Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has come out in the media to reveal why he sold French left back Gael Clichy to Manchester City. The French boss mentions that he wanted to give a chance to Englishman Kieran Gibbs. The 25 year old Gibbs hasn’t well justified his manager’s faith struggling with injuries but Wenger has remained patient as he believes that the player has a lot of talent and will surely justify his place. Gibbs’ understudy Nacho Monreal also hasn’t lived up to expectations, and the Spaniard definitely starts only when Gibbs is out injured.
Gibbs made made 28 appearances last season as the Gunners finished fourth in the premier League throwing away their title chances after a great start. Wenger was talking Gibbs up about a potential call-up to the England squad after missing out last time with a hamstring injury. However Gibbs is now way down the pecking order with the Leighton Baines and Luke Shaw significantly ahead of him in terms of ability. Wenger though believes Gibbs can force his way into the Three Lions’ squad.
Wenger claims that he speaks frequently with Gibbs to give him the much needed confidence, “We try always to show him confidence and, look, I let Gael Clichy go to Manchester City because he was a young English left-back. That’s the main reason I left Clichy go. I wanted to give him a chance.”
“He’s (Gibbs) such a great potential that now if he just lets it go… because he can dribble as well, because when he arrived at the club he was 16 and he was a winger, midfielder, and I saw that potential didn’t really come out. Wenger also mentions if he transform him into a defender similar to Ashley Cole.
Gibbs already has three International caps to his credit but will to pull out some out of the world performances if he has to even grab Roy Hodgson’s attention for the 2016 EURO Championships.