This may well be the most exciting player I’ve seen Arsenal linked to all January long.
The Gunners defensive problems have been well documented. It’s not a problem that is peculiar to this season. It’s a long standing issue that has significantly influenced Arsenal’s ability to pick up silverware for the best part of a decade.
For too long now, Arsenal have been unable to defend a lead. The days of ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ are long gone (admittedly they did just beat Swansea City 1-0 – but there are many examples where they haven’t been able to hold on to a one goal lead).
I like Thomas Vermaelen as a player, but he can be rash. He’s fierce and he’s commanding, but he gives away a lot of free-kicks around Arsenal’s penalty area and the North London club are notoriously bad at defending set-pieces. And he can have the occasional real stinker (take last season’s showing in the first leg Champions League game against AC Milan).
Laurent Koscielny is a similar case. Whilst he’s had a pretty calamitous season thus far (including a deserved red card in a recent game against Manchester City) he’s a good defender who seems to make the occasional bad decision.
Unfortunately, these two players don’t seem to combine well and Arsenal’s other options aren’t upto much.
Per Mertesacker is too slow and often gets roasted by the Premier League’s paciest forwards. All the positional sense in the world means nothing up against mobile forwards who are looking to exploit your weaknesses. Johan Djourou has left the club on loan and doesn’t look to have a future with the club. Sebastien Squillaci is one of the worst players at the club and one of the worst singings Arsene Wenger has ever made.
I think it’s fair to say that Arsenal need to make an addition in this area.
According to Italian sports website TuttoMercato, the Gunners are chasing Borussia Dortmund’s ace defender Matt Hummels. The imposing German is easily one of the best defenders in the world and is believed to have a €21m price-tag – he’d be well worth it.
He’s the kind of player who could shake the Arsenal back line out of its slumber. He’s a special talent who is capable of providing the backbone that Arsenal lack.
That’s why he’d make an exciting addition to the side. Dortmund wont want to sell, but this is one deal Arsenal really should be pursuing.
What’s your take? Would Matt Hummels be a good signing for Arsenal?
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