In a recent report, Media Foot mentioned that Arsenal are showing interest in Red Bull Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol this summer. It has been claimed that the Gunners could move in for the Croatia sensation if they end up losing William Saliba in this off-season.
Gvardiol’s Impressive Run Of Form In German Football
Gvardiol enjoyed a solid campaign at the Red Bull Arena last season when he put in a handful of dominant defensive performances for Leipzig. The 20-year-old scored two goals and secured three assists in 45 matches for the German outfit in the previous campaign across multiple competitions.
The Croatia prospect caught the eye by averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, 1.9 clearances and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in Bundesliga. He was even tidy with his ball distribution after making 84% of his attempted passes in the German top tier (stats via whoscored).
Should Arsenal Get Gvardiol On Board This Summer?
Gvardiol can get stuck in with some solid tackles to make life tough for the opposition attackers. He can sense the danger quickly and doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed. The Croatia international is a good passer of the ball and can also earn the ball back for his side on the defensive end of the field. He is primarily a centre-back who can even play as a left-back if required.
Someone of Gvardiol’s skillset and potential will be a welcome acquisition for the Gunners this summer. He will inject some bite and steel into Mikel Arteta‘s defence and increase competition for places within his Arsenal squad.
At such a young age, the Zagreb-born talent has already begun to prove his worth in top-flight football. He is good enough to fight for a regular starting spot at the Emirates Stadium and could help the North London club challenge across all fronts in the coming seasons.
However, it remains to be seen whether Gvardiol can make a smooth transition to life in England if Arsenal manage to land him this summer. Either way, Arteta would be wise to get the Croatia defensive ace on board ahead of the new campaign.
