According to a recent report by the Sun, Arsenal are currently the favourites to secure the services of Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the end of this campaign. The same source has revealed that the Gunners will face stiff competition from the likes of Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Everton in pursuit of the English defender in the summer. The Sun has also claimed that Palace are valuing him in the region of £40m which won’t deter Unai Emery’s quest of landing him next summer.
The English prospect has lit up the Premier League with some majestic displays at right-back for Palace so far in this campaign. Wan-Bissaka has established himself as a regular first-team starter under Roy Hodgson and has arguably been one of the best defenders in the English top-flight this season.
The London born talent has also been quite a favourite in the Fantasy Premier League as his low price and high productivity has seen a lot of FPL managers rely on him.
The 21-year-old came through the youth ranks of Palace before finally breaking into their first-team at the start of 2018. The right-back is currently out with a hamstring problem but will play a significant part in the coming months as Roy Hodgson looks to secure a top half finish at Selhurst Park this season.
Wan-Bissaka has made 28 appearances for the Eagles this term and has two assists to his name across all competitions. He has also made 3.2 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game which goes on to show how influential he has been defensively for Palace during this Premier League campaign. (Stats taken from Whoscored.com)
The Eagles youngster boasts decent pace and is also quite athletic. Moreover, he has a sturdy frame which helps him win aerial duels at both ends of the pitch. However, Wan-Bissaka’s biggest strength would be his ability to read the game well which helps him make some timely interceptions for his team.
The potential acquisition of Wan-Bisssaka will undoubtedly bolster Emery’s defensive options at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have already got the likes of Stephan Lichtsteiner, Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Carl Jenkinson vying for a right-back place in Emery’s first-team.
Hence, Wan-Bissaka won’t be guaranteed regular first-team minutes at the North London club which is why staying at Selhurst Park could be an ideal career move for him that could help his overall development in the long-run. However, for the Gunners, it seems like a smart move as the Palace right-back will add a lot of quality to Emery’s backline heading into the new campaign.
