Arsenal must bring back this former Gunner from Spain

Posted Sunday, June 01, 2014 by Talksport.co.uk

Now that manager Arsene Wenger has signed a new three-year deal, Young Guns blogger Jamie Sanderson looks to Spain where a former Gooner is lighting up La Liga.

Arsenal scouts were in almost permanent attendance at Real Sociedad last season, monitoring one of their highly-rated youngsters with a view to a summer move.

All the talk is that the player in question is Antoine Griezmann, a speedy winger who has earned himself a place in the France World Cup squad with a string of impressive displays. He's valued at about £18m, a figure Arsenal would be happy to pay, apparently.

But while Griezmann is a player Arsenal like, the real reason for the intensive scouting operation in the Basque Country is to closely look at someone the Gunners already know so much about.

Carlos Vela left north London two years ago as an exciting forward who constantly failed to deliver. He struggled to adapt to English football, and apart from some flashes of brilliance on loan in Spain, he never really looked like being a world class player.

That's all changed now. Sold to Sociedad for a pittance, manager Arsene Wenger inserted a buy-back clause in the contract – just in case. What a decision that now looks to have been.

Vela is now one of the stars Spanish football. A skilful forward who has scored 21 goals and picked up 13 assists, he'd be worth £15m plus to any interested party, but Arsenal can have him back for just £3m this summer.

Wenger is weighing up whether he can find a use for the Mexican – he never could resist a bargain – and this deal is an absolute steal.

The aforementioned Griezmann gets all the praise at Sociedad, but Vela is their Player of the Season, and perhaps the sort of attacker Arsenal need more; a wide man who can pull the trigger in front of goal.

Arsenal fans always want the club to spend money – we're sat on so much of it so why not? But our best signing this summer could be a £3m bargain we've already seen in the red and white.

Arsenal fans, do you agree and do you think Vela can be persuaded to move back to the Emirates?