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Arsenal failed with late efforts to sign Manolas

Manolas

Arsenal missed out on the signing of Kostas Manolas despite offering more money than Roma, according to reports in Greece.

The highly-rated Greek centre back had been close to joining Arsene Wenger’s side but instead joined Italian giants Roma as a replacement for Mehdi Benatia at the Stadio Olimpico.

Wenger is in the market for a centre-back after the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to Barcelona, leaving Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Calum Chambers as the club’s only senior centre backs.

Olympiakos president Vangelis Marinakis, a self-confessed Liverpool fan, had authorised Manolas’ move to Roma despite Arsenal coming up with a last minute bid which trumped the Italians’ €13m plus €2m in bonuses offer.

Manolas wasn’t keen on arriving at Emirates Stadium unless he could be guaranteed first team football – something that Roma boss Rudi Garcia was more than happy to offer following the departure of talented defender Benatia.

23-year-old Manolas issued a statement earlier today thanking Marinakis for ‘keeping his word’ after ‘rejecting transfer offers that would have better financially for Olympiakos’.

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