Why signing Boateng could be a good stop-gap solution for Arsenal
According to Sky Germany (h/t Football London), Arsenal are interested in signing Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng in January.
Boateng, 31, was recently told by Bayern’s new head coach Hansi Flick that he cannot guarantee the German international regular first-team football at the Allianz Arena, the report claims.
This has come to the attention of Arsenal, who have been struggling defensively since the start of the season.
They are in quick need of some defensive reinforcements and given the prevailing conditions, Boateng seems to be one of their potential candidates this month.
The 2014 World Cup winner with Germany has been one of the key players for Bayern and has been a regular since his switch from Premier League side Manchester City in the summer of 2011.
The veteran defender has played a whopping 301 matches to date for the Bayern and is a legend at the club. He is a one-time Champions League winner (2012-13) and a 7-time German Champion, which lays further claim to his legendary status.
However, a series of injuries since the 2017-18 season has often troubled the 2016 German Footballer of the Year. He lost a major chunk of his last two seasons due to persistent injuries, eventually losing his starting spot to the young Niklas Sule.
He has so far made just 9 league appearances this season and has been seen warming the benches under new coach Flick.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are planning to make the best use of this opportunity and rope in the star defender, with their defensive inadequacies clearly out in the open.
Arsenal’s new boss Mikel Arteta would be a busy man as he would be wary of the fact that his side requires a new and consistent centre-back, who could once again help them climb up the table.
The Gunners backline has been weak and inconsistent, with the side conceding 30 goals in 21 matches – 2 more than what they have scored so far in this season.
Moreover, the need to sign a new defender has been increased by the loss of defender Calum Chambers, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining a cruciate ligament tear.
This and Arsenal’s inability to find a formidable and consistent centre-back partnership until now has led to their poor form this season, which has seen them slip to 10th in the league standings.
The Gunners recently won a league game against Manchester United – their first since October 6th, and Arteta needs an established defender in order to maintain consistency.
Read more:
- Why Gabriel could be a good addition to a weak Arsenal defence
- Why Arsenal signing Kalidou Koulibaly would be a huge statement of intent
- Why signing in-form striker Dembele would be a wise move by Arsenal
That said, Boateng, a 76-game German veteran, could be a great addition to the Arsenal back-four which lacks stability and leadership.
Verdict
Boateng with his vast experience playing for both club and country could easily adapt to the new conditions at the Emirates. Moreover, having been a consistent performer over the years, he would be well aware of how to perform at the highest level for a long duration.
Hence, signing the veteran German could be a good stop-gap solution for Arsenal if they wish to finish the season on a good note.