Arsenal Readying £4.1 million Bid for Barcelona Veteran

Reports have linked Barcelona veteran Eric Abidal with a move to English giants Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger considering signing the French international in a bid to solve his defensive crisis.

The Caughtoffside.com report claims that Arsenal are readying a £4.1 million bid to land the former Monaco, Lyon and Lille man who will be out of contract with the Spanish club at the end of the season.

Injuries to full-backs Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Andre Santos and Carl Jenkinson as well as make-shift replacement Frances Coquelin has stretched Wenger's resources at the back.

The Arsenal manager is expected to make a signing during the ongoing transfer window, even on loan, to address the issue and with Abidal's contract issues at Barcelona, he could consider a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Contract talks between Abidal and Barcelona are believed to have stalled, after months of negotiation, and the player could be open to offers from elsewhere, if Barcelona does not meet his demands.

However, despite his importance to the team, the Spanish club could opt to cash-in on him rather than lose him for nothing at the end of the season.

Manchester City and Paris St-Germain have also been linked with the 32-year-old.