Top 5 potential replacements for Arsenal's Bacary Sagna

Tony Jantschke

Sticking with the no-frills options, Gladbach’s Tony Jantschke has been extremely reliable for the Foals despite his tender years. Able to cover at centre-back as well as out wide, the 23-year old has had his place in Lucien Favre’s side cemented for some time, missing out on the starting XI from just 7 of a possible 88 league matches in the last 3 seasons. The fact that the Gladbach coach is a friend of Wenger’s may well make any switch between the two more likely.

Excellent in possession, the German takes a safety first approach, boasting a 91% pass accuracy. He rarely gets too involved from an offensive standpoint in turn though, but offers solidity to his side with averages of 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game, as well as winning his fair share of aerial duels (2.8 per game).

From a defensive view and in terms of keeping possession, Jantschke and Sagna are similar. Both possess strengths from WhoScored.com when it comes to passing and holding onto the ball but the issue may be whether the German, who has created just 6 chances for teammates all season, has enough about him going forward to fit into Arsenal’s system.

Lorenzo De Silvestri

Having failed to really cement a place in the Fiorentina side despite showing promise as a youngster – even earning a first senior international cap back in 2010 – Lorenzo De Silvestri has gone on to impress since a move to Sampdoria last season. Still only 25, the right-back is hoping to force his way into Cesare Prandelli’s World Cup plans and is going the right way about it in the current campaign.

With a rating of 7.31 from WhoScored.com, De Silvestri is the top rated player in his position in Serie A and offers similar qualities to Sagna from a statistical sense. With 0.9 key passes and accurate crosses per game, the Italian actually exceeds Sagna’s attacking output, whilst performing admirably from a defensive sense to boot.

The full-back is particularly adept in the air, and both he and Sagna have been awarded with a strength when it comes to aerial duels, with the Arsenal man winning 3.9 per game to the Samp defender’s 3.8. If he continues to develop as he has over the last two seasons, De Silvestri may well be a worthwhile option.

Serge Aurier

We end on the player that may not only be the most adequate replacement but also the most likely. Any followers of Toulouse powerhouse Serge Aurier on Twitter will be aware of his fondness for Arsenal, having been linked with the club on numerous occasions. Since he signed for the Ligue 1 outfit in 2011, the Frenchman has gone from strength to strength in more ways than one.

If you were to see a picture of Aurier and were told he was a full-back you’d probably be more likely to think that his sport was rugby union rather than football. Nevertheless, there’s more to the 21-year old then pure physicality, as our Ligue 1 expert Andy Brassell explains, “The striking thing about Aurier has always been his power and he uses this strength well when playing wide; he’s quick, strong, good in the air and can even dribble.”

He’s moved to centre-back frequently this season and that versatility could only stand him in good stead to replace a man that has been called upon to play the same role on occasion, particularly in recent campaigns. With superb defensive statistics, including 3.1 tackles per game, and an equally impressive attacking output, averaging 1.2 accurate cross a match, Brassell continues, to claim “with the right coaching, he could become something really special.” Don’t be surprised if that coaching ends up coming in North London.