Why Arsenal targeting Otasowie would offer more options in defence

According to The Sun, Arsenal are tracking Wolves teenager Owen Otasowie.

The Gunners, meanwhile, face stiff competition from other European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Schalke and Liverpool, who are also interested in landing Wolves under-23 defender, according to The Sun.

Predominantly a centre-back, the 18-year old’s versatility allows him to be deployed anywhere across the midfield as well.

Otasowie, who is eligible to play for Nigeria, England and the United States of America, will, however, be out of contract this coming summer.  

Meanwhile, a defensively troubled Arsenal could make full use of this opportunity and land the young defender to add more strength to their backline.

The Unai Emery-led side are currently struggling in the Premier League, having been pushed to 8th place on the table.

It is now the North London side’s sixth game in a row without a win from all competitions, after being held to a 2-2 draw by a relegation-threatened Southampton recently.

Having conceded 19 goals from 13 games, the Gunners’ defensive woes have been clearly exposed. If the current winless trend continues, the Gunners’ dream of qualifying for a Champions League spot seems far from happening.

Emery, who led Arsenal to a fifth-place finish last year, has however failed to live up to the expectations and is currently facing the heat, as claimed by Daily Express.

The Spaniard had brought experienced defender David Luiz after the departure of former skipper and Frenchman Laurent Koscielny in the summer.

However, the Brazilian centre-back, who has plenty of Premier League experience to his credit, has been largely unsuccessful so far.

He has managed just one clean sheet from 12 league appearances and has conceded two penalties until now, as claimed by Premierleague.com.  

This is a clear indication that Emery’s recent signing has not been the best of additions for an already shaky Gunners defence.

Sokratis was sloppy against Southampton, and questions were once again raised regarding Arsenal’s defensive incapabilities. Moreover, Emery’s tactical reshuffling has affected the side’s rhythm as they are yet to stick to a specific formation this season.

Meanwhile, the erratic Shkodran Mustafi has fallen down the pecking order and has not featured in a single league game. Englishman Rob Holding, on the other hand, has been inconsistent due to injuries and is currently out with a knee injury.

Hence, it would be a good future investment by Arsenal if they make a move for the young Otasowie considering their defensive woes.

Otasowie, who made the move to Molineaux earlier this July, has played a total of 6 matches this season – 4 in the Premier League 2, and 2 in the EFL Trophy.

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However, with his deal set to expire soon and a host of clubs ready to grab the 18-year old’s signature, Arsenal should soon put pen to paper if Emery’s wants more enhancements in his defence.

Verdict

With the Gunners’ defenders looking clearly out of sorts. bringing in the young centre-back would offer Emery more options to choose from.

Arsenal, moreover, are in dire need of some energetic young presence at the back, with senior players such as Luiz and Sokratis clearly underperforming.