The Rumour:
According to several news agencies & various sources in Spain, Arsenal F.C. have put the wheels in motion in activating the option to purchase Carlos Vela, taking him back to London from his current club Real Sociedad, where he’s had a very impressive season in La Liga.
There is nothing solid here, but plenty of talk & speculation which should make one question the old adage of ‘where there is smoke, there’s fire’?
The Likelihood:
If rumours are to be believed (& it’s prudent to be open-minded here), Vela’s ‘buy back clause’, which is reported to be to be £5 million at the most is hardly a gamble by today’s heady financial standards, is it? Arsenal are linked with various centre-forwards day to day, but it’s widely regarded that Arsene Wenger has more than half an eye on the ‘wide forward’ positions to add much needed pace & (hopefully) penetration. Based on this season’s escapades in La Liga, Vela ticks those boxes. It’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility that Arsenal might not be tempted to make a play for Vela, certainly with the (reported) transfer-fee being what it is.
Our Take:
The Mexican has impressed many this campaign being an integral part of a Sociedad team that’s punched well above its weight. Inevitably various suitors of the 25-year-old will be looking to test Sociedad’s resolve this summer with cold hard cash. But in this instance it’s believed that Arsenal have a clause which was inserted into his contract when terms were agreed for his initial move to the Basque club in 2011 which will give Arsenal the option to buy the player back. Various figures have been banded around, but it’s believed that the fee rests somewhere between the £3/5 million mark.
It’s been a school of thought by many that Carlos Vela suits La Liga more so than he does the Premier League. At the risk of being a cliche-jockey, the notion that he feels he was more inspired to turn on the magic on a warm balmy night in Valencia (for example) than he would do on a wind-swept afternoon in Hull is something that might hold some weight.
Regardless, it’s difficult to argue that the talented forward hasn’t seriously upped his game over the course of this season. Adding a real level of consistency and an end product to his game. Vela always had the talent at his disposal, but perhaps lacked the application to realise his potential. With Vela given the freedom to express himself in an in-form Real Sociedad team, it has given the Mexican ample responsibility. The game-time afforded to him seems to have allowed a player many considered a ‘rough diamond’ to show signs of ‘polished diamond’ potential. This may well have made his ex-manager (Wenger) sit up, take notice & possibly entertain the idea of making overtures to bring Vela back to North London this summer.
If rumours are to be believed (& it’s prudent to be open-minded here), his ‘buy back clause’, which is reported to be to be £5 million at the most is hardly a gamble by today’s heady financial standards, is it?
Some might not be fully sold that Vela has the hunger or desire to be a smash at Premier League level, but with the figures banded about for a return, it might well be worth taking the plunge and make a move to bring the Mexican back to the Emirates.
Your Take:
Pete StefanÖwicz @PeteStefanowicz – We HAVE to aim higher. How come no one else in for him? He’ll return to Spain AGAIN at some point.
freegamer @freegamer2 – Will b good for squad depth and will also come cheap.We should buy a quality cdm and striker
Pauric Clerkin @PauricClerkin – for a price tag of £3 million? I don’t see why we shouldn’t take Carlos back. He would give us more options #CarlosVela
Arsene Boy @ArsenesBoy – if we buy a GOOD striker, i wouldn’t mind him back, but if its only him then no.
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