Arsenal have execised the option to trigger one year extension clause on Nacho Monreal’s contract which will see him remain at the club until summer of 2020,meaning he will not leave for free this summer. The 32-year old full back joined Arsenal in 2013 from Spanish side Malaga and made over 200 appearances for the Gunners and won 6 major trophies.The veteran defender has only featured in ten Premier League games this season thanks to injuries but with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, Arsenal have taken the necessary steps to keep hold of him.
Negotiations over a new long-term contract for the Spaniard have been stalled but for the time being he will now at least now not leave for free in the summer, but despite the dragging negotiations. The north London giants have interestingly opted to sort out Monreal’s future ahead of a number of other star players like Danny Welbeck, Stephan Lichtsteiner and the departing midfielder Ramsey who all are on their final six months of their contracts Monreal’s invaluable contribution to the club.
Unlike a lot of modern full-backs, Monreal enjoys going forward but also tracks back to defend that is where he is slightly better than most players at Arsenal and the Premier League in general. Arsenal should now seek to extend Monreal’s stay at the club and build defensive foundations around him Monreal’s continued service will come as a boost given his loyalty and consistency over the last years at the Emirates Stadium which has seen him emerge as one of the Gunners’ most reliable players.
Unai Emery has been facing a lot of injury problems and the north London giants need all the defensive personnel that they can get. On the other hand, the Spaniard has already shown that he has the quality and has been one of the most consistent defenders for the Gunners in recent times.
Despite that, at the moment he just lacks the pace to push forward and fall back and be the best at both. With that being said, he can be shifted to a role at the centre of the defensive line if the days to come. This would surely be a boost for the Londoners, who are struggling with injury problems at present, especially to their centre-backs.
He is one of the most experienced players in the side at present and with things not looking so good for Unai Emery and his team in recent weeks, it could be the boost that they actually need now. At 32, Monreal may not be the quickest, but he is calm and experienced and can easily guide his team to some good, solid defensive performances.
It becomes crucial for Arsenal to keep picking up points and putting pressure on the other sides, as they look to secure their place in the top four and win some silverware this season. It will be interesting to see how things develop now, though the positive part at the moment will be the fact that the player has been given an extension.
