Sebastien Squillaci set for Arsenal move
Sebastien Squillaci is on the verge of making the switch to Arsenal, according to his club Sevilla.
The La Liga outfit announced on their website that the 30-year-old was due to undergo a medical exam today after Arsenal agreed a transfer fee with Sevilla and personal terms with the player. It has been reported that Arsenal have offered the France international defender a three-year contract.
Sevilla’s statement said that: "A transfer deal has been agreed, subject to the player passing a medical."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been in the market for central defenders following the departure of three veteran centre-halves this summer – Sol Campbell, William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre. Though he has signed Laurent Koscielny from Lorient and Johan Djourou returned after being out with a long-term knee injury towards the end of last season, Wenger has just three recognised central defenders on the books.
Squillaci had asked to be left out of Sevilla’s 1-0 UEFA Champions League play-off defeat to Braga last Wednesday to avoid being cup-tied in the competition. On Thursday, the Spanish outfit said they had received a bid from Arsenal for the £6.5m-rated defender.
The player began his career with Toulon in his hometown before making the move to French Ligue 1 outfit Monaco in 1998. Squillaci helped the club reach the Champions League final in 2004 and won the Coupe de la Ligue in the 2002-03 season.
In 2006, he moved to Olympique Lyonnais after signing a four-year deal. He helped Lyon to pick up successive league titles in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, and also won the Trophee des Champions in 2006. In July 2008, he made the switch to Sevilla in a deal said to be worth £5m and won the Copa Del Rey in 2010.
Squillaci has also featured prominently for France since making his debut last year and has won 20 caps. He played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, in a 2-1 defeat against the hosts in France’s final game at the tournament.
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