Three Top Quality Replacements For Laurent Koscielny Who Arsenal Can Target
One of the saddest images from the previous week of football was that of Laurent Koscielny moaning in pain as he clutched his ankle. The metaphoric Achilles had given way and ended the Frenchman’s hopes of making it to Russia for the World Cup.
Koscielny is also 32 years old and has played out his prime years, which means that Arsenal should begin looking for a replacement for their centre-back. Here are 3 good candidates who could replace the Frenchman:
Jonny Evans
Evans may not the star centre-back that Arsenal fans might want but he is a player with enough Premier League experience. Evans would be a decent replacement for Koscielny and with his strong communication skills and good passing range, he could lift his game at the Emirates.
Evans’ bags of experience will also come in handy for Arsenal as they look to groom their existing set of young defenders such as Calum Chambers, Mavropanos and Rob Holding. A move for a couple of years with an option to extend at the end of the second year would be the perfect move for the player and the club as they look to turn their fortunes around.
Caglar Soyuncu
Another player who can join Arsenal’s young crop of defenders, Soyuncu is Turkey’s 21-year old talent who plies his trade for Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Arsenal have been linked with the player and a move would be a good one considering the stage at which they’re obtaining the player. Soyuncu also has international experience, having represented Turkey 9 times.
While he may not be the immediate answer to Koscielny, he would be perfect for the next Arsenal manager, as the new gaffer would have a lot of rebuilding to do. Within a span of 2-3 years, he could mature and become a stalwart in the Arsenal defence.
Daley Blind
One player who has hardly featured for the Red Devils this season is Daley Blind. A move to Arsenal to take over Koscielny’s spot does not seem like a bad idea. Blind, though not blessed with pace, is a shrewd reader of the game and he could be perfect for Arsenal.
Blind is also a versatile player who can contribute from left-back and also play as a holding midfielder when required. His calm presence on the ball coupled with his great passing range makes him an option that Arsenal should seriously consider.