The Exits At Arsenal – A Look At Sebastien Squillaci (Video)
Arsenal continue to frustrate their fans with a lack of signings this summer, with Yaya Sanogo the only arrival so far and failed bids for Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez grabbing the headlines. Although they are struggling to capture their transfer targets, at least they are managing to offload the ‘dead wood’ at the club.
Sebastien Squillaci arrived three years ago from Sevilla for a fee of about £4m and was expected to challenge for a central defensive position. He made 22 league appearances in the 2010/2011 season but was criticised for his lack of pace and number of mistakes committed. He didn’t seem able to adapt to the pace of the Premier League and soon dropped down the pecking order at the club once players such as Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen had cemented themselves as first choice.
Obviously he had done enough damage in his first season to convince Arsene Wenger that he had no long term future at the club as he has played in just one league match during the past two seasons. The club announced that his contract would not be renewed this summer and that he would be allowed to leave on a free. It is surprising that a player with 21 French caps to his name struggled so much after his move from Spain, although sometimes the environment and faith of a coach can make all the difference between a player becoming a success or a failure. Arsenal fans will not be sorry to see him go, but then he never really had a chance to make up for the errors in his debut season.
Will the club try and replace him with another mediocre defender or will they search for the new Tony Adams?
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