Even though the transfer window is over, out-of-contract players can still be signed, which means a club like Arsenal still isn’t done improving their squad, with Ciprian Marica, the Romanian winger who last played for Schalke, is suggested as someone they might bring in very soon.
According to reports in Romania, the 27-year old is close to joining Arsenal, or at least if you believe his agent and Prosport.ro. Marica has also been getting interest from Lazio, Inter, Shakhtar Donetsk and West Ham, and has also been able to keep his place in the lineup for the Romanian national team despite not having a team since he and Schalke didn’t come to terms at the end of last season.
Marica seems to be in good form, scoring one of the goals for Romania as they beat Hungary 3-0 in the World Cup Qualifiers. Goals, however, aren’t something that’s very common with him. He didn’t play much for Schalke last season (13 league matches), scoring only 3 Bundesliga goals. Since arriving in the Bundesliga in 2007, initially playing for Stuttgart, Marica has scored only 24 goals in 126 matches.
He does better for the national slide, scoring 22 goals in 63 caps for the national team, but he’s obviously not someone Wenger is planning on using in the lineup. He has the ability to play as a central striker as well, but his arrival might provide backup to Theo Walcott who is the only right winger the team has, or simply give the manager more options up front and a chance to play with two strikers next to Giroud.
In 2011, after being released from Stuttgart, Marica had a chance to play in the Premier League for Blackburn while also declining offers from France (Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain), but unless the money from Shakhtar is really really good, it seems like Arsenal’s interest in him will also be the most attractive offer he gets.