As reported by Daily Star, Arsenal have received a boost in pursuit of Thomas Meunier. The Gunners were interested in the services of the Paris Saint-Germain defender in the summer. But, nothing really materialised, with Meunier ending up staying in Paris. However, the Belgian has recently opened up about his future, delivering a subtle hint that he may be looking for a move away from Parc des Princes.
Meunier told RTBF, “I have always said that I wanted to stay in Paris. I still have one year on my contract, and I still hope an extension can be secured. The situation is a little more complicated because I am no longer the preferred choice in my position, but I remain professional.”
Meunier is a well-rounded fullback
Meunier is currently one of the most accomplished fullbacks in European football. He initially made his breakthrough at Club Brugge before moving to PSG in 2016 for a fee of €6 million.
The 27-year-old is primarily known for his quality going forward. He is blessed with immense technical quality that allows him to link up with teammates and provide extensive offensive support in the final third. Also, he is outstanding when it comes to rotating possession quickly.
Defensively, Meunier tends to rely more on his anticipation rather than his pace or strength. Indeed, he can cut out passing options while his ability to read the game enables him to make vital interceptions. That’s however not to say that the Belgian cannot make tackles. He is, in fact, an excellent ball-winner, thanks to his tenacity and aggression.
An answer to Arsenal’s defensive problems?
The fullback department clearly isn’t the most reliable asset for Arsenal right now. Two of their premier fullbacks in Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney are out injured. Bellerin, in particular, has suffered from a lot of injuries throughout his career.
As a result, the Gunners have had to rely on the services of Ainsley Maitland-Niles in recent months. The youngster is not even a fully-fledged right-back and has struggled against quality opposition, defensively.
Meunier, in that regard, could be an intriguing option. The Belgian already has a vast amount of experience at the highest level of football and is unlikely to struggle to settle into English football.
Most importantly, the PSG star can provide competition for Bellerin while allowing Unai Emery to utilise Maitland-Niles in an attacking position, which could be useful following the departure of Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Meunier, therefore, is a viable target for Arsenal and the north London giants should definitely make a move in January.
