■ Arsenal right-back transfer search turns to Atsuto Uchida of Schalke

23 May 2014 10:30 PM By John Cross

With Sagna packing his bags for Manchester City, the Gunners also have Toulouse's Aurier and Atletico Madrid's Juanfran on the radar
Micha Will
Mister Right-back? Will Wenger sign another player with German links in Uchida?
Arsene Wenger could turn Japanese to replace Bacary Sagna.

Arsenal boss Wenger has ordered his scouts to keep tabs on Schalke’s Japan international right-back Atsuto Uchida.

Uchida is 26, and has vast experience playing for his country. The Gunners like his energy levels and considered moving for him last summer, when they also targeted Atletico Madrid’s Juanfran.

The North Londoners are having to step up their attempts to sign a right-back as Bacary Sagna is set to join Manchester City on a £120,000-a-week contract as soon as he becomes a free agent.

They have also watched Toulouse right-back Serge Aurier, but there are understood to be some reservations about whether he could replace Sagna.


That has prompted them to widen the search and they have looked in Germany - Wenger admires the Bundesliga for producing disciplined, Premier League-ready - where Eintracht Frankfurt's Sebastian Jung was on the radar, until his move to Wolfsburg this week.

Wenger does like Aurier and believes he has major potential, and the Gunners could still settle for him despite the weaknesses which have been flagged up.


Throw of the dice: Wenger likes Aurier but there are doubts he's as good as Sagna

They would also go back for Juanfran given any encouragement.

Mirror Sport revealed last summer they liked the player - full name Juan Francisco Torres - and his impressive form in the Champions League this season as Atletico made it to this weekend's final has only heightened his reputation.

Arsenal had offered Sagna a three-year deal worth nearly £90,000-a-week in the hope he would play one more year as first-choice right-back while also developing further as central defensive cover.


Second time lucky? Arsenal went after Juanfran last summer and are still keen

Despite looking to sign a right-back, Arsenal are still considering sending out Sagna's understudy Carl Jenkinson on a season-long loan to gain regular Premier League experience.

That is in Wenger’s mind as he considers what sort of right-back to go for this summer.


去年もあったけど、今年もきたな。
FCトゥールーズのオーリエとファンフランとともに名前が挙がってる。プレミアのなかではかなり合う部類だと思うわ。正直ブンデスは今以上の成長は見込めないし、年齢的にもキャリアアップすべき時期だろう。