Published: 8 January, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has reportedly set his sights on signing West Ham defender Winston Reid during the January transfer window. 

The 26-year-old New Zealand international will be a free agent in the summer when his current contract expires. But Wenger is considering making a cut-price offer for the centre-half now in a bid to beat rival clubs to his signature. 

Irons manager Sam Allardyce has admitted that Reid will be leaving the club. “There is no future for Winston Reid at West Ham at the moment,” he said. “The only future for Winston is that his contract finishes on 30 June. 

“He hasn’t said that he is, or that he isn’t going to sign, but you’d err on the side that he isn’t by the look of it.” 

Meanwhile Arsenal are still confident they can secure a deal with Legia Warsaw for Polish wonderkid Krystian Bielik despite seeing their latest offer for the youngster rejected. 

The Gunners saw a bid in the region of £1.5million turned down on Tuesday, but are reportedly ready to increase their offer to £2million to land the 17-year-old midfielder.  

Wenger has successfully negotiated deals with Legia Warsaw before having signed a 16-year-old Wojciech Szczesny from the Polish club in 2006.