According to a recent report by the Sun, Arsenal are ready to use two of their fringe players as makeweights to try and convince Crystal Palace to get a deal done for Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer. The same source has revealed that the Gunners have sent scouts to catch the Palace youngster in action and they have been so impressed by his performances this season that the North London club are now willing to let Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles move to Selhurst Park just so that they can sign Wan-Bissaka.
The English prospect has enjoyed a rich vein of form for the Eagles of late and has put in a string of commanding displays at the back under Roy Hodgson. Wan-Bissaka has managed to nail down a regular starting place in Hodgson’s first-team and has arguably been one of the best defenders in the Premier League this season.
The London born full-back has also been quite popular in the Fantasy Premier League as his bargain price and high productivity has seen a lot of FPL managers rely on his talents. Yes, we know this is beside the point and absolutely unnecessary to the article, but we felt like mentioning it.
The 21-year-old is a product of Palace’s youth system. He worked his way up the club’s youth ranks before finally breaking into their first-team at the beginning of 2018. The right-back has shown enough this season to merit a nomination for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award. His impact at both ends of the pitch has helped the Eagles steer clear of the relegation zone heading into the business end of this campaign.
Wan-Bissaka has made 30 appearances for the Selhurst-outfit this term and has three assists to his name in all competitions. He has also made an average of 4 tackles and 2.2 interceptions per game which goes on to show how well he has performed defensively under Hodgson’s tutelage during this campaign. (Stats taken from Whoscored.com)
The Palace starlet is very quick with his feet and is also quite athletic. Furthermore, he can win aerial duels at both ends of the pitch which can be a useful tool, especially during dead-ball situations. Wan-Bissaka has also developed a knack for making well-timed challenges which help him win the ball back for his team.
The potential acquisition of someone of the English defender’s potential will undoubtedly bolster Unai Emery’s defensive options at the North London club. The Gunners have already got the likes of Stephan Lichtsteiner, Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Carl Jenkinson vying for a right-back berth in Emery’s starting XI.
However, Wan-Bissaka would be an upgrade over all (except Bellerin) of them if he can keep up the same level of performance over the next few years. Hence, it could be a shrewd move for Arsenal if they can find a way to orchestrate a move to bring the English right-back to the Emirates Stadium, even if it means giving up both Nelson and Maitland-Niles.
