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Mike McDonald back with a BEAST of a post about the hot centre backs of Europe. Pull out the popcorn, you are about to be educated. (Find him @Mike_MMcdonald)
Arsenal Football Club will be only be transformed when they correct three issues that have been largely ignored for over 15 years.
The right coach, a solid defensive unit and football that is 50% ‘off the ball.’
I’ve researched centre back options and with that said it’s fair to say that we may have our answer at the club already.
Sometimes a ‘good’ centre back can become the ‘perfect’ centre back with the right partner.
So it could be that Saliba and Holding is the answer? Saliba and Luiz?
Fair to say too that Saliba may not be able to fulfill his potential for a few years yet as he will only be 19 when he arrives.
Either way, with Arsenal far from being an intimidating defensive unit it would be neglectful to hope and not be proactive and at least be aware of who is out there.
When researching I discovered that there are 10’s of possible options so I’ve grouped them and commented on those I consider to be the best options.
Ligue 1 options
With the starting thought that it’s most likely going to be Saliba plus one, there is value in the thought that the perfect CB may need to be French speaking.
Benoit Badiashile
Age: 18 Height: 6ft 4in
Team: Monaco
Potential value: £30M
A target for Chelsea that could be snapped up before their ban ends.
A strong, powerful, quick modern day CB who has been trusted to play regularly since Henry departed the South of France.
Boubacar Kamara
Age: 19 (about to be 20)
Height: 5ft 10in
Team: Marseille
Potential value: £35M
A much sort after player. Small for a CB but also played extensively at LB and DM. Already a target for PSG, Kamara excels in recovery speed, tackling and being two footed. This ability, alongside his versatility, creates an unusually calm CB.
Malang Sarr
Age: 20. Height: 5ft 11in.
Team: Nice
Potential value: £30M
Sarr can play both at left back or centre left back. Played over 6000 minutes for a good Nice team at such a young age. A proactive CB who likes to pressure players whilst his partner sits off.
The 3 at PSG…Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe
Age: 35 (Silva). 25 (Marquinhos). 24 (Kimpembe)
Height: All 6ft
Team: PSG
Potential value: Free (Silva) £80M (Marquinhos). £50M (Kimpembe)
Silva may be in his last years but may compliment Saliba. Still starting for PSG after being replaced last year.
Marquinhos is having his best season. Arguably the best ‘footballer’ playing CB in world football. Can comfortably play DM too.
Kimpembe may get itchy if he can’t become first choice at PSG but may be waiting on Silva retiring.
Left sided CB who has been trusted by France ahead of many other great options.
French speaking and already playing in the PL
This may well be the best of both worlds. French speaking with PL experience.
Issa Diop
Age: 22. Height: 6ft 4in
Team: West Ham
Potential value: £50M (overpriced PL value)
A leggy interception king who has recently been monitored by Man. Utd as well as others. Been a large part of an improving West Ham team.
Willy Boly
Age: 28. Height: 6ft 3in
Team: Wolves
Potential value: £40M
An underrated regular in Wolves’ impressive team. Particularly dangerous at set pieces.
French speaking but playing elsewhere
Some very impressive names here. Some experienced, some younger. All with plenty of minutes under their belt.
Dayot Upamecano
Age: 21 Height: 6ft 1in.
Team: RB Leipzig
Potential value: £60M
We allegedly bid for him last summer and may go back in January. Rumor has it that he is our choice.
Has everything needed as a CB apart from international experience but that has more to do with the litany of choices that Deschamps has. Particularly quick and good on the ball.
Ibrahim Konate
Age: 20 Height: 6 ft 4in
Team: RB Leipzig
Potential value: £50M
Fast, powerful with huge potential.
Can look clumsy on the ball. The fact that Leipzig have achieved CL football with two very young CB’s is a credit to both Konate and Upamecano.
Nicolas N’Koulou
Age: 29. Height: 6ft 1in Team:Torino
Potential value: £15M
Tried to force his way out last summer. Experienced Cameroonian defender who has excelled in Serie A.
Raphael Varane
Age: 26 Height: 6ft 3in
Team: Real Madrid
Potential value: £100M
Unreal that he’s 26! Seems like he’s been around much longer. At his age and experience he would be ideal. Just don’t think he’s leaving RM for AFC.
Samuel Umtiti
Age: 25 (about to be 26)
Height: 6ft
Team: Barcelona
Potential value: £50M
If Barcelona would sell and if he didn’t have a dodgy knee he could be another perfect choice.
Dan Axel Zagadou
Age: 20. Height: 6ft 5in.
Team: Dortmund
Potential value: £35M
Quite possibly available as he’s only played twice this season. A monster of a player with strength, pace and obvious power at set plays. Can be error prone.
Serie A options
Always good to remember that Serie A teaches defenders to truly value clean sheets and the tactical side of the game.
Few Italian’s travel to the PL but the majority of this list are not Italians.
Kalidou Koulibaly
Age: 28. Height: 6ft 1in.
Team: Napoli
Potential value: £120M
Well known by the majority as one of if not the best defender in the world. Doubtful that if he ever leaves that Arsenal would be his choice.
Gianluca Mancini
Age: 23. Height: 6ft 3in.
Team: Roma
Potential value: £40M
Speed, technique and dominant in the air and becoming a regular member of the Italian National team.
Nikola Milenkovic
Age: 22 Height: 6ft 5in
Team: Fiorentina
Potential value: £40M
A versatile CB having played many times at RB too. Another Man Utd target who excels in his reading of the game and his unusually composed play belying his size.
Armando Izzo
Age: 6ft Height: 27
Team: Torino
Potential value: £25M
An AFC target (probably a Mustafi replacement, but SM didn’t leave), excels in ball winning and interceptions. He led Serie A in both last season. An impressive stat considering the many good defenders in the league.
Alessio Romagnoli
Age: 24. Height: 6 ft 1in.
Team: AC Milan
Potential value: £50M
A leader in the AC Milan team who has performed well in a team that has underperformed. A brave, front foot defender with the yellow cards to prove it.
Milan Skriniar
Age: 24. Height: 6ft 1in
Team: Inter Milan
Potential value: £60M
Currently considered to be one of the best in Serie A.
The Slovakian is an all rounder that doesn’t have any clear lack. His strengths are 1 on 1 defending, positioning and use of the ball.
Very doubtful that with Inter’s resurgence that he leaves.
Stefan DeVrij
Age: 27. Height: 6 ft 2in
Team: Inter Milan
Potential value: £40M
Another all round defender that has slowly worked his way to the top of the game. Recently called the best defender so far this season in Serie A.
Bundesliga options
Four very interesting options. From an experienced CL player who may want a final challenge to three established, fast and physical options.
Manuel Akanji
Age: 24. Height: 6 ft 1in
Team: Dortmund
Potential value: £45M
Well known as being the smartest footballer currently playing. A math genius (what does that mean) with a naturally analytical mind.
Super quick with springs in his feet.
Become a regular since Diallo went to PSG.
Johnathan Tah
Age: 23 Height: 6ft 3in
Team: Bayer Leverkusen
Potential value: £40M
When all talk about wanting a ‘Van Dijk’ type, my thoughts go to Tah.
A huge and imposing athlete with obvious leadership and organization skills.
Mattias Ginter
Age: 25 Height: 6ft 2in
Team: M’gladbach
Potential value: £35M
Much like Varane, Ginter has been around for many years.
After years of injury and bouncing from big to small club he’s found home at Gladbach (currently top of the league) and a part of the national team.
A strong, quick leader.
Jerome Boateng
Age: 31 Height: 6ft 4in
Team: Bayern Munich
Potential value: £30M
A huge unit. Experience at every level. A little beyond his peak but has forced his way back into the Bayern team, although not regular.
Premier League options
Some out of sorts, out of favour and almost out of contract to three players who are rising stars and flying.
Toby Alderweireld
Age: 30. Height: 6 ft 4in
Team: Spurs
Potential value: Free (as close to being out of contract)
On one level he is perfect. On the other, he plays for Spurs.
Nathan Ake
Age: 24. Height: 5ft 11in
Team: Bournemouth
Potential value: £40M
Underrated, probably because he plays for AFCB. He also regularly starts for the best Dutch side in a generation.
Fast, brave and very athletic.
Available I’m sure.
Caglar Soyuncu
Age: 23. Height: 6ft 2in
Team: Leicester
Potential value: £70M
Apart from a bizarre greasy rockstar hairstyle, Soyuncu has improved rapidly. Put on significant muscle this summer to add strength to his power, pace and aerial ability. Flavour of the month which will make him very hard to get.
Joe Gomez
Age: 22. Height: 6 ft 3in
Team: Liverpool
Potential value: £40M
How is Gomez two inches taller than Koulibaly!?!
An impressive athlete who has found himself as 4th choice at Liverpool. You’d think he’s gettable but would Liverpool sell to us?
John Stones
Age: 25. Height: 6ft 2in
Team: City
Potential value: £50M
A little mistake ridden and out of form but there is a very good CB in there.
Tyrone Mings
Age: 26 Height: 6 ft 3in
Team: Villa
Potential value: £45M
An old fashioned defender. Loves defending, huge passion and a fan favorite for those reasons. Not many ‘Tony Adams types’ left in the game but I see Mings as this.
La Liga options
Lesser known but all highly rated.
Hermoso was available last summer and Nuñez and Torres are new to the Spanish squad.
Pau Torres
Age: 22 Height: 6ft 4in
Team: Villarreal
Potential value: £35M
The first of three Spanish players linked with Arsenal over the last 3 months. Torres is having a fine season at an improving Villarreal. Strong in his game focus, desire to keep clean sheets and long passing. Could put Santi in his suitcase, 2 for 1. Yes, please!
Mario Hermoso
Age: 24. Height: 5ft 11in
Team: Atletico Madrid
Potential value: £40M
Available all summer until Atleti picked him up late in the window.
A modern day classy CB on the outskirts of the Spanish first team.
Unai Nuñez
Age: 22. Height: 6ft 1in
Team: Athletic Bilbao
Potential value: £35M
Another Spaniard with a strong passion for defending. Reminds me of Gabriel who was a better defender than many gave him credit. Good on the ball and at set pieces.
Portuguese options
It’s important to not forget that Portugal have won two major tournaments recently and that many of their players have achieved great success in the PL.
Ruben Dias
Age: 22. Height: 6ft 2in
Team: Benfica
Potential value: £45M
A modern day ball playing CB.
Aerially dominant. Recently broken into a talented Portugal side. Been linked with Arsenal recently.
Young options/new names
Do Arsenal want two young CB’s?
Robin Koch
Age: 23 Height: 6ft 3in
Team: Freiburg
Potential value: £25M
A versatile CB/DM combo who has just broken into the German squad. Elite level fitness who blends a warrior style with a finesse that few young CB’s possess.
Ethan Ampadu
Age: 19 Height: 6ft
Team: RB Leipzig (on loan from Chelsea)
Potential value: £30M
A natural footballer. Could comfortably play midfield as well as CB. Represented Wales more frequently than Chelsea or Leipzig which is a concern, but has the world at his feet.
Brandon Mechele
Age: 26. Height: 6ft 3in
Team: Club Brugge
Potential value: £15M
Not a new name if you are Belgian, but a late bloomer who has recently made the National squad. A right footed versatile CB/RB.
A two footed ball winner.
Jhon Lucumi
Age: 21. Height: 6ft 1in
Team: Genk
Potential value: £15M
A Colombian left sided CB with a big future. Pace, strength and bravery with lightning acceleration.
One for the future, or a risk for the present? Plays alongside Sander Berge who Arsenal need to keep eyes on too.
Merih Demiral
Age: 21. Height: 6 ft 4in
Team: Juventus
Potential value: £20M
A very interesting option. A Puyol type in attitude with similar fire. Quick, aggressive and determined Turkish international who is unfortunate to have only played once so far for Juve. Concern that he’s never settled anywhere, but cheap and itching to play. Could be the perfect fit for the club.
My recommendations
I have a shortlist of 8 based on availability and best fit for Arsenal.
SHORTLIST (in order of how I would approach them)….
- 8th….. Ruben Dias
- 7th… Johnathan Tah
- 6th…. Willy Boly
- 5th… Nathan Ake
- 4th…. Martin Demiral
- 3rd…. Dayot Upamecano
- 2nd….. Caglar Soyuncu
- 1st…. Tyrone Mings
My 1st choice would actually be Soyuncu but I think City will go for him leaving us flailing. Who doesn’t want Koulibaly too, right?
For the same reason I think Arsenal have little chance.
Mings might surprise you but I think Arsenal need a PL experienced CB. I also lean towards defenders that LOVE to defend. I’ve never understood the notion that ‘ability to play out of the back’ is the most talked about quality of any defender. It should be defending.
He has ridiculous stats on tackles and blocked shots in particular. He makes me feel safe.
I also think that in a short period he could lead the team.
Tyrone Mings for me.
I’d also sign Boubacar Kamara and loan him to an English team.
You?
Emery would over complicate the invincibles.
He’d have bergkamp on the wing because of his good delivery and he’d have Henry blocked from drifting to the wing. He’d have Gilberto at AM because why not and I’m fairly certain vieira would be booted out the squad for being fussy
With the invincibles emery would play a 5 man midfield with wiltord up front and cygan as captain
Goober Ok mate. Fair enough. But let me ask you this. Do you not think we currently have the personnel to play some lethal and beautiful attacking football? Look at Rodgers, look at some of Wenger’s teams who were of less quality than what we have now. Yes there are missing components but a good defensive coach would have shaped this lot into a far tighter unit by now and a good attacking coach would have us free scoring, even if it is only against the lesser clubs. We are doing neither Emery is neither. In no area of the… Read more »
Goober
I agree with most of what you’re saying
Yes it was going to take more than two year but come on. The club is doing its part and providing players for emery
Spending big money in the areas he wants
The squad we have now is dropping points to wolves, palace and Sheffield untied
3 weeks without a league win against those 3?
Sorry mate but that’s not down to player quality
China1November 6, 2019 07:24:46 Our midfield ‘poverty’ would look vastly less poverty stricken if we just had players in the correct positions China Exactly. And then play to our strengths We’ve got good attacking full backs Two great strikers A £72m winger A £43m playmaking assist machine and Martinelli’s and Saka coming up. Harness it. Use it. We are geared towards attacking football. I don’t mind playing the other way IF it’s working but it’s not. And if you watch the game and see what’s actually happening it’s down to instructions He’s opening up our entire midfield and leaving forwards… Read more »
Martinez, Chambers, Mustafi, Holding, Kolasinac, Willock, Ceballos, Smith Rowe, Maitland-Niles, Saka, Martinelli
Predicted lineup for tonight
Ishola
Yeah
Ceballos only plays the toughest of though games doesn’t he?
Un na naii The lack of balance in our midfield has been highlighted “ad infinitum”. The real issue is not so much whether these midfielders are good players as individuals, which some are, but how they play as a collective. When you see our defensive weakness and the number of shots on goal we concede you know something is wrong. Conversely we are little better when you see that there is only one goal scored by a midfield [Torreira] and just 4 assists in 11 games. Those are shocking stats for any team aspiring to finish in top four of… Read more »
Within a week though, stories about the captaincy begin as it becomes obvious the Frenchman isn’t going to stay, and we need to find somebody new. We then get a series of delays as Emery refuses to make a decision: July 17th: Emery weighing up captaincy options July 19th: Emery wants an Englishman as one of his captains August 5th: Xhaka – Emery hasn’t decided on captaincy August 6th: Laurent Koscielny is sold to Bordeaux. August 9th: Emery waiting for departures before finalising captaincy group September 13th: Emery provides timeline for his five captains announcement September 18th: Emery delays captaincy… Read more »
Stroller
Couldn’t agree more. If you watch us in the league, take note of how wide our central midfielders pull or how they leave the dm or quarterback cmf, whatever you want to call him alone and exposed.
Same as our striker
He moves the players too far apart to defend or attack properly unless you’re playing a certain way. And the way he seems to want us to play doesn’t tally with the formations and positioning on the pitch
In our midfield options we have a starting DM for Uruguay, an U21 French international and a current Spanish international. In addition, an England U21 International and a retired German international who has won a few medals. I won’t include the current captain of Switzerland! As has been said endlessly play Torreira as DM and choose two others depending on opposition. Personally I’d try Guendouzi and Ozil. It’s clear that a new coach will look at that midfield and consider improvements. Ceballos may not be a good fit and Xhaka is off , so there is room for two more… Read more »
And Merson says Arsenal should hand Rodgers a five-year contract as he’ll transform the club. “Leicester have been outstanding. They have an unbelievable manager,” he told Sky Sports. “Brendan Rodgers has not added much to the squad he inherited from Claude Puel, but he’s improved every single player at his disposal. “He’s getting a tune out of every single player, it’s incredible. “I cannot speak highly enough of Rodgers. Chairmen up and down the country will be thinking ‘how did we not get him?’ “This Leicester team were languishing in mid-table and going nowhere until Rodgers came in, and in… Read more »
Unai, lifted from Arseblog?
The perception by many on here is that the fans that stayed respectful to Wenger, even In his latter years, were never going to welcome a new manager out of loyalty to Wenger. This is of course untrue..The least many of us expected was that the new manager wouldn’t make the same mistakes as the previous manager. Unfortunately, Emery was happy to make the same mistakes as our previous manager and he compounded this by destroying any semblance of attractive football. Excuses were made , and are still being made for Emery as to why the team are/were not performing.… Read more »
Bob
Yes!! Of course we could do with a better Cmf. But like you say what we have is better than what 80% of the league can offer in the middle
Look at what klopp can do with Milner, Henderson and a Newcastle reject.
Bob N16November 6, 2019 08:21:56
Unai, lifted from Arseblog?
Yeah. First thing I do in the morning after sending my lads their job sheets is to read arseblog. Then have a bash and brush my teeth.
In that order
Pierre Let’s be clear Wenger was past his sell by date at the end of his career. No manager apart from perhaps Fergie at Man Utd was able to maintain a career at top level with one club for more than perhaps five or six years. My guess is that Arsenal held onto to Wenger beyond that threshold because we built the stadium and there was widespread recognition in Boardroom the club would be unable to invest properly in the team. Wenger was prepared to buy into that reality which perhaps other managers could/would not. Emery has arrived at the… Read more »
Un
“Look at what klopp can do with Milner, Henderson and a Newcastle reject.”
Admit it ..you didn’t know how to spell wijnaldum..
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1200430/Arsenal-news-Unai-Emery-Brendan-Rodgers-Leicester/amp
Champers
More and more clamour for Rodgers mate!! We won’t go and get him but I singled this fella out a long time ago as a firm favourite of mine
Best British manager around. He deserves a proper go with one of the big boys again.
He’s made for a club like arsenal
PierreNovember 6, 2019 08:35:44
Un
“Look at what klopp can do with Milner, Henderson and a Newcastle reject.”Admit it ..you didn’t know how to spell wijnaldum..
Haha
Mate I struggle with my own name so Newcastle reject was about the best I could offer there
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1200134/Arsenal-Jose-Mourinho-Unai-Emery-Premier-League-news/amp
Article which states that Mourinho really did not get the players he wanted at Man U
We won’t get Rogers, not assertive enough to prise him away even if they wanted him. If multiple reports are correct, there is already a straw clutching committee active within the club thinking of ways to put a positive spin on Emery, ie putting young players in, Aubas form, getting to a Euro final, whatever the outcome, they will probably even praise him over the captaincy fuck up as well. Really hope I am wrong, but starting to suspect they will not only keep Emery this year, they would probably keep him next year as well, if they possibly can.… Read more »
Stroller
“Emery is NOT a top class manager and it is difficult to understand what is the
gameplan. The team is playing “NOTHING” football.”
An intelligent manager would have reverted back to basics, instead Emery does the opposite and complicates matters.
To play a midfield diamond at the weekend
with Torreira at the tip of the diamond was the final straw for some.
Emery doesn’t make it easy for himself.
Pierre
A Simon’s can work well for us if used correctly
It’s all about the full backs and two sitting dms to protect two centre halves when full backs push up to create width
No post from Pedro about Xhaka’s humiliation and/or Emery’s cowardness ?? lol
The emery fan club is strangely quiet this recently
Telling how marko, Freddie and joe won’t comment any more
David Smith I think that it is highly unlikely that Arsenal will keep Emery beyond this season. When you watch the team play there is no light at end of tunnel. Our performance level is predictable and frankly we are fortunate to have won any game in EPL this season. When a club invests almost £220 million in players over 2 seasons you would expect an upgrade in performance. That is not happening under this head coach. Individually there are some promising young players in the squad starting off with Martinelli, but overall we are not playing with any game… Read more »
Hope you are right ES, it probably won’t happen with a balance of probability, but always wary of this club when it comes to changing things
Let the ELC show begin, to save Emery’s ass one more time.
lol
We really missed the bus on Rodgers. That man would have been a bold choice if we were looking to bounce back in the Top 4 immediately. He is also premiership proven and experienced. The longer Emery is in charge the more i’m reminded of how the club botched up the recruitment through sheer incompetence.
As for our match against Vitoria, i see another painfully dull and laborious performance. I’ll be really surprised if Arsenal put in a good display because the players are really struggling with Emery and it has to reflect on the pitch.
Un na naai
November 6, 2019 08:59:33
The emery fan club is strangely quiet this recently
Telling how marko, Freddie and joe won’t comment any more
——————–
You forgot to mention Receding ! A couple of days back, he put up a gem of post saying that Emery should have taken a sabbatical after PSG and how he is damaging his reputation. A very very classy way to put it now that Emery has fallen off the cliff.
“We really missed the bus”
Were you at work in time ?
The funny thing with emery ball is I can’t even tell what the grand end game is supposed to look like even if he had 1000000000 to spend on all the players he chooses
I’m genuinely not sure what it’s supposed to look like
Sid
Yes I saw the post. He’s probably right. And after his sabbatical he should have went back to Spain for his next job because he’s flopped outside of his native
Un Na, I think Emery has no clue how to play great attacking football. But I also think our midfield is absolutely shocking, and I don’t even want to talk about the defence. Luiz has played in some great teams by some absolute miracle. And to get him when he’s past it was the worst mistake we have made. Maybe if he was coming in as back up, but to be starting every game is beyond a joke. Mustafi and sok speak for themselves. Our fullbacks are only just coming back into it so I’ll give them more time. Ceballos… Read more »
Emery out yet? Please bring in wenger
Yesterday we created about 55 passes in our 18 yard box in 90 minutes Yesterday we crated ZERO passes in Vitoria’s 18 yard box from open play. Emery’s explanation?…’ They are very defensive with a big defensive structure,” said Unai Emery. “It is not easy because they were defending very deep and together, and to find and create small spaces was not easy against this team.” Someone ought to ask him why do we pass the ball around so much in our 18 yard box and not at all on the opposition 18 yard box. With Wenger , we used… Read more »