The Gunners spent last season blowing hot-and-cold, particularly when it comes to their defense. On occasions, they looked formidable and difficult to break-down (I’m thinking of the Sunderland game, where Arsenal stood strong despite having just 10 men on the pitch) and on other occasions they were a complete mess (the first leg of the Bayern Munich tie, Tottenham away from home).
This schizophrenic approach makes it difficult to determine how Arsene Wenger will react in the transfer market. Does he stick with what he’s got and hope that his current centre-back pairing (Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker) are ready to offer some consistency, or does he twist and bring in some new blood?
By the end of last season, Laurent and Per had begun to show signs of an effective partnership. Between them, they steered the Gunners to a top four slot and Champions League football. Heck, Laurent Koscielny even side-footed in the finish that secured Arsenal another shot at European glory.
With that in mind, if Arsene Wenger does bring somebody in, they’ll likely be the third-choice centre-back (or maybe even fourth-place, behind Thomas Vermaelen). Either way, the new boy would have to be somebody who would add a competitive spirit to the Arsenal defense and stake a claim for a starting role in Wenger’s squad.
Arsenal target, Kyriakos Papadopoulos certainly checks those boxes. The Schalke defender has picked up a lot of plaudits this season, but at just 21-years-old, may not quite be ready for regular football at the top of the Premier League. Still, from what we’ve seen, he would be more than capable of filling in when necessary.
He’s strong in the air, but he’s also quick along the ground, loves a tackle and is willing to put his body on the line to break-up attacks. The youngster could blossom into a very special talent, especially if his development is managed by somebody as capable as Arsene Wenger.
The Mirror claim that Schalke are publicly looking for £19m for their talented young Greek defender. It’s thought, however, that if Arsenal were to offer at least £13m, the Bundesliga team would be interested.
That’s a lot of money for a young star, but in this case, it may make for a good investment.
What’s your take? Should the Gunners be in the market for Kyriakos Papadopoulos?
Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
It is indeed a welcome ideal considering dat vermelen is not a write off, it will gve tym for the captain to regain is form back. At least the lad is young and has a lot of years n he won’t b pressing for games but will b called upon wen needed