According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal manager Unai Emery has recently revealed that he is planning on signing a centre-back during the January transfer window. In a recent interview mentioned by the same source, the Gunners boss said, “I think if we can take one player to help us at centre-back, I think it’s a good option,”
“The transfer (window) is not easy…Koscielny is coming back and for the team it’s very important he is coming back.
“Then we are going to wait and see how Mavropanos is improving with his injuries, because he is also a centre-back who can help us.
“Another option we can play with two, with three, Nacho Monreal and Lichtsteiner can play in this position. I prefer to use, if we can, a specialist centre-back.”
It makes a lot of sense for the North London outfit to go for a new defender next month as their defensive record this season has been poor. Here are three realistic options for Emery to consider when the transfer window reopens in January.
Salif Sane
The Senegalese has been a commanding presence at the back for Schalke and has put in some strong performances in the Bundesliga this season. The 28-year-old defensive ace has made 20 appearances for Domenico Tedesco’s team this term across all competitions, and his defensive contributions on the pitch helped Schalke steer clear of the relegation zone for the time being. He will be an excellent addition to Emery’s squad because of his ability to defend his own box which could help the Gunners claim a top 4 spot at the end of this campaign.
Dayot Upamecano
The French centre-back has caught the eye with a string of dominant displays for RB Leipzig over the past couple of years. The Bundesliga wonderkid has featured in 16 matches for the German team this season and has helped them climb to the 4th place of the league standings.
At a tender age of 20, Upamecano has already experienced what it’s like to play football at the highest level and is considered as one of the most talented young defenders in Europe. Emery will do well to acquire his talents as the Frenchman has the potential to be a future Premier League star if given a chance to showcase his worth at the Emirates Stadium.
Phil Jones
The English centre-half has been a sporadic presence for Manchester United this season. Jose Mourinho has starved him of first-team chances which has seen his game suffer because of it. Jones has played like a shadow of his former self and should move on if he wants to get his career back on track.
Unai Emery could be the ideal manager to get the best out of his talents as the Gunners manager has proven that he can get the best out of his squad players as evidenced by the resurgence of Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe in recent weeks. Hence, it makes sense for Arsenal to take a chance on Jones in January.
