In a recent report, Tuttomercatoweb revealed that Arsenal are among the clubs hoping to sign Dinamo Zagreb defender Josip Sutalo this summer. It has been stated that the Gunners could face competition in the form of Red Bull Leipzig, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Ajax in pursuit of the Croat centre-back in this off-season.
Sutalo’s Decent Form At Zagreb Last Season
Sutalo enjoyed a good run of form at Dinamo Zagreb as he produced a string of decent displays at the centre of their backline. The 23-year-old featured in 36 matches for the Croat talent in the previous campaign, netting three times in multiple competitions.
The Capljina-born defensive ace proved his worth at the back by averaging 2.0 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per game in the UEFA Champions League. He was even been careful when distributing the ball after making 86.8% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
Sutalo is under contract at the Croat club until the summer of 2028. Hence, the Gunners will struggle to sign him on the cheap in this ongoing transfer window.
Is Sutalo The Right Choice For Arsenal Head Coach Mikel Arteta?
Sutalo is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He usually clears the danger when needed and is a tidy passer of the ball as well.
The Croatia international excels at playing in both centre-back positions. However, he is yet to prove his worth outside his homeland which makes him a risky option for Arsenal to consider this summer.
Still, we can expect Sutalo to bring more bite and steel to Mikel Arteta‘s defence and help the Gunners challenge across all fronts over the next few years.
At 23, Sutalo has his best years ahead of him which makes him a great, long-term choice for the North London outfit to consider this summer. However, there are some concerns over whether he can adapt to the physicality and high intensity of Premier League football. Still, it makes sense for the Gunners to try everything in their power to land the talented defender before the end of this summer transfer window.
