Arsenal to meet £19m release clause for super star

The Gunners will carry on their Swiss raid on the transfer market following reports, Arsenal are ready to meet the release clause of Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez. In addition, they are also on the verge of signing Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio.

According to news from Kicker (German newspaper), the north Londoners will meet Rodriguez’s €25 million (£19 million) release clause after the 23-year-old Swiss defender team-mate Granit Xhaka completed his move to the Emirates Stadium. (h/t Mirror’s Aaron Flanagan):

Many will see his £19 million release clause as a major bargain given his standing in Germany's top flight as the Swiss defender has another three years left to run on his contract at the Volkswagen Arena.

However, Bundesliga pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft claimed the release clause is only valid until June which in thus will place the Gunners under high pressure to get the deal done as quickly as possible as per what the pundit claimed:

German Press:

Arsenal after Wolfsburg left back Ricardo Rodriguez.

Buy-out-clause till June: 25 mill euro #afc

— Jan Aage Fjortoft (@JanAageFjortoft) May 28, 2016

He is poised to travel with Switzerland to UEFA Euro 2016 this summer, and the Gunners may see interest in his services hit the roof unless they seals a deal quickly.

In April, Chris Winterburn reported that Real Madrid were interested in a move for Rodriguez, tallying that Wolfsburg already had Alex Telles Galatasaray left-back lined up as his replacement:

Finally a brief update on Ricardo Rodriguez. Real Madrid will likely make a move in the summer, Wolfsburg already identified Alex Telles.

— Chris Winterburn (@Chriswin4) April 12, 2016

In 2015-16, Nacho Monreal was utilized as the primary left-back by the Gunners manager, Arsene Wenger while the Jeremy Wilson from the Telegraph reported that Kieran Gibbs could leave face the exit door at the Emirates this summer.

Undeniably, “I think Rodriguez, who has already tallied 36 caps for his national team, would be conclusively considered an upgrade on either of those players.”

As per ratings from WhoScored.com, the defender averaged 1.5 key passes per league game last term, just below top-ranked Wolfsburg stars Max Kruse and Julian Draxler (1.7).

One more asset who could toughen Wenger's back line is Villarreal's Mateo Musacchio, but Spanish outlet Fichajes reported Roma FC will register competition for his services (h/t James Benson of the Daily Express). 

This September, Per Mertesacker will turn 32 and Musacchio, 25, would provide a more youthful injection of pace alongside Laurent Koscielny.

Report has it that Manchester United and Barcelona have previously been interested in the Argentina international, and Ben McAleer of WhoScored.com has spoken highly of the centre-back's talents:

@george_ogier Musacchio would be a quality addition, to be fair

— Ben McAleer (@BenMcAleer1) May 22, 2016

In January 2015, the north Londoners conducted business with the Yellow Submarine when they purchased Gabriel Paulista, and the English titans look as if complete to return to Villarreal this summer to acquire the 25-year-old Argentine defender as they look to beef up their defence as to next season.