If the Leeds United ace goes to Arsenal, should the Championship club get one of their prodigies on loan?
According to print edition of the Sun on Sunday, Arsenal are lining up a shock move for Leeds United goalkeeper Robert Green.
Green was Leeds’ first-choice stopper last season, but the arrival of German keeper Felix Wiedwald this week appears to have thrown his future at Elland Road into some doubt.
And if a switch to Arsenal materialises for the 37-year-old then Leeds should ask for the highly-rated Krystian Bielik in return.
The 19-year-old remains a hot prospect in North London and manager Arsene Wenger wouldn’t be interested in selling him, but ESPN reported in May that the Gunners would allow the Poland Under-21 ace to spend the 2017-18 campaign on loan – and other Championship clubs apparently want him.
Bielik enjoyed an excellent six-month stint with Birmingham City last term and the Whites should certainly explore the possibility of pairing him up with Pontus Jansson next season.
Kyle Bartley, valued at £7.5 million by Swansea City, looks unlikely to re-join Leeds at this point, leaving a gaping hole in the middle of their defence at the moment. Could Bielik fill it?
He is young, but Bielik was an excellent addition at St Andrew’s under Gianfranco Zola, who confirmed his interest in re-signing the talent, prior to his resignation in April.
Eleven days before his resignation, Zola told The Birmingham Mail: “It’s under consideration, obviously he is impressing. He is a player that every time I have played him he is doing quite well and he is getting better and better. We will try. It is not only in our hands because obviously I know Arsenal value him very, very much and it will depend if they are interested in him having another year in Birmingham. I know he likes it here and would like to stay.”
Zola’s exit might make Birmingham less appealing for Bielik, and there is little to suggest new boss Harry Redknapp is even interested, but if he enjoyed his time at the Blues then why wouldn’t he love life at Elland Road?
These are exciting times in Yorkshire, with new head coach Thomas Christiansen getting three new players – not including Hadi Sacko – and owner Andrea Radrizzani buying back Elland Road. Plus, Bielik would have a friend in fellow Pole Mateusz Klich – who joined last month – if he were to sign for Leeds.
As Zola said, he got better and better last season, and Christiansen should certainly consider snapping him up before one of his rivals.
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