Martinez: The New Vieira Or The New Gilberto

According to the Telegraph Arsenal have made an enquiry to Bayern Munich for Javi Martinez as Arsene Wenger continues his search for a long-term midfield anchor. 

Bayer Leverkusen's Lars Bender and Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin have also been recently mooted but with Martinez having struggled to command a regular place under Guardiola the former Bilbao many may be looking for a new club. 

A World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain, Martinez may feel his national team place could be in long-term jeopardy if he is not playing regular football. Despite being Bayern's record signing with three years remaining on his contract sources in Germany rumour he could be available for as little as £20m though this is to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

Arsenal would snap at the chance to take such a gifted midfielder at such a reasonable rate and may hope they might have a new Gilberto on their hands. Martinez has been likened to Patrick Vieira in the past but like Gilberto, Arsenal could be signing a world-class midfield anchor high off the back of a World Cup win. If any European team is going to win the World Cup you would have to fancy the current holders Spain and with plenty of World Cup Free Bets to take advantage of it's well worth exploring a retention for Spain.

Like Gilberto before him, if Arsenal sign Martinez they will have captured a player able to comfortably and quietly go about doing the dirty work and releasing the ball efficiently and accurately to players in front of him to do some damage. And similar to Gilberto he is comfortable playing in defence as well as in midfield.

A commanding midfield presence, Martinez could be the perfect foil for the ever improving and increasingly influentialAaron Ramsey, who has been Arsenal's outstanding player this season.

Vicente del Bosque, the Spain manager, has compared Martinez's style to former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira who excelled in that box to box role but it is said that Wenger believes he can play a more withdrawn and conservative role in front of the back four.

Arsenal may find competition for his signature in the guise of City and PSG should Bayern look to offload him but with Arsenal's new found wealth and being free of UEFA restrictions they may just feel that they'll finally have the upper hand against richer teams.