It’s no secret that some of the biggest Premier League clubs have kept an eye on Adil Rami in recent seasons, but while Los Che sold off star
after star at the Mestalla as the summers have rolled on, they managed to keep
a hold of the French defender. Until now, that is.
The France international has had a major fallout with manager
Miroslav Djukic this week, and now, the men behind the scenes at the Mestalla
have agreed that he will never play for Valencia again. A transfer in winter
looks like the most likely option, so expect Manchester United and Arsenal, who have previously expressed an
interest in the defender, to be in the mix.
Rami is one of the most outspoken footballers around, often to his own detriment, and has already been in trouble with the Spanish club for overstepping the line on several occasions. This week he finally took it one step too far. In an interview with a Valencian radio station, Rami hit out at some of his team mates, questioning how trustworthy they are, before then going on to question his manager’s honesty. As a result, he was sent packing from Valencia’s away camp in Granada at seven in the morning on Wednesday, and it is now accepted that he won’t wear their shirt again.
That Valencia gave him so many second chances in the
first place is a reflection of his quality. When the Frenchman is on his game,
he can be excellent; as powerful as they come, excellent in the air and
good with the ball at his feet, he has 26 France caps for a reason. For any
side looking to sign him in January, the fact that he isn’t Champions League-tied (Valencia are not in the
competition this year) makes him a particularly attractive proposition.
Manchester United, certainly, lack a central defender of his
quality in the squad outside of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, and his addition could prove particularly
useful in giving the pair a breather at the crunch stage of the season
post-Christmas. His skill with the ball at his feet combined with his physical
prowess places him somewhere in-between Vidic and Ferdinand in terms of style,
meaning he could be used to help rotate either of the two.
Arsenal, meanwhile, would be able to take advantage of his
understanding with Laurent Koscielny, who he has played with for France on
several occasions. Admittedly, Rami isn’t the quickest defender in the world, but
then again, neither is Per Mertesacker, and Arsene Wenger has managed to get the best out of
the German despite his lack of pace, so that shouldn’t be a huge stumbling
block. Indeed, in many ways Rami would be the ideal man to relieve Mertesacker,
as their qualities are fairly similar, with the Frenchman providing the bonus
of an extra passing option at the back.
Valencia’s desire to get rid of him would hand the initiative to
the buying club, so a decent deal could be struck by whoever pounces first. If
either of the two clubs were to sign him in January, it could be a key moment
in the push for Champions League progress and Premier League glory, providing
fresh legs and quality that can be used across all competitions.
Arsenal and United supporters, would Rami be a good option in
January? Let us know below...
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