After failing in the summer, Athletic Bilbao will once again try to sign Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal in the upcoming January transfer window. The Basque side had been very keen to sign the left back but Arsene Wenger reportedly blocked his move back to Spain. However, reports from media outlet Fichajes, Bilbao will once again move for the player in a month’s time.
It is believed that Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde has asked the club’s leaders to sign Monreal in January despite the player having a contract with Arsenal till June 2017. In fact the Spanish side who made their maiden Champions League debut this season are willing to offer €8m to the Gunners for Monreal’s services. The player though is less keen for a move away from the Emirates and wants to see himself run his contract down at North London.
Though Monreal is not a regular starter for Arsenal, the left back has done so by playing beside Per Mertesacker in the heart of the defense ever since Laurent Koscielny’s injury. Bilbao thus believe that Monreal will again fall out of favour after Koscielny returns and would be willing to return to his homeland finding game time very hard to come by. Thus the Basque club are ready to bide time before they are certain to make a move in January.
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