4 Potential Defensive Targets for Arsenal in the Summer Transfer Window
Arsenal's slim hopes of winning an unlikely Premier League title all but evaporated over the weekend, as the Gunners drew 3-3 at West Ham United. Coupled with Leicester City's win at Sunderland the following day, the result meant Arsenal now sit 13 points off the top of the table.
Of the many faults laid bare in the draw, probably the most obvious involved Arsene Wenger's back line. The Gunners struggled massively to deal with West Ham's Andy Carroll, conceding three goals to the big striker. Any time the ball flew into the box, the Gunners appeared vulnerable as center-backs Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista proved unable to cope with Carroll's physicality.
After the draw, Wenger admitted that teams taking West Ham's approach have presented Arsenal with problems all season.
"Why did we struggle with Carroll? Because he's good in the air," the long-serving manager said, per Andy Sims of the Press Association (h/t Daily Mail). "We had a good game but a bad result, and we paid for a weakness we have had all season—headers in our box."
With Koscielny (30) and Per Mertesacker (31) aging, and Gabriel still developing, Wenger might look to the transfer market for reinforcements this summer. With that in mind, we've compiled a list of a few defenders he might consider.
John Stones
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Last summer, John Stones appeared to be on the verge of a move from Everton to Chelsea. The deal never materialized, but Stones could be a transfer target for several clubs once again this summer.
Despite suffering a dip in form over the course of this season, Stones remains a prospect with plenty of upside. The 21-year-old wins 1.6 aerial duels per game, according to WhoScored.com, along with 3.4 clearances and 1.7 interceptions.
In January, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher wrote for the Daily Mail that Stones could be worth £50 million due to his potential to play at a high level for the next 10 to 12 years. However, Oli Price-Bates of the Metro argued that Arsenal should avoid a bidding war for the center-back, noting that Stones hasn't yet reached a high enough level.
"Stones has the potential to be a very good defender, but right now he is a liability and he has shown this repeatedly for club and more recently country," wrote Price-Bates. "With Arsenal reportedly having £100 million to invest this summer, it would be ridiculous to spend almost half of that total on a player who is unlikely to start regularly for the club."
At the right price, Stones could be a good option for Arsenal. But if several clubs are interested, he's likely to cost quite a bit—and that's assuming Everton would even sell, which isn't clear at this time.
Marquinhos
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Like Stones, Paris Saint-Germain's Marquinhos is a player with tons of upside. At 21, the Brazilian likely has several good years ahead of him and could be an intriguing signing for Arsenal since he can play in the middle or on the right.
Sure enough, the Mirror's Simon Mullock has linked the Gunners with a move for Marquinhos, claiming Manchester United are also interested. Meanwhile, Joe Short of the Express cites reports from Spain that indicate Barcelona have already agreed a deal to sign the young center-back.
But is Marquinhos the player Arsenal need? According to WhoScored.com, aerial duels are one of Marquinho's main weaknesses.
Samuel Umtiti
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The need for defenders is nothing new for Arsenal. Last summer here at B/R, Mark Jones compiled a list of defensive targets for Wenger to consider—and one of those was Olympique Lyon's Samuel Umtiti.
A year later, Umtiti would still be a good option for the Gunners. At 22 years old, the Frenchman has established himself as a fixture in Lyon's back line. He's strong in the air with 3.2 aerial duels won per game (h/t WhoScored.com), and he's also fast and aggressive, per Frederic Martin at Sport.
Last October, Umtiti expressed an admiration for the Premier League, prompting David Wright of the Express to claim Arsenal and Chelsea were on "red alert" about a potential transfer. That may have been little more than speculation, but Umtiti could be a good fit as a potential long-term contributor.
Benedikt Howedes
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Schalke's Benedikt Howedes is another intriguing possibility because of his experience and versatility. At 28 years old, the veteran serves as the captain of Schalke. And in addition to his primary duties as a center-back, he's also capable of playing on the left, having featured there for Germany over the full 120 minutes of the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.
An imposing figure physically, Howedes would also bring steel to Arsenal's back four. However, he's spent much of the current season in the treatment room dealing with injuries. And after signing a new deal with Schalke through 2020 this past February (h/t Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC), Howedes appears set to stay in Germany for the time being.
But if Arsenal present Schalke with the right offer, would the Bundesliga side be willing to let him go?
