make sense for all parties.

Jessie quite clearly needs to get himself out of the Santiago Bernabeu if he is to flourish and fulfil potential that has been discussed at great length since he made the step up onto the senior stage.

More of a forward than an out-and-out striker, competing with Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo in the Spanish capital – not to mention the likes of Isco, James Rodriguez and Denis Cheryshev – is always going to leave him on the fringes of things.

The same argument could be offered at the Emirates, with Arsenal’s ranks loaded with creative, attack-minded talent.

The problem for the Gunners is that keeping all, or most, of those figures fit for any prolonged period of time is proving to be a thankless task, with the recent loss of Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla to three-month stints on the sidelines leaving Wenger rather light at the business end of the field.

Jese could be the answer.

He is only 22 years of age, so fits the mould of buying for the present and future, and should be expected to slot straight into the side as an energetic and tireless worker, and one who would be relatively fresh given his lack of regular game time in Madrid.

Wenger can be reluctant to spend at the best of times, and the January sales have rarely figured on his radar in years gone by.

He may also look at Jese and question why, if he is as good as everyone says he is, has he not been given more opportunities, and why has he been unable to open his goal account among the cream of Europe in the Champions League?

It must also be noted that he suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury in March 2014, keeping him out for the best part of nine months, and the last thing the Gunners need right now is another forward who could break down.

These are the questions which need to be asked in the coming weeks, the pros and cons assessed before a decision is taken on whether £20 million is a fair price for a man on the periphery of things in La Liga and one who would need to hit the ground running in the unforgiving surrounds of the Premier League.

Match preview will be later….