Arsenal are said to be working on a CB signing.
Many Arsenal fans will have been intrigued by a transfer update from Fabrizio Romano on Twitter.
Replying to an Arsenal fan asking about any news on the Gunners, Romano had this to say:
working on a CB for next season
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 30, 2020
Of course, the Italian journalist did not name any names, so we thought we’d look through recent names being touted as targets in the press.
Here are five players who could be part of our search for a new central defender…
Dayot Upamecano
One of the finest young defenders in Europe at the moment, Dayot Upamecano is a name we’ve heard a lot about recently.
Arsenal were recently named as one of the Frenchman’s admirers in a report form Sport Bild, as translated by Get French Football News, which stated that he has decided to leave his current club this summer.
Of the names out there at the moment, Upamecano would probably the best of our realistic options to strengthen at centre-back, so let’s hope this is who Romano is talking about.
Samuel Umtiti
Not quite the player he looked a few years ago, Samuel Umtiti could still be worth a gamble for Arsenal if he can get back to full fitness and rediscover his best form.
The Daily Mirror have linked us as admirers of his as he looks set to be part of a Barcelona clear-out in the next transfer window, so he could perhaps be one option for us as Romano talks up our CB chase.
Evan N’Dicka
Another promising young player, Sky Sports have linked Arsenal and Liverpool with Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan N’Dicka in recent times.
Given Liverpool’s fine recent recruitment, it’s perhaps encouraging to see us both going after the same player here, so let’s hope there’s something to these rumours.
Chris Smalling
A bit of a surprise one, but Chris Smalling has shone since leaving Manchester United for a season on loan at Roma.
It remains to be seen if the England international will return to Old Trafford or join Roma permanently, but there could be another option as Corriere dello Sport, as translated by the Metro, recently claimed we’d made an approach for him too.
While Smalling doesn’t seem like an ideal first choice, he might be worth gambling on if our other targets cannot be secured.
Dejan Lovren
Finally, there’s also been talk of us signing Dejan Lovren, but let’s hope this is not the kind of centre-back Romano thinks we could be after.
Team Talk claims we’re ready to make an offer for the Liverpool flop, who has never really looked good enough for a big club despite such a long career at Anfield.
The Croatia international is also linked with the likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace in that report, and that is surely his level now. No better than Shkodran Mustafi, let’s hope we stay well clear of this signing.
If we sign Smalling or Lovren we really have not learnt from past mistakes.
N’Dicka is the one i want. These are the type of signings we need to make going forward young potential in the $10-25m range.
Upamencano aint coming, hes going to a big club with champions league
Upamecano – If he really is “one of the finest young defenders in Europe at the moment”, then he won’t be joining us, based on finances, and how Arsenal are perceived these days. We’re not a big club anymore, and it’s very likely we won’t even be in Europe next season.
Umtiti – This would be a match made in hell! We are in desperate need of a CB that knows the art of defending, and he’ll be coming from a club that doesn’t focus on defending. His injury record is not good, and Arsenal’s injury record is horrendous! So not a good match at all.
N’Dicka – Not at a huge foreign club, and the fee would be within our reach.
Smalling – Ageing, and a reject from one of our rivals. Signing cast offs from our rivals NEVER works, so stear clear at all costs!
Lovren – Another ageing reject from a rival. No thank you!
Given our track record, most probably no CL football next season, and lack of finances, Smalling or Lovren are probably the most likely to happen. O pray that doesn’t happen!
This article . . . same old . . . same ol . . . same o . . . zzz . . . zzz . . . zzz
Don’t tell me – you have another Ozil article in the pipeline!
Question: If I’m already losing the will to live (through my immune system looking to shut itself down) after reading thousands of regurgitated articles like this am I at greater risk of suffering with covid19? If so can I sue? 🙂
Oh I love the “fed up to the back teeth with having our collective intelligence insuted” cynical humour and believe me how much I share your frustration. I have been the single most consistent critic of these “no news dressed up as news” hourly(virtually) articles.
But no one forces us to read them and to be fair, news , actual news stories, are few and far between. If we therefore choose to read nonsense then, who are the greater time wasters, us, or those who write and post them? We both know the correct answer to that pertinent question I think!
Let’s get rid of Stan Kroenke and his his parasitic money making team. Get some intelligent people back on the Arsenal board, instead of the dead wood we have there now. We will not find another smart operator like David Dean or a brilliant manager like Wenger.
Arteta, is the right man for the Arsenal manager’s job.
He deserves the backing and support of the Arsenal board.