According to a recent report by the Sun, Arsenal have sent scouts to catch Gianluca Mancini in action for Atalanta, but they could face stiff competition in landing the player from Borussia Dortmund who are also interested in securing his services. It is understood that the Gunners head coach Unai Emery is desperate to bolster his defensive options at the Emirates Stadium and Mancini fits the bill perfectly.
Gianluca Mancini: The Serie A Prospect Who Can Score Goals
The Italian Under-21 international has already put in some commanding displays for Atalanta during this season which has not gone unnoticed by other clubs. The Serie A centre-back is not only a solid defender, but he has also developed a habit of chipping in with goals going forward.
The 22-year-old has already scored four goals in 11 matches for the Italian outfit this season across all competitions. Recent sources have also revealed that some Arsenal scouts were present when he found the back of the net in the 4-1 demolition of Inter Milan last weekend.
At such a young age, Mancini has managed to establish himself as a regular starter in the Serie A and has a promising career ahead of him in European football.
What Will The Italian Add To Emery’s Team?
The Fiorentina youth product knows how to defend his own box and is a commanding presence at both ends of the pitch. He is still quite raw so it might take some time for him to play consistently at the highest level. However, his distribution can be ordinary at times which won’t suit Emery’s style of play at North London.
The potential acquisition of Mancini will undoubtedly bolster Arsenal’s defensive options, but he won’t be an immediate fix to their centre-back woes. The likes of Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding have not been able to maintain the same level of consistency with their performances at the back so Mancini would be a welcome addition to their backline as he will add more competition for places within the Gunners squad.
Should The Gunners Sign Him?
Emery should opt to go for someone more experienced than the Italian defender if he wants his side to compete for major trophies this season. However, the Atalanta defensive ace will be a good signing for the future if the Arsenal boss intends to be patient with his rebuilding process at the Emirates.
