In a recent report, Mundo Deportivo revealed that Arsenal failed to agree on a deadline-day deal for Barcelona defender Junior Firpo. It is believed that the Gunners could not reach an agreement for the Spanish full-back, who could have been sold by the Catalans if they received a ‘convincing offer’ for his services during the January transfer window (via Mundo Deportivo).
Firpo’s Lacklustre Season For The Catalan Club
The 24-year-old has struggled to earn regular game time at the Nou Camp this season which has disrupted his development as a left-back. Firpo has featured in just 12 matches for Barca this term, registering one assist and one yellow card across all fronts.
The Dominican Republic-born defensive ace has failed to find consistency with his performances this season as he is averaging 0.3 tackles, 0.3 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 0.6 key passes and 0.4 dribbles per game in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League group stages. At least he has been tidy when distributing possession as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 92.2% in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Firpo needs to secure a regular run of games if he wants to re-establish himself as a top performer at the highest level. Hence, a future move to Arsenal could be appealing for the player whose current contract with Barca is set to run out in the summer of 2024.
What Are The Spanish Left-Back’s Best Attributes?
Firpo is quick and agile enough to make some promising runs with the ball out on the wide areas. He is also a decent crosser of the ball and has a good work ethic when defending inside his half. The Spanish U-21 international possesses good defensive awareness that helps him earn possession back for his team. However, he is in dire need of regular first-team opportunities as the lack of game time in recent times has halted his growth as a footballer.
Should The Gunners Go Back In For Firpo Next Summer?
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has currently got Cedric Soares filling in as a makeshift left-back in the injury absence of Kieran Tierney. Hence, the Gunners boss will do well to bring in a quality defender for the left-back position, so Firpo fits the bill perfectly as he is good enough to rival Tierney for a regular first-team place at North London in the coming seasons.
At 24, Firpo is a player on the rise and will only get better under a good man-manager like Arteta, who could help him unlock his true potential if the London giants decide to get a deal done for him at the end of this campaign. All in all, it makes a lot of sense for Arteta to go back in for the Spanish sensation when the transfer window reopens next summer.
