Who?

Experienced Uruguay right back Maxi Pereira

Where?

Pereira is currently on the books at Benfica, but will be a free agent in the summer.

Arsene, spend some money 

Now 30 years old, he looks set to part ways with Benfica as the two parties cannot agree on a contract extension. The Portuguese club now looks to be ready to cash in on the player in January to avoid losing him for free in the summer. He won’t come cheap, but should be available for a cut price. No price has been mooted, but if I had to guess I would go for somewhere between £5 and £8 million. Benfica should take that amount and run if it means avoiding losing the player for free. I wouldn’t go past £10m and that seems a little high for a 30 year old.

Believability factor-7

If it means Arsenal save money, there is usually some truth to the rumour. This rumour has Wenger written all over it; a cut price deal for a solid but not quite world class player. Wenger is all for a bargain, and he can sign a player on a short term deal until his trusted players return (assuming Koscielny and Debuchy still aren’t back yet), he would most likely do it.

Game changer?

Close, but not quite. Arsenal need defenders at this point and while Pereira is a bit older and wouldn’t be my first choice, I wouldn’t mind a move for him in January. He is an upgrade from Monreal and Chambers and has experience in abundance having played in two world cups for Uruguay as well as appearing over 200 times for Benfica. It would probably be a short term deal, and so long as he is not the only arrival, I don’t see any reason why this would be a bad idea.

Click below to find out who this Arsenal TRIO is…