Arsenal snapping up this £34m-rated Turkish ace would be a sureshot defensive boost

Why Arsenal must act quickly to snap up Merih Demiral

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t The Sun), Arsenal will have to battle AC Milan in January for the signing of Juventus’ Merih Demiral.

Arsenal’s interest in the Turkish defender is understandable, as they look to strengthen their defence which has been calamitous this season.

Demiral joined Maurizio Sarri’s side in the summer but the former Chelsea boss has selected him in only one game so far this season.

Injury to captain Giorgio Chiellini looked like Demiral’s chance to get the nod but former Ajax sensation Mathijs De Ligt has cemented his place in the absence of their leader.

Reports from The Express now confirm that Juventus have granted permission to Demiral for a move in January. It also suggests that Arsenal have been paying close attention to the player, who has been struggling at Juventus.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are in dire need of a centre-back after a poor run of form. They have conceded 23 goals in 15 league games so far and their defensive unit has not stepped up. As a result, Arsenal are 10 points below fourth-placed Chelsea.

After Unai Emery was sacked last month, Arsenal appointed Freddie Ljungberg to look after the club on an interim basis.

Demiral is a promising centre-back and was outstanding with Sassuolo last season, thus earning a £15.3m  move to Serie A giants Juventus. He would surely add quality to Arsenal’s defence, given his abilities and the fact that he is young.

The 21-year-old has often been compared to former Juventus and Uruguay star Paolo Montero.

Last season, he featured in 14 Serie A games, scoring 2 goals. Demiral also registered an average of 1.7 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 5.6 clearances per game for his former team. His numbers are an exceptional feat for a 21-year-old. He also enjoyed passing at an accuracy of 87%, according to Whoscored.

With immense quality and some experience at a higher level, he certainly has the tools needed to play at a level tougher than the Serie A.

Therefore, considering the performance of their defensive duo Sokratis and David Luiz, Arsenal need to leap ahead of AC Milan and Manchester United, who are reportedly interested in him as well.

Read more

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Verdict

Considering Juventus’ evaluation of £34m for the promising player, the Gunners must go all out to sign him.

With his age, Demiral could go on to claim the spot for himself at Arsenal and represent the Gunners in the long run. Therefore, it would be good if the club secure his services.