Arsenal transfer news : Who are the three perfect replacement options for the Gunners, as the French International makes a move away.
Arsenal have finally parted ways with Laurent Koscielny after a long set of controversy between both the parties, which was fueled after the French International refused to join Arsenal’s pre-season contingent.
Now, according to a report by David Ornstein from the BBC Sport has claimed that Koscielny is making a move back to Bordeaux for a €5 million fee.
The Gunners are already short of defenders in their squad, and after a humiliating season in the Premier League, the North London club is probably hoping to make a comeback in the top-4 of the Premier League.
On the other hand, Arsenal recently completed the signing of William Saliba from St. Etienne but had to be loaned back to the latter for a season, thus, even after recruiting a player, the London based clubs are short of the desired number.
However, with the last two days remaining in the summer transfer window, the Gunners have to find a suitable replacement before the last date arrives.
Koscielny was a key figure at the Emirates, and replacing him will not be an easy task, and would require someone dynamic to adopt his role at the club.
The Sportsrush here has spotted three ideal replacements for the French International, without further ado, let’s have a look at these candidates to replace Koscielny.
#3 Daniele Rugani
Daniele Rugani has been massively speculated to make a move to Arsenal, and the Italian International is not satisfied with his future at Juventus, as the arrival of Matthijs De Ligt and rise of Merih Demiral places him lower in the pecking order.
Arsenal have reportedly inquired for the Italian defender, but a satisfactory proposal to Juventus is yet to be submitted. The Gunners have also asked for a loan deal but the Turin based club refused to discuss it.
Rugani is a defender with sufficient experience at the top level to bolster Arsenal’s defensive setup, but the 25-year-old defender will be a costly affair for Arsenal.
But with limited options in the market, Rugani is the best bet available to the Gunners to replace their star defender at the Emirates this summer.
#2 Dayot Upamecano
Arsenal are also aiming to land Dayot Upamecano, but the RB Leipzig player is proving to be much more valued by the German club than expected.
The North London club recently offered €60 million offer to RB Leipzig for Upamecano but it was rejected by the Bundesliga outfit. Thus, it seems Arsenal have to offer something more lucrative than what are they offering right now.
Upamecano plays a crucial role in Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann’s 3-5-2 system and thus the club are not willing to sell. The France Under-21 international is under contract at Leipzig until 2021.
The contract includes a €100m release clause that will reportedly drop to €80m next summer, but that would be too late for the club, as they need immediate reinforcement at the defence this summer.
Looking at this scenario, the deal seems even more difficult than landing Rugani right now, as Juventus at least are ready to sell, but on the other hand, same is not with RB Leipzig.
#1 Dan-Axel Zagadou
Another option present for Arsenal is Dan-Axel Zagadou from Borussia Dortmund. According to earlier reports in France claims that Unai Emery sent to the Under-20 World Cup in Poland where they were impressed by the performances of 6ft 5in centre back Zagadou.
Even though, his nation was crashed out by Ukraine in the quarter-final round of the tournament. The 20-year-old has emerged as one of the stars of the French youth setup and has caught the eye of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The potential shown by the 20-year-old centre-back will surely make the Gunners’ defence little more difficult to crack. Zagadou’s aerial prowess makes him a standout in his age category, and the captain of the French youth team is gaining prominence every day.
Presently, Emery is trying to solve defensive concerns with a long-term vision, and with William Saliba returning to the Emirates Stadium next summer, the future French national team defensive duo can be at Arsenal.
Hence, these are the three centre-backs, which Arsenal can purchase to replace their outgoing player Laurent Koscielny. However, with only two days left in the completion of the summer transfer window. Arsenal need to take action immediately.
