As reported by Football.London, Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs battling out for the signature of Corentin Tolisso. The Bayern Munich star is destined to leave the club in the summer. And the Gunners may have the upper hand as the player, during his time at Olympique Lyon, did admit that Arsenal are among his favourite clubs.
What can Tolisso bring to the table?
Tolisso is a central midfielder by trade, who loves to attack the opposition. He is known for his technical prowess and ability to rotate possession effortlessly. In many ways, he can be compared to his teammate Thiago Alcantara, although the Frenchman is not as effective when it comes to finding key passes.
Nevertheless, Tolisso is still gifted with a vision and awareness that gives him an excellent passing range. Also, the Bayern Munich star can be deployed anywhere in central midfield, although he is most effective in a balanced number eight role.
Another key factor in Tolisso’s gameplay is that he is never afraid to test the goalkeeper. During the successful 2016/17 season with Lyon, the midfielder notably attempted over two shots on goal per match. His long-range shooting prowess makes him a threat for the opposition even when his team is failing to create spaces.
Lack of success and injuries
Despite Tolisso’s obvious talents, it is probably fair to highlight the fact that the midfielder has not really been able to find success over the past three years. At Bayern Munich, the Frenchman has continuously lived under the shadow of Alcantara, who, of course, is touted as one of the best midfielders in the world.
But more importantly, the 25-year-old has struggled with injuries. He has suffered from a shin, muscle, knee and an ACL injury during his ongoing three-year spell in Bavaria. As a result, the midfielder has mustered over 1,500 minutes of league football only once in the past three seasons.
Should Arsenal invest in Tolisso this summer?
From Arsenal’s perspective, it might not be wise to overlook Tolisso’s dismal fitness record. His lack of game-time over the past few seasons raises question marks as to whether or not he will be able to settle into the fast-paced nature of English football quickly.
Moreover, Bayern Munich will try their best to recoup the €41 million they had spent on the midfielder back in 2017. And with the player still having a contract until 2022, it won’t be surprising to see the Bavarians demanding somewhere around the €30 million mark, which is still high given how the Coronavirus has impacted the market.
Therefore, it would perhaps be a better idea for Arteta to pass on Tolisso and shift his attention towards other alternatives. Mario Gotze, for one, might not be a bad option.
