NEW Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna believes he has joined next
seasons surprise package.
Sagna, 24, signed a five-year contract with the Gunners after
manager Arsene Wenger paid Auxerre around £7.5million.
Arsenal have lost striker Thierry Henry to Barcelona and William
Gallas has publicly questioned the direction the north London club
are heading. But Sagna thinks they can prove their critics
wrong.
We have the youth card and the fact that no one really rates us
means that maybe we can surprise people, he said.
The young players want to prove what they can do and I want to
prove what I can do. All of this together will help us have a good
season.
This is one of the best English sides, the one that plays the best
football. The fact that it is a young team and there is a
high-quality training ground are extra positives compared to other
English teams.
Arsenal is one of the biggest European clubs. If someone had told
me that one day I would be an Arsenal player, I would not have
believed them. It is a really positive move.
Sagna made 87 appearances over the past three seasons for Auxerre,
playing predominately at right-back. But Wenger was attracted to
his fellow Frenchmans versatility.
We are delighted to have signed Bacary, said Wenger. He is a
very capable defender and has played consistently well for
Auxerre.
He plays mainly at right-back but can also play along the defence
or in midfield. He is strong, quick and enjoys defending, but also
has a good offensive side to his game. He has a fighting spirit and
will be a very good addition to our squad.
Sagna is already good friends with Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini,
Emmanuel Adebayor and Gallas, but says it was Wengers personal
touch that convinced him to make the Emirates his new home.
Arsene Wenger showed his determination when he wanted to attract
me to the club when we spoke recently, said Sagna.
The fact that he personally contacted me recently, the fact this
is such a big club and he has made so much effort to recruit me, it
has seduced me. Everybody has talked about the pace and strength of
the Premier League, but I shouldnt have any problems settling in
and adapting.
Players like Henry, Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit made it at
Arsenal because they were willing and gave their
maximum. I am going to try to imitate them.
It is quite a French-speaking club, everybody has put me at ease
right from the start and I feel good.
Abou Diaby spoke to me the last time the French national side got
together and he only had good things to say about Arsenal. So far I
am not disappointed.
Wenger could now make a move for Yoan Gouffran, the 21-year-old
striker who helped Caen earn promotion to the French top
flight.
Caen president Jean-Francois Fortin, however, feels the youngster
would benefit from staying put.
Yoan is a young player who has not played in Ligue One and I am
convinced the best thing for him is the stage here, said
Fortin.
Unlike us, I am not sure the interested clubs could guarantee him
a stage to perform like we can.