Revenge for RVP? The midfielder Arsenal are battling Manchester United to sign

Reports in France suggest that Manchester United could be looking to Montpellier for their next signing, with midfielder Remy Cabella said to be on Fergie’s winter shopping list. However, with Arsenal also linked to the France U21 international, United could have stiff competition. talkSPORT’s Transfer Spotlight has more…

Name: Remy Cabella
Date of birth: 8 March 1990
Birthplace: Ajaccio, France
Position: Midfielder
Club: Montpellier
Honours: Ligue 1 (2011/12)
International: France U21

What’s the latest?
Reports in France claim that both Manchester United and Arsenal sent scouts to observe Cabella in action during Montpellier’s 3-2 French League Cup win over Nice last week, with the midfielder scoring in the victory. Montpellier are likely to hold out for a sizeable amount before they’ll entertain an offer for the midfielder, so Manchester United look best placed to land his signature out of the two, though Arsenal’s strong relationship with the club following the transfer of Olivier Giroud could work in their favour.

Did you know?

1) Born in Corsica, Cabella joined Montpellier’s youth ranks in 2004.

2) At Montpellier, Cabella made steady progression through their youth sides, and by the time he was playing in the U18s he was also training with the senior team. In July 2009 he signed his first professional deal with the club, but an anterior cruciate ligament injury picked up in training would leave him on the sidelines for several months at a crucial stage in his development.

3) After recovering well from his injury, the midfielder appeared on the bench three times for Montpellier in 2010, but before he could make his debut he was loaned out to AC Arles-Avignon. He made his Avignon and Ligue 1 debut in December 2010, coming off the bench against Nancy and he got his first start in the league later that month against Nice. Cabella scored his first goal in France’s top flight against FC Lorient in March 2011. After eighteen games and three goals with the side, he returned to Montpellier in the summer of 2011.

4) 2011/12 turned out to be a dream season for Cabella. The midfielder made his Ligue 1 debut with Montpellier against Auxerre in August 2011, before going on to score his first goal with Montpellier against former team AC Ajaccio in September. Strong performances saw him rewarded with a two year contract extension in January 2012, taking his deal up to 2016, and on May 2012 he lifted the Ligue 1 title with the humble club.  With 29 games and three goals in the league, he was a key cog in Montpellier’s run to the trophy.

5) This season, Montpellier have struggled to cope with the loss of Olivier Giroud, but with five goals and four assists in 2012/13 already, Cabella is helping them to try and fill the gap, with the side beginning to move away from the relegation form they showed at the start of the campaign. Though not yet a full international, the midfielder has made 17 appearances for France’s U21 side, as well as an appearance for Corsica, who are not recognised by FIFA, in a 2009 friendly against Congo.

They say
“He has two years left on his contract, so he won’t leave. If a club offers us a fortune, inevitably we’ll have to reflect on it, but I think he’s someone who is very attached to the club.” Montpellier president Louis Nicollin. 

Video evidence

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