It’s clear that The Gunners are on the hunt for some defensive talent this January, but progress seems to be slow at the moment. Indeed, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of options out there. Arsenal have an extensive scouting system, but they’re coming up short at the moment.
Given how important finding new defensive talent is, this is likely to cause some major problems for The Gunners. Something needs to give and quick.
Even with that in mind, it’s difficult to know what to make of The Metro‘s claim that Arsenal are ready to seal a deal for two of Borussia Dortmund’s best defensive talents.
The players in question are Mats Hummels, who’s widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the world and Ilkay Gundogan, who’s got a good reputation of his own (albeit slightly dented by his recent injury troubles).
Gundogan, the German battler is rated at £16m. That’s a bargain fee for a player who was making real waves before getting hit by injury problems. Now that he’s fit again, he’s ready to start winning fans over again with his committed, tenacious defensive performances. He’s good on and off the ball and he looks like a good fit for the Premier League.
But it’s Hummels who is the real catch. There’s a reason why he’s earned a £47m price-tag. He’s a centre-back of the highest order. He’s tall, great in the air, wins a lot of challenges and breaks up a lot of opposition play. He seems to have a sixth sense for defending and he could prove to be a breath of fresh air for The Gunners.
Altogether, Gundogan and Hummels will cost Arsenal £63m. That’s the kind of investment that Arsene Wenger rarely ever makes (particularly in defenders). I won’t hold my breath in the hope that these deals will come to pass, but I certainly hope they will.
What’s your take? Would you like to see Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels in an Arsenal shirt?
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