Arsenal are tracking the Lorient left-back Raphaël Guerreiro before a possible summer bid, as Arsène Wenger considers whether to listen to offers for Kieran Gibbs. The club have made repeated scouting checks on Guerreiro, the pacy 22-year-old Portugal international, who impressed last summer for his country at the European Under-21 Championship and can also play further forward on the left wing.
The Arsenal manager has a long-standing relationship with Lorient, having signed Laurent Koscielny from them in 2010. He loaned Francis Coquelin there in 2010-11 and Joel Campbell the following season while he sold the forward, Gilles Sunu, to them in the summer of 2011, after an initial loan. Sunu is now at Angers.
Gibbs, 26, has fallen behind Nacho Monreal in the pecking order for the left-back slot and he has made only three Premier League starts this season. Wenger has developed Gibbs into an 11-cap England international but, with Monreal’s form, he has found it difficult to give him the playing time that he wants.One player who is fully behind Wenger is Mesut Özil. The German tweeted his admiration for his club manager as he prepares to face England.
“Arsène Wenger was a big reason for me joining Arsenal – this hasn’t changed! Respect AFC,” tweeted Özil.