Former PSG boss Unai Emery has his task cut out at Emirates. Arsene Wenger, the previous gaffer at the club, had a particular system and spent on stars who fit into that. But Emery now will want players who can play to his strengths and will certainly look to add some quality to his first team this summer.
This has seen Arsenal linked with a wide variety of stars recently but one player they have failed to land recently is David Luiz.
Having won the Europa League, the Champions League and the Premier League titles in his two stints with Chelsea, the Brazilian defender is a unique centre-back with gifted technique. He also won league titles in France and Portugal and only moved back to England at the start of the 2016-17 season.
He helped the Blues to the league title in his first season back in London, also finding a place in the PFA Team of the Year for that campaign. However, he lost Conte’s trust after a bust-up and lost his place in the side since early February, after he picked up an injury. He made just nine league starts last season and at 31, does not have a long future at Stamford Bridge.
He is expected to be sold and Arsenal are reportedly one of the suitors for him this summer. Reports in France claim that the Gunners have tabled a £17.5m bid which was immediately rejected by the Blues. Arsenal are yet to make an improved offer but should they go on with this deal?
With over 120 league appearances in England and 56 international appearances for Brazil, Luiz is one of the most experienced and established defenders in Europe at the moment. He was regarded as one of the best in his prime and is a player that can walk into most top squads in Europe.
He has his lapses of concentration but is impressive with his pro-active defending. He loves to dominate his box, wins everything thrown at him in the air and is a serious threat over a dead ball. He can also be helpful passing from the back, can spray long passes to the wingers and is a complete defender.
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A few years ago, spending on him would have been a ‘no-brainer’ and even now, Luiz is a decent acquisition for Arsenal. With Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding acting as understudies to Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, and Laurent Koscielny, there is no real place in the first team for Luiz.
But the injury to the French international Koscielny, which is expected to keep him out till the turn of the year, is what makes Luiz an urgent requirement at Arsenal. The Gunners need a player to fill in that role till Koscielny is back and it is hard to find the kind of quality the Brazilian has on offer, at his price.
So Arsenal should definitely make a move to try and sign him this summer.
