Why this £21m-rated defender should choose Arsenal over Man Utd and Chelsea

Answer Arsene’s prayers

It is no secret that manager Arsene Wenger has numerous times given his side’s lack of aerial presence, at either end of the pitch, as the reason to why his men failed to earn all three points, or even a point, after a match.

But with the potential arrival of Manolas, all of Wenger’s worries could be over come January – well in the first third anyway.

Strong, powerful, pacey and standing tall at 6ft 2in, the Greece international’s quality would serve him well in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League and he would become a firm favourite under the Frenchman, if he answers his prayers and agrees a switch to the Emirates Stadium in the new year.

Then, once he demonstrates his aerial threat in front of Wenger, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny’s first-team spots may well be under threat sooner than we first examined.