According to SportBild, as cited by Sport Witness, Arsenal are in the market for Evan N’Dicka. The Gunners are among the clubs interested in the services of the Eintracht Frankfurt defender, who is expected to leave the club in the summer. The Eagles value him at around €30 million, with the player himself preferring a move to England.
Evan N’Dicka’s Swift Rise To Prominence
Evan N’Dicka joined Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018 for a fee of €5.5 million. He was brought in as a youth prospect but didn’t take time settling into the Bundesliga. He featured in 27 league matches in his debut campaign and in just three years, has notched up almost 100 appearances for the club in all competitions.
N’Dicka’s defensive partnership alongside Martin Hinteregger has been pivotal in helping Eintracht Frankfurt finish fifth in the Bundesliga last term. While his Austrian partner offered work ethic and a no-nonsense defensive mindset, the Frenchman bring to the table a more technical approach and tactical flexibility.
Indeed, N’Dicka is quite a versatile operator as he can operate as a left-back, in addition to his favoured centre-back position. Standing 1.92m, the youngster is very commanding in the air but is equally effective when it comes to direct tackles. He is blessed with raw pace as well which helps him cover a lot of ground in a quick span of time.
The Frankfurt starlet is more of a conservative operator at left-back. But his physical prowess, technique and defensive versatility do make him quite a well-rounded centre-back.
How Can He Fit Into Arsenal Next Season?
Evan N’Dicka is undoubtedly a talented defender, who has consistently showcased his skill at the highest level of football. His success with Frankfurt is indeed indicative of his quality as a centre-back and the fact that he is ready to take the next step in his career.
At Arsenal, the Frenchman should be an ideal replacement for David Luiz, who left the club following the expiry of his contract. N’Dicka can thus offer direct competition to the three main central defensive options in Gabriel Magalhaes, Pablo Mari and Rob Holding.
Alternatively, the 21-year-old could be an interesting alternative for Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares at left-back. If Tierney is injured and Mikel Arteta has to choose between Tavares and N’Dicka, the latter offers a more defence-oriented approach that should be ideal for the Spaniard’s tactical philosophy.
It is also fair to point out that N’Dicka is quite familiar with the three at the back system. In fact, he was primarily used as a supporting centre-back at Frankfurt, so the former Auxerre youth prospect shouldn’t have much difficulty in settling into Arsenal’s style of play under the leadership of Arteta next season.
