Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Matthias Ginter Would Be a Smart Signing for Gunners

Matthias Ginter is an Arsenal-type signing through and through.

As reported by the Daily Mail, the 19-year-old is being touted for a £6.1 million move to the Emirates. Despite Arsene Wenger's rumoured interest, Freiburg have rubbished claims the player will leave, as reported by Sky Sports.

Taking any transfer news with a pinch of salt at this stage in the summer window, what exactly would Arsenal be getting for their money?

At this stage in his career, the versatile defensive midfielder offers a lot. Originally an attack-minded player, Ginter's progression through the Freiburg youth academy has seen him transition into a holding midfielder who can also perform effectively at centre-back.

Ginter racked up an impressive 23 Bundesliga appearances for Freiburg last season and showed great promise throughout the year. He is a technical player whose natural ability to win the ball ensured his relocation to a defensive role was a smooth one.

As reported by Whoscored.com, Ginter intercepted an average of 2.9 balls per match last year, more than the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Lars Bender, Luis Gustavo, Bastian Schweinsteiger or Javi Martinez.

The talented prospect offers tackling grit and could strengthen the Arsenal midfield with his willingness to regain possession. Ginter produced an average of 1.7 tackles per Bundesliga game, but his statistics dramatically improve when the German faces players of his own age.

Despite a difficult European Championship campaign, Ginter contributed an average of four tackles per game at the recent U-21 tournament. Germany struggled as a whole, but the youngster's performances did his chances of a big move no harm.

Although he isn't the majorly expensive, box-ready signing many fans want, Ginter suits Arsenal in a huge way. With midfielders such as Abou Diaby, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky often struggling with injury, he offers a quality replacement who is looking to gain experience.

Ginter also has the potential to improve at a rapid pace and could slot into a number of positions, including alongside Mikel Arteta.

Much like Aaron Ramsey, Ginter would need time to hone his skills. He is a raw talent whose multifaceted traits could be molded into a goalscoring, all-action defensive destroyer. At over 6'1", his experience as a centre-back may also benefit the Premier League side further down the line.

The Observer's Raphael Honigstein echoes this stance, suggesting the starlet would need time to consistently perform at the top level:

With talk of Luis Suarez continuing to roll on, reports of a potential move for Ginter should be welcomed by Gunners fans. He represents a smart investment and is the type of player Wenger enjoys developing.

His fee is likely to keep increasing across the next few years, so right now, he offers decent value for money that should pay off—one way or another—in the next decade.