With Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba both arriving at Arsenal in the summer, you’d think they were set for centre backs for the near future.
Those two, coupled with Callum Chambers, Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding, Pablo Mari, Sokratis and David Luiz mean there are currently eight available to Mikel Arteta at present.
Questions over quality aside, the Gunners are well stocked in the position, and you’d think that other areas of the team would be more in focus.
Apparently not, though, with reports in England this week stating that they are keen on Hertha BSC defender Omar Rekik and he is set to join in January after a failed attempt to get him in the summer.
Those reports stated that Per Mertesacker has promised the 18-year-old he can train with Arsenal’s first-team to try and tempt him away from Germany.
Tag 24 have looked to fill that gap today, covering the transfer reports and detailing what sort of player Arsenal would be getting.
They explain that, after arriving in 2017, Rekik ‘immediately developed into a leading player and top performer’ for the U17’s and U19s and by the 2018/19 season was captaining the side to a famous victory over PSG in the youth league in 2019.
His ‘abilities are varied’ according to the website, who also say it’s hard to imagine he won’t turn professional sooner or later.
Detailing those abilities, they explain that the centre back is ‘rarely overcome in a defensive duel’ because of his ‘excellent positional play and good basic speed’.
He’s also comfortable on the ball thanks to his ‘excellent technique’ and ‘very good play structure’ while he’s no slouch in the air either.
When it comes to his downsides, they say he can be a ‘little too carefree and inexperienced’, but that is the only criticism they have.
They conclude by labelling Rekik a ‘promising modern central defender’ which is presumably why Arsenal, who are desperate to get back to promoting young players, are pushing to try and get him.
