Vela set for Real Sociedad

Arsenal have announced that Mexican striker Carlos Vela is discussing a permanent move to Real Sociedad.  Sociedad have also put on their website that an agreement has been made between the two clubs for the player. Vela is in San Sebastian this evening for discussions. Sociedad have put on their website that they expect to present their new signing to the media on Thursday.

Vela had a successful loan spell at Sociedad last season, scoring 12 times in 35 appearances for the club. He was sent out on loan having failed to break into the first team at Arsenal. In total, Vela made 62 appearances and scored 11 goals during his time at Arsenal, but failed to meet the expectations of Arsene Wenger and the club’s fans. Wenger was patient with the Mexican and sent him out on loan to various clubs, including Salamanca, Osasuna, West Brom and finally Real Sociedad last season and it appears that Wenger feels it would be best to sell him now.

I think the Spanish game suits Vela more. He’s still young at 23 and could turn out to be a really good player, but he never looked too settled in English football to me and Spain will feel more like home for him. According to people with knowledge of the deal, Vela is desperate to leave Arsenal as he enjoyed his loan spell last year, where he scored plenty of goals and got regular playing time. Arsenal are aware of his talent and the potential that he still has to be a star one day, so they are rumoured to be receiving around £3m up front and a 50% sell on fee, so if he goes for big money in the future, Arsenal will get half.

For more information on the deal, links to the Arsenal and Real Sociedad announcements are here:

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/carlos-vela-in-real-sociedad-talks

http://www.realsociedad.com/document/view/spa/0/156401/principio-de-acuerdo-con-el-arsenal-para-fichar-a-carlos-vela