There is special appeal process run by the FA that will allow him to get a work permit. Leicester signed Kramaric and he wasn't eligible either for a work permit under the 75% of international games rule. Some people on Twitter reckon the work permit reason is partially why Wenger confirmed our interest in the signing, to build a higher profile for the player thus making it easier to sign the player. We wouldn't make it public if we didn't believe we could get a work permit.
I think from this summer any signing above £10m will be automatically eligible for a work permit. That is an important step because there is some great talent in South America that the English clubs can't get to because of the work permit restrictions. That and that dodgy 3rd party ownership but FIFA is working on that as well right now. Some more work permit thing here http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fa-intends-to-close-work-permit-loophole-to-protect-english-talent-9976354.html
General Mirth wrote:
He's being brought in as 3rd/4th choice which makes me nervous. Wenger's got a decent record with defenders but not when they are bought in as cover. See: Squillaci, Cygan, Squillaci et al.
Hopefully the fact that he's younger than the above and on an upward curve will help.
With the exception of maybe Santos our last few purchases at the back haven't been too bad in the last few years. Obviously our scouts saw something in Koscielny and look how he has developed.
