Sol Campbell set to sign deal with Arsenal
Campbell close to sealing a permanent playing role at the Emirates
Sol Campbell is close to sealing a permanent playing role at the Emirates after completing 45 minutes for the Arsenal reserves on Tuesday night.
The centre back featured in a 4-2 victory over West Ham United’s reserves and it has seemingly paved the way for the former England international to sign a contract until the summer. The player has expressed his desire to re-sign for the club but recognised the importance of getting more minutes under his belt.
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender has been a free agent since leaving League Two side Notts County in early December. The 35-year-old only completed one game for the fourth tier club after moving from Portsmouth.
Should Arsenal offer him a chance to compete once more for a first team place, Campbell will bring a wealth of experience to the club, which will undoubtedly aid some of the youngsters at the club.
A member of the infamous ‘Invincibles’ in 2004, he won two Premier League titles and enjoyed three FA Cup successes during his time at Arsenal. He also helped guide the club to an inaugural European Cup final.
He would be a seasoned head in a youthful team and could prove vital to Arsenal’s title challenge this campaign. His words of advice and instruction could prove indispensible.
In further testament to the benefits of this signing, we need only look at the influence of former Liverpool centre back, Sami Hypia. The Finnish defenders made a key contribution to the stability of the back line in his final years at the club.
In the absence of the veteran this season, Liverpool have struggled defensively.
Arsenal legend, Bob Wilson, remarked: “He’s been training with Arsenal since leaving Notts County, is very fit, the guys love having him around and I think the bottom line is Arsene likes having him around.”
