Bringing in Pablo Marí on loan from Flamengo, Arsenal tried to address their centre-back issue in a cheap yet smart manner, taking a gamble on player who could only end up costing them €4m.
That means there’s no guarantees the Spaniard will remain at the Emirates going forward, but if he does end up shining, the remaining €12m could be an investment worth making, especially with Shkodran Mustafi likely leaving come the end of the season.
Just a stone’s throw away in north London, Tottenham could end up facing their own centre-back issues, as Jan Vertonghen has yet to renew his contract like Toby Alderweireld did, meaning he can leave on a free at the end of the season.
The Belgian’s departure would leave José Mourinho with just Alderweireld and Davinson Sánchez as the ‘experienced’ defenders for the middle of his backline, and someone else would need to be purchased.
Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth could fight it out for the fourth spot in the pecking order, but we know the Portuguese manager likes to have options at his disposal, which is where Kalidou Koulibaly comes in.
According to Il Mattino, both Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in the Napoli defender, who could be spending his last season in Serie A, and are among those ‘first in line’ and ‘at the window’.
He still has three years on his contract, but the incessant links to a Premier League move suggest offers will eventually be made and likely accepted, which could be helped by the Italian side’s poor season.
They currently sit 10th in the league, and missing out on a European spot, with it be Champions or Europa League, could force them to make sales they weren’t thinking about.
Koulibaly remains one of their more valuable assets, even if he hasn’t had the best of seasons’, and Il Mattino explain Napoli’s planning going forward will depend on where they finish the campaign.
A need for money would help Premier League sides, like Tottenham and Arsenal, and could lower the asking price to guarantee an easier sale.
We, much like the big clubs in England, will be keeping an eye on things going forward and keep you updated if these mild claims turn into something more serious.
