According to The Mirror, RB Leipzig youngster Dayot Upamecano is one of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s targets ahead of the January transfer window.
The report claims that Arteta has delivered three transfer demands to the Emirates chiefs as he is considering bringing in two central defenders and one defensive midfielder to strengthen their backline.
Arsenal signed David Luiz in the summer as a replacement for the departed Laurent Koscielny and William Saliba was sent back to France with Saint-Etienne on loan. Despite making some decent signings, the Gunners have failed as a defensive unit.
They have kept just three clean sheets so far and German shot-stopper Bernd Leno seems to be in trouble without a proper guard in front of him. Luiz has been prone to errors since his arrival and other centre-backs, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis, have lacked confidence.
At this stage, with a leaky defence, Arsenal have conceded 30 goals so far. This would be a major concern for the new manager, who has taken charge with the hope of rescuing the North London side from further humiliation.
In that case, Dayot Upamecano would be an absolute steal by the club, who have to make amends to their backline and sort things out before entering the tougher period. The Gunners have also qualified for the next round in the Europa League and Upamecano’s signing would be a huge boost to the side.
The 21-year-old has been in fine form for Leipzig since his arrival in Germany in the winter of 2017. He was also instrumental in RB Salzburg’s title-winning campaign in 2016 and has come a long way since.
Though Leipzig have conceded 20 goals so far this season, Upamecano has been a strong force at the back. He showed his full potential in a 3-3 draw against Borussia Dortmund earlier this month and is on course to establish himself.
The Frenchman has got all the traits of a modern-day centre-back and has the ability to build up the play from the back. He can play on either side of central defence and has shown his quality as a defensive midfielder as well.
His versatility would be a key factor at Arsenal and he would give Arteta some much-needed variety to choose from. The Gunners have very few players to take charge at the back and Upamecano would be an upgrade on Sokratis and David Luiz.
According to Whoscored, the youngster has registered 2.5 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per game in Bundesliga this season. His numbers could improve if he develops himself under Arteta, eventually becoming Arsenal’s first-choice in the long run.
Arsenal must not hesitate to go all out for a player like Upamecano. It is clear that David Luiz (32) and Sokratis (31) are in the twilight of their careers and if they manage to get their hands on Upamecano, it would be a top signing.
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