Sol Campbell has urged Arsenal to spend big on a central defender, with our side having succumbed to a number of defensive errors this term.
David Luiz has come under the spotlight on a number of occasions, while Shkdran Mustafi was very much the scapegoat prior to Mikel Arteta’s arrival as coach in December, and we have since altered our formation to a back five in order to give extra support at the back.
While William Saliba is set to make an impact in the first-team squad next season, his age and minimal experience could well be viewed as a risk should we throw him in in the deep end, and Campbell believes that the club should be looking to bring in another top defender, even if that means paying top dollar for him.
“Look what Liverpool did, you know Van Dijk. For me, could I see Arsenal spending that type of money?” he told Stadium Astro.
“Sometimes it does take that type of money if a player is nailed on and you’ve got to get him and he can actually start to change the outlook of your team, especially from the back.
“It might take something like that. They don’t mind buying Nicolas Pepe and spending that kind of big money up front but you’ve got to realise that sometimes you need to catch up with the rest of the guys.
“Sometimes when the player does become available and you really think: ‘This guy can really change it’, and you’ve looked at all the scenarios, you might have to dip in the pocket and buy someone big at the back to take that on and then you build around him.
“But you’ve got to go for it. Going for it at the front, paying big money for front guys, but don’t underestimate getting quality defenders to hold that backline together.”
Is Saliba ready to be handed a first-team role at Arsenal? Is Campbell right that signing a top centre-back could shape the whole team for the better?
Patrick
