Bookies make Arsenal favourites to sign Daley Blind from Manchester United

Daley Blind would be the perfect summer signing for Arsenal.

Daley Blind's future is the subject of mounting speculation

It was reported by the Daily Mail last month that Daley Blind is one of the players that new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is prepared to sacrifice in order to make way for an array of incoming stars. 

Bookmakers SkyBet have now made Arsenal 3/1 favourites to sign the Dutch international, and he would be the perfect addition to the Gunners' squad.

With Arsenal's first-choice centre-back pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny now both in their thirties, and Gabriel Paulista and Calum Chambers seemingly not fit to cut it at Premier League level, Blind would be a terrific signing who would improve the quality of Arenal's first-team. The fact that Blind is left-footed would also provide the perfect balance for whoever he played alongside. His versatility will increase the Gunners' strength-in-depth across the pitch, which in itself is reason enough for Arsene Wenger to make a move for his signature.

 Daley Blind helped his Man United team win the FA Cup last term

ESPN reported in April that Kieran Gibbs could leave Arsenal in search of regular first-team football, and with the Englishman's attitude and quality highly questionable, Blind would represent a marked upgrade in an area where he would also provide proper competition for Nacho Monreal.

Although Blind has featured in a central defensive position for the majority of his time at Old Trafford, he is also equally apt at playing in the holding midfield role. At 26-years-old, he would bring the perfect mixture of energy and experience to an Arsenal side that have lacked the latter in recent history.

Would Blind be a good addition to the Arsenal squad?

The Dutch international was impressive throughout the whole of what was a disappointing season for club and country last term, and one of his major assets is his impeccable delivery from set-pieces. Blind would turn Arsenal into an entirely different proposition, with his expert technique that enables him to produce the perfect whip and trajectory on his delivery into the box.

Should a move come to fruition, Blind is the type of signing who could instantly elevate Arsenal to a new level in providing quality, experience and most importantly a winning mental attitude. At 26, he has already won four league titles in his homeland with Ajax, and would go a long way to helping the Gunners secure their first domestic title since 2004.

Would Arsene Wenger consider a move for Daley Blind?

Do you think Daley Blind would be a good signing for Arsenal?

Louis van Gaal: Daley Blind sympathises with sacked Man Utd boss

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal's achievements "deserved more respect", says the club's Netherlands defender Daley Blind.

Van Gaal, 64, won the FA Cup for United before Blind's compatriot was told two days later that he would not be kept on for the final year of his contract.

The 26-year-old said: "I always worked well with him and would have been keen that the co-operation lasted longer.

"A manager who has achieved so much already deserved more respect."

Blind added: "Even though there was so much being written about him losing his job over the last months, he always looked to protect and shelter us.

"It is not easy for a coach if you are repeatedly being fired in the newspapers.

"Still, we as a squad kept believing in the manager and showed that with our FA Cup win.

"That we did together for the supporters, the manager and for ourselves. It was in the end a good finish to the season."

Van Gaal, who was sacked after a season in which United finished fifth in the Premier League and were often criticised for their style of play, is set to be replaced by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

"If it is true that Jose Mourinho is coming, then it is also a manager who has achieved much. I will have to show what I can do," said Blind, who was one of Van Gaal's most trusted players during his time at United.

Blind's Netherlands team-mate Memphis Depay did not figure so prominently under Van Gaal after signing from PSV Eindhoven for £31m last summer.

The winger, 22, was left out of United's cup final-winning squad but insists he is happy to remain at Old Trafford.

Depay, training with the Netherlands ahead of friendly games against Euro 2016 finalists Republic of Ireland, Poland and Austria, said: "I don't know why it wouldn't be. I am happy to be there and the management know I'm happy to be there.

"A love-hate relationship? I'm not sure about that. But him leaving is part of life in football and you learn from that and it makes you stronger."

Marcos Rojo Impressed With Chris Smalling-Daley Blind Pairing

Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has heaped praise on fellow defenders Chris Smalling and Daley Blind and has saluted the partnership the two form at the back. 

The Red Devils have managed to keep 16 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, and while the defence at Old Trafford has been riddled with injuries, with Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Rojo being in and out of the side throughout the term, Smalling and Blind have kept the team afloat.

Rojo, who himself just came back from a shoulder injury in February, and has been a regular in the team since his return, was all praise for the strong central partnership the Dutchman and the Englishman have formed under Louis van Gaal this season.

"What’s really worked is that their respective styles have complemented one another”, the Argentine international told Manchester United’s official website. 
 

“You might say that Daley is not the most physical of central defenders, but he makes up for that with his ability to play the ball out of defence.

"Chris is a skilful player too, but he’s known for his strength and power.

"Those two things really strike a great balance. It is a good feeling [to have the clean sheets record] because we know that we are doing our main job well.

"Yes, in some cases we need to get forward and make chances, but we need to ensure that the opposition don’t score against us.

"So we’re happy that aspect is going well”, the 26-year-old added.

Daley Blind 'feels good' as Man Utd centre-half

Daley Blind says he feels comfortable at centre-half for Manchester United.

The midfielder has grown into the role over the course of the season.

"This position suits me because Louis van Gaal wants to play building from the back. In addition, I have become physically stronger.

"This combination feels good," says Blind.

Asked if his father, Danny Blind, should play him at the back for Holland, Daley adds: "You should ask him.

"I usually play there with my club, so probably I'll be eligible for the position of left central defender. The coach will determine it."

Daley Blind discusses his favourite position at Manchester United

The Man Utd utility player has settled into a centre-back role this season, but would be open to other positions.

Daley Blind is keen to carry on at centre-back for Manchester United.

The Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford in 2014 as a utility player that could feature at left-back and a defensive midfielder.

After failed summer pursuits of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane and regular problems for Phil Jones, Louis van Gaal opted to put Blind in the centre of his defence alongside Chris Smalling for this season.

As one of the few players to have steered largely clear of injuries, Blind has made 45 appearances for the Reds.

It is a position he feels he has done well in and would like to stay in, though is open to moving around the team.

“I’m developing well, and in the big games I’ve played, I’ve been consistent, which I think is important,” Blind told NOS .

“I think I can still play at left-back and in midfield, but right now I feel good at centre-back. It’s wonderful to have the game in front of me, and be a part of building from the back with my forward passes to start attacks.”

Where Blind ends up in the United team may depend on who is in charge at United. Van Gaal has shown absolute faith in the 26-year-old, but if the coach is replaced the situation could change.

Jose Mourinho, the favourite to take over at Old Trafford, has been linked with a move for Real Madrid defender Varane, a player he enjoyed success with during their time at the Bernabeu.

BLIND EXPECTS CHELSEA RESURGENCE IN 2016

Chelsea might be languishing in the bottom half of the Barclays Premier League table but Daley Blind insists Manchester United would be “foolish” to underestimate the champions ahead of today’s tea-time kick-off at Old Trafford.

The Blues parted ways with the club’s most successful manager of all time, Jose Mourinho, earlier this month following a tumultuous and disappointing start to the season. Blind's former national-team coach Guus Hiddink is now in temporary charge at Chelsea and while retaining the title is seemingly out of reach, their mission is to rediscover the imperious form that helped them to win the league by eight points last term.

“It would be foolish to underestimate them," Blind told MUTV. "I think they have a lot of quality players and they are still the team that won the title last season so you cannot underestimate them. We have to be sharp because they have a lot of players who can make the difference.

“It’s still a big game, no matter where they are in the league. Of course there is more attention when both teams are at the top of the table but it’s still a big game. It is going to be a great occasion.”

As a four-time Eredivisie winner with former club Ajax, Blind understands how to successfully defend a league title and the versatile defender acknowledges Chelsea have struggled with that objective this season. However, he does expect a difficult match against the west London club this evening.

“At Ajax, in almost every year we were champions, we were second, third or fourth before Christmas and then we started to come back, winning every game and became champions,” he says. 

“I was champion of Holland four times in a row and teams really wanted to win against us. You can see it in the Premier League with Chelsea and a club like United is the same, everyone wants to beat us."

Wayne Rooney Is Not the Problem at Manchester United

Manchester United's winless run was stretched to 8 games on the bounce​, following a 0-0 stalemate against Chelsea. The United supporters have become restless in recent weeks, watching their club play in a laborious and uninspiring fashion. And in turn, blame has been dished out, perhaps unfairly, to a certain player in the squad. That player is Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney. 

Rooney's displays this season do warrant criticism. The Englishman tallied just a pair of goals in the Premier League with half of the season over. Apart from the recent Chelsea fixture, Rooney has looked sluggish, having no influence on proceedings. 

That said, the fans' singling out of the skipper as the primary reason for United's struggles is simply ill advised. In fact, there are multiple United players, in attack, midfield, and defense that have been in poor form this season. 

Daley Blind is yet to consistently convince in the heart of defense, Memphis Depay managed to perform just once in a Champions League match, and Bastian Schweinsteiger's play has been nothing short of pedestrian. In reality, the entire team collectively has been poor, not just one player. 

Many people called for Rooney to be excluded from the starting eleven, believing he was holding United back. But in the absence of the forward, the Red Devils' slumped to defeats against relegation threatened sides Bournemouth and Norwich. The unimaginative attack continued to falter as Anthony Martial and co. were reduced to half chances to score.

The evidence suggests Rooney's presence in the team makes little to no difference on United's overall play. Instead, the tactics placed on all of the players are having a negative effect on the entirety of the squad. 

In recent times, Old Trafford witnessed lethargic, ponderous build up play. By the time the ball reaches attacking areas, defenders are already well adjusted and able to deal with the danger easily. Louis van Gaal did finally alter his tactics against Chelsea. In turn, it was no coincidence that Rooney's performance drastically improved. 

The 30-year-old was full of energy, driving at defenders and spraying inch perfect passes. The improvement did not extend to just Rooney though. For once Manchester United were threatening on the ball, creating multiple chances in the first half. 

From all of this, it's important to realize that one player does not determine the success of any club. Criticism of Rooney is certainly justified, but pinning United's poor season on the number ten is not.