According to the Telegraph, Arsenal and Manchester City will battle to sign Jonny Evans in January. The two Premier League sides made an approach for Evans in the summer, but found their efforts rebuffed by an Albion side looking for £30m.
Arsenal have a lot of defensive options in the form of Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, Nacho Monreal and Calum Chambers, but the Gunners will lose Mertesacker to retirement next summer, while the 32-year-old Koscielny has a chronic injury that could cut his time short at the Emirates.
Manchester City lost John Stones to injury, while manager Pep Guardiola has qualms with Eliaquim Mangala and fitness worries about Vincent Kompany. As a result, the Sky Blues will be in the market for a centre-back, and Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez is believed to be on their radar, as well as Evans.
As for the West Bromwich Albion centre-back, Evans has struggled for form this season. He’s been far from his best, which ex-manager Tony Pulis attributed to the summer speculation, and may consider a move away from the Hawthorns as a result.
The £30m-rated defender, who signed from Manchester United for £7.5m in 2015, has made 77 appearances for Albion, scoring four goals. He’s represented Northern Ireland on 67 occasions, and turns 30 in January 2018.
Stats from Transfermarkt.
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