Could Arsenal full back Debuchy be on the way to Upton Park?
With Carl Jenkinson ruled out for at least 3 months, there is much talk of him returning to Arsenal earlier than anticipated. A few papers today have revealed that we may be looking at another Arsenal star to replace him, since the player has become surplus to requirements at the Emirates this season.
The Express have claimed that we have joined the race to sign Mathieu Debuchy on loan in the next few days as a direct Jenkinson replacement.
The Frenchman has fallen out of favour at Arsenal and knows he needs first team football if he is to be considered for Euro 2016 in the summer.
But what does this mean for Sam Byram? Our new signing had a great debut against Manchester City, and fully deserves his chance to impress. It seems that Debuchy would be a direct replacement for Jenko, meaning that him and Byram are free to compete for the right back slot and Tomkins would likely go back into contention at central defence. It is always good to have strength in depth, and with Jenkinson out the squad needs to be bolstered if we are to compete for Europe.
The problem is that Mathieu Debuchy would probably want first team assurances, because the Express are claiming that he is also considering Aston Villa and Sunderland. West Ham would probably be his preferred destination, as we are currently flying high near the top of table and he won’t be in a relegation scrap but it’s unlikely Slaven Bilic would offer him a first team place without him earning it first.
On the other hand, Bilic has told Byram that he is not guaranteed first team football either. It seems that if Debuchy does replace Jenkinson then it will be fierce competition for the position which can only be good news for both players.
Do you think Debuchy would be a good addition for the rest of the season?
