London franchise Arsenal, have in the past, fallen prey to the meticulous Premier League schedule that has seen a number of players pick up injuries at crucial times and disrupt their advancement in the certain competitions. However, the problem seems to have advanced and has hit the Gunners pretty hard even before the start of the season. Though injuries to Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck will have its own effects on the squad, Arsenal were hurt the most following the news of the injury to first choice centre-back Per Mertesacker. That left the manager a bit weak in defense but the Sunday’s friendly against Manchester City heaped more misery on the Gunners.
Gabriel, who seemed to form a good partnership with Rob Holding, the summer buy, was stretchered off the field after picking up an injury in a clash with City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho late in the game, just a week before the domestic league’s first game against Liverpool. The likes of Shkodran Mustafi were scouted by the manager recently but recent reports have suggested that Arsene Wenger is now scouting RB Leipzig defender Lukas Klostermann as a priority target to cover for the injuries to the squad.
The 20-year old German international, who is currently in Brazil as a part of the Olympics squad for his country, is one of the most exciting defenders in the German youth set-up at the moment. Primarily a right-back, Klostermann is an excellent player who has all the makings of a top-class European defender and is scouted by the likes of Tottenham, Juventus and Ajax as well. He is expected to move away from the Bundesliga outfit this summer and Arsenal are reported to be the front-runners for his signature.
Klostermann is not a strong defender who will throw his body around in dangerous areas but is a smart player who reads the game well. His discipline is one of his biggest traits and his time in Germany also saw him slot into a center back position with ease but Arsene Wegner needs a senior center back who can latch on to a starting XI place and not an understudy. Wenger’s needs are immediate and he must look at a player who can replace Mertesacker in a week’s time and not a youngster who has loads of potential and will join the squad in a month. Though Klostermann is an exciting option and suits Wenger’s style of play, he is not the man that the club needs at the moment with a top class centre-half their first priority.
However, the 20-year old could be a more than decent addition to the squad and if Wenger is looking at him as a possible player in the right back position competing for a place with the ever impressive Hector Bellerin. He suits their style of play and has loads of potential to turn into a world-class player that will add more quality to the squad at the Emirates but at the moment, he is not solving any problems that the manager is facing with his squad. Do you think the 20-year old German national is a necessary buy for the Gunners this summer?
