According to a recent report by the Daily Star, Arsenal are hoping to secure the services of Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis when the transfer window reopens in January. The Gunners have currently got Nacho Monreal, Sead Kolasinac, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Stephan Lichtsteiner who can all play in a left-back role in Unai Emery’s first-team.
Recent Problem Areas For Emery To Address
However, the North London side has been plagued with injuries over the last few months and are going through a mini-injury crisis at the full-back position, with Monreal and Lichtsteiner the only options currently fit to start at the Emirates Stadium on a weekly basis. Hence, it only makes sense for Emery to go out in January in search of a new left-back and add a contingency plan for the second half of the season.
Is Filipe Luis The Answer?
The Atletico Madrid full-back has a wealth of experience of playing at the top level but is about to embark upon the twilight years of his football career. Hence, he can be a quick fix for the Gunners and will be a great squad option for Emery. However, Luis is way past his prime and won’t offer more than what Arsenal have already got in their current squad.
What Will The Brazilian Offer To Emery’s Team?
Luis is an experienced left-back who knows how to defend while also providing good link-up play in attack. At the age of 33, he still has moderate pace and can dribble with the ball behind the opposition defenders and put in some quality crosses from the wide areas.
Do Arsenal Really Need Him Or Is It A Story To Fill The Papers?
All signs point towards this being another calculated story to fill the papers. The transfer window slammed shut for English clubs last month, so it is surprising to read about clubs wanting to go for other players when the winter transfer window is still a few months away. There is no doubt that Unai Emery’s side has been stricken by injuries recently, even more so than other Premier League teams, but that doesn’t mean that the Gunners cannot cope with it.
When everyone is fit, Emery will have four players vying to take up the left-back duties, so there is more than enough cover for that position. Arsenal needs to play the waiting game and hope for a speedy recovery of their injured players. In the meantime, they can rely on Monreal to produce the goods on the pitch as he has already shown this season.
