Arsenal signing Marc Roca might eventually make up for his hero Xabi Alonso transfer error

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Arsenal are reportedly in the hunt for Espanyol midfielder Marc Roca. SPORT is reporting that Mikel Arteta is hunting the midfielder who has shone for the Catalan side, despite their La Liga struggles. 

A deal for the talented midfielder could be done in the summer, with Arsenal reportedly tracking the player since January. 

A deal for Roca, who has also been the subject of interest from Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, would cost his reported €40 million (£35m) release clause. 

Roca has been compared to Sergio Busquets in the past, but he himself states his aim is to model his game on Xabi Alonso. As he told La Liga Lowdown in 2018: 

“I’ve always liked Xabi Alonso. From a very young age, I wanted to be like him. He’s an amazing player, and I hope one day to get close to what he did because I think he’s one of the best midfielders in history. 

“He’s a very complete player, offensively and defensively. I have always set my sights on him.”

Indeed, Roca has more of the Alonso about him than the Busquets, as he does have more strings to his attacking bow. 

For Arsenal, it would represent a chance to finally exorcise their own demons regarding Alonso. 

The Gunners, according to an interview Cesc Fabregas did with Arsecast earlier this week, had a chance to sign Alonso from Liverpool in 2009. 

Alonso himself confirmed to the Liverpool Echo he was ‘really close’ to joining Arsenal the previous summer, but the Gunners would not pay the asking price as Rafa Benitez considered replacing him with Gareth Barry. 

“I was really close to Juventus and close to Arsenal, but Liverpool were asking for £18m, and they were both offering £15m. So that’s why it didn’t happen.”

Of course, Alonso went on to join Real Madrid in 2009, winning the Champions League in 2014 and the FIFA World Cup and European Championships with Spain in 2010 and 2012 respectively. 

Roca is being touted as the potential heir to Alonso’s thrown in the Spanish national team and plenty of clubs will be clamoring to complete his signature this summer.

Arsenal could finally put to rest their previous Alonso mistakes by securing the player touted to follow in his footsteps.