Undoubtedly one of the success stories in this season so far for the Gunners is their defence, led by imposing centre back Per Mertesacker, who has come on leaps and bounds since being bought along with Arteta in Wenger's transfer frenzy in January 2011. The start of his career at the Emirates was littered with problems, as he struggled to cope with the speed of the game, with his lack of pace being exposed almost every game. Now however, he has formed a superb partnership with Laurent Koscielny at the heart of Arsenal's defence, and the pair have gone from strength to strength as a result. The Germany international has even been a vice-captain on several occasions for the Gunners, with his towering performances showing he is one of the best in the league at present despite his flaws. The former Werder Bremen defender has stated recently that he would like to renew his contract, which currently expires in 2015, and Wenger would be daft no to. The fact that he is happy to sign a new deal with the club signals the fact that the Gunners should move quickly to secure him to a longer deal, and if they fail to do they once again risk losing one of the established stars of the team. Will Wenger learn his lesson? Do you think any of these players will actually leave the club? Tell us what you think!
Began writing about football aged 16, I've previously worked for Goal and I'm currently writing for Inside Spanish Football. Specialise in anything linked, connected with or involving football!
