According to Goal, Arsenal have completed the signing of William Saliba from St. Etienne and the deal could be announced very soon. The Frenchman is expected to join the club for a fee of £27 million, although he will be loaned out to St. Etienne next season. The Gunners are also closing in on the loan deal for Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballo. And finally, they are poised to launch a third bid to sign Kieran Tierney from Celtic.
These three are believed to be Arsenal’s prime targets this summer but how will each of them fit into Unai Emery’s setup next season?
William Saliba: A replacement for Koscielny?
Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny stunned the club official by refusing to train with the team in their pre-season preparations. The Frenchman is believed to be seeking a move away from Emirates, making Saliba a sensible addition to the side.
The young defensive trifecta of Rob Holding, Konstantinos Mavranos and Saliba, himself, will surely add more vigour to the backline. The defensive whizkid is not, in fact, a straight replacement for Koscielny but is instead a long-term prospect. This is why his return to St. Etienne makes sense.
Spending another season in Ligue 1 will provide him with the much-needed experience while allowing him to improve himself as a defender. And with time on his side, he can be groomed into a world-class defender within the coming years.
Dani Ceballos: The spark that Arsenal needed in midfield?
Ceballos would perhaps be the most important transfer among the three as he will be considered as a potential replacement for Aaron Ramsey. But for the time being, the Spaniard will be keen not to replicate the failures of his compatriot Denis Suarez.
As far as the style of play is concerned, Ceballos is an ideal replacement for Ramsey. His energy and tenacity in the middle of the park, coupled with his ingenuity in the final third would make the Gunners much more vigilant and proactive.
The Real Madrid midfielder will also have a point to prove, having been deemed surplus to the requirements by Zinedine Zidane. Hence, he could turn out to be a real asset for Arsenal next season.
Kieran Tierney: The best Arsenal transfer since Alexis Sanchez?
Tierney has the quality to rejuvenate the Arsenal fullback department that has struggled to find a reliable left-back in recent years. Sead Kolasinac has had his fair share of problems with injuries while Nacho Monreal is already in the final phase of his career.
Tierney, in that regard, could be a perfect replacement for both of these two left-backs. The Scottish international has already shown what he is capable at the highest level of football. His remarkable work ethic, coupled with his leadership qualities are the traits, the current crop of Arsenal defender so desperately lack at the moment.
Therefore, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the Celtic youngster could turn out to be the best piece of Arsenal transfer since Alexis Sanchez.
