Arsenal are still in the market for final signings and are looking for a central defender in Abdou Diallo. The 21-year-old Mainz player has been in prolific form and has cemented a spot in the club’s first team with 18 appearances this season.
Diallo is a product of AS Monaco youth academy but struggled to break into the senior side. His services were snapped up by the Bundesliga outfit with whom he signed a five year deal in the summer of 2017. Diallo has featured for youth sides of France national team ranging from the U16s to the U21s. The Tours-born centre-defenders is one of the hottest young prospects in the Ligue 1 and can follow the line of French players who have flourished under Arsene Wenger at North London.
Arsenal have already seen the exit of 3 players in the January transfer window and have a significant amount of resources left to reinvest in further additions. The club’s seasonal ambitions took a huge hit over the Christmas period when the side dropped to the six spot of the points table and well away from the top four. With just 14 games left in the league campaign, their best chance of winning any silverware is through the EFL League Cup and the Europa League.
Matching strides with the elite has been tough, with Manchester City and Manchester United welcoming in a plethora of big money signings. Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s arrival will plug one of the holes but few additions are necessary to finish the season on a satisfactory note.
Arsenal’s defence has been one of their worst enemies this season with Wenger struggling to adapt to the back three formation. The injuries to Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal have forced out the structure the side had in the past.
Shkodran Mustafi is the best option in the backline but has lacked the cutting edge to really lead the side defensively. Calum Chambers is still as inconsistent as he has been previously making his impressive technical abilities his greatest curse.
Rob Holding is still one of the best young prospects in the country and is a key figure in the club’s future. But without a run of games for the senior side, his development has stalled in recent times.
Per Mertesacker is bound to retire after this season, and maybe Diallo is being considered as his replacement. But can the 21-year-old make it in the top flight English football? The fans at Emirates will have to be the judge of that if Wenger does make an agreeable bid.
