Arsenal opinion: Should the Gunners sign Eray Comert?

According to a report from The Daily Mail, Arsenal are stepping up their interest in Basel’s 21-year-old central defender Eray Comert.

The Swiss Under-21 skipper was one of Basel’s standout performers last season and his good work on the pitch has been rewarded with the reported interest of one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.

The Gunners have been in a slump since missing out on a top-four spot and losing to Chelsea in the final of the Europa League. Arsenal’s transfer budget took a massive hit to due to the unavailability of Champions League football next season which has forced them to look at cheaper options on the market.

The report reveals that Comert would be available for as little as £7 million. Arsenal’s recent performances have brought to light that he could be a really smart addition to the Gunners squad with a long-term future in mind.

Arsenal are in desperate need of a new central defender and the need was further made evident in the final few games of last season. Skipper Laurent Koscielny is at the twilight of his career now while Sokratis is on his way there.

Converted centre-half Nacho Monreal has had his good moments there but to reach their ambitions, Arsenal will need to bring in a proper central defender. Rob Holding is almost guaranteed to be a first-choice next season but Calum Chambers and Dinos Mavropanos are big doubts.

Arsenal desperately need to invest a new defender but with their budget constraints, they will have to settle for a hidden gem who will be available for a reasonable fee. Basel’s Eray Comert would check all the boxes.

The Swiss defender had an outstanding campaign for Basel and his performances were a massive positive for the club as they finished a staggering 20 points behind eventual champions Young Boys.

A ball-playing centre-half, Comert is a perfect fit to Emery’s system and his performances from last season have shown immense composure. The 21-year-old thrives the physical game and the daunting physicality of the Premier League shouldn’t be of any concern whatsoever.

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Conclusion

Arsenal have to accept that they cannot afford the best players in the world anymore and they should instead focus on rebuilding their squad through youngsters like Liverpool have done under Jurgen Klopp.

Comert would be an ideal signing and an incredible partner to Rob Holding and the duo can form a solid partnership at the back for the best part of the next decade.