According to France Football, Arsenal have agreed on a five-year contract with Layvin Kurzawa. The Paris Saint-Germain left-back is set to join the North London club for free in the summer when his existing contract at Paris comes to an end. That means the defender could arrive at the Emirates for free. And in this article, we will discuss as to what the potential addition of Kurzawa next summer could mean for Arsenal collectively.
What’s next for Sead Kolasinac?
Kurzawa’s potential arrival at the Emirates could spread a series of doubts over Sead Kolasinac’s long-term future at Arsenal. The Bosnian international has struggled with a host of injuries since arriving at the club in 2017. Although he was the first-choice left-back during the first phase of the campaign, Kieran Tierney’s return to full fitness saw him playing second fiddle to the Scot.
And when the ex-Celtic defender did get injured, Kolasinac struggled with his own fitness problems, notably missing three games due to an ankle injury. As a result, Arsenal were forced to deploy young winger Bukayo Saka in the left-back position.
Hence, a move away from north London might make a lot of sense for Kolasinac, who will be keen on securing regular first-team football. The ex-Schalke star was notably linked with a move to Napoli earlier this season, and it remains to be seen whether or not Mikel Arteta would be willing to offload him in the summer.
Healthy competition for Tierney?
Despite Kurzawa’s potential acquisition, Tierney is likely to remain Arsenal’s first-choice left-back next season. The Scot is considered as one of the most talented fullbacks in Europe.
The addition of Kurzawa could surely add some healthy competition for Tierney. It would influence him to get to grips with English football as soon as possible. At the same time, the presence of a reliable alternative will prevent the manager from overusing him, which undoubtedly helps given Tierney’s fitness problems over the past few years.
More tactical options for Arteta
Kurzawa can not only improve the overall depth of the Arsenal defence, but he can also provide Arteta with several additional tactical options throughout the left flank. Indeed, the Frenchman can play anywhere across the left-hand channel, meaning he is proficient when it comes to operating as a wing-back.
That means Arteta will be able to employ a three-man backline without having to worry about Tierney’s lack of familiarity with that system. Moreover, the fact that Kurzawa can be considered as a makeshift option at left-wing makes him a perfect acquisition for Arsenal.
