According to Daily Star, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Real Madrid forward Mariano Diaz. The ex-Olympique Lyon striker has been deemed surplus to the requirements by Zinedine Zidane next season, and the Frenchman is keen to offload him this summer. As a result, the Gunners could bag his services for as low as £18 million as Los Merengues continue their squad overhaul.
This could be a great coup for the North London giants. But it has its downsides as well. And in this article, we will take a look at the pros and cons of Diaz’s potential move to Emirates this summer.
Pros
Diaz is undoubtedly one of the more unique centre-forwards in Europe. He can offer the physical presence up front but can also link up with attackers and help his team conjure up scoring opportunities. The Dominican’s physical attributes could add another dimension to the Arsenal attack. It could also make it easier for him to thrive in the physically astute nature of the Premier League.
Furthermore, Diaz has the aggression that could make Arsenal much more vigilant in their pressing game. That means his willingness to close down opposing ball-carriers, especially the centre-backs will help the Gunners potentially create more turnovers in dangerous areas of the pitch. And at the age of just 25, he could be an ideal long-term investment for the North London giants.
Cons
Diaz surely has the quality to become an asset for Arsenal. But, it is unlikely that the Dominican centre-forward will able to dethrone the offensive duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. And the fact that he lacks the versatility in the final third could make it even more difficult for him to find regular game-time under Emery.
Besides, Diaz has no experience in playing in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League. Hence, it is unclear whether or not he will be able to integrate himself into English football, even though his physical prowess might make things easier. And this makes him a risky option for the Gunners.
However, the biggest downside for Diaz’s potential move to Emirates, much to the misfortune of the player himself, is Arsenal’s slender transfer budget this summer. It is believed that Emery has been handed a transfer kitty of only £40 million, a chunk of which, he is expected to splash on Frenchman William Saliba.
Therefore, spending the rest of the transfer budget on a striker, whom Arsenal don’t even need might not be the most prudent move by Emery as it will restrict them from addressing the more important problems in the other departments.
