Report: Leverkusen seek Arias replacement, Antonio Valencia may be pursued
The hard-luck dreadful injury to newly-acquired right back Santiago Arias certainly throws a wrench into Leverkusen's plans for the first half of the season.
Will die Werkself stick with Lars Bender and Mitchell Weiser at the position or seek additional assistance in the form of a free-agent?
Transfermarkt.de reports that Bayer 04 Leverkusen are taking a look at a few free-agents after a severe injury to one of their prized summer transfers placed them in a serious bind. The best player still available at that position is former Bournemouth and Liverpool fullback Nathaniel Clyne; an €8 million-valued player still without a contract after the English Reds released him earlier this summer.
Will die Werkself stick with Lars Bender and Mitchell Weiser at the position or seek additional assistance in the form of a free-agent?
Over the weekend, Spanish online portal Todofichajes.com raised another possibility: former Manchester United mainstay Antonio Valencia. The 35-year-old Ecuadorian international recently came to terms with Brazilian club Vasco de Gama, but his he and his family are said to be wary about the notion of playing in a country with such loose COVID restrictions.
No independent verification of any official interest from Leverkerkusen can be obtained at this time. It would nevertheless be extremely careless of Peter Bosz and the Bayer board not to sign one more right fullback from the free-agent pool in light of the Arias injury.
Transfermarkt's list of defenders playing the position currently without a contract spans 14 pages. It stands to reason that Germany's red company team will sign at least one more player in the coming days.
Arias has returned to his parent club of Athletico Madrid to undergo surgery. A long rehabilitation process will keep him out for at least six months.