Carlos Vela is currently one of the best players on the Real Sociedad roster. Vela has stated before that he is happy at Sociedad but in the last few weeks he has also made it clear that if the time comes to move on, he will be more than happy to do so. The Mexican forward has found the back of the net 42 times and assisted 11 times in all competition.
With his current stats, it’s no wonder other top European clubs have taken an interest in him, however, clubs interested in picking him up would have to pay a hefty sum of 30 million euros. That is, any club except Arsenal.
Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger saw the potential of the young striker since the excellent performance he put on in 2005 at the FIFA U-17 World Cup. After signing for Arsenal that same year he was sent out on loan until 2008 when he was finally able to debut for Arsenal. He struggled for first team football and so Wenger sent him out on loan to Sociedad with an option to buy. Sociedad took that option to buy and paid 3 million euros for Vela’s contract. Wenger managed to put a buy back clause in Vela’s contract for 4 million euros.
With rumors heating up about Wenger being interested in signing another attacking option this summer, there is no denying that Vela could be the player that the Gunners have been looking for. He could easily pair up with Giroud up top as a striker or even provide a more technical option to replace Oxlade-Chamberlain or Walcott on either wing. An injury prone Arsenal would definitely benefit from signing such a healthy, and well-rounded player that wouldn’t break the bank.
Carlos has also demonstrated to his previous coaches that he is dedicated to football at the club level. He has rejected all offers to play for the Mexican national team since the Gold Cup in 2011. Although rumors have also been floating around that the new head coach for Mexico, Miguel Herrera, has been in talks with Vela over representing Mexico in this summer’s World Cup, Vela had previously asked not to be called up for the tournament.
It will be a very interesting summer transfer season for Carlos Vela. Whether he ends up back at The Emirates or even moves on to another big club, we can rest assured and that Carlos Vela will continue to grow as a player and deliver top quality football. No matter where he ends up, the fan base of that club will surely be in for a treat.
Picture by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno
