Thomas Tuchel Says PSG 'Need' Layvin Kurzawa Amid Arsenal Rumours

Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel has suggested the club will keep left-back Layvin Kurzawa at the Parc des Princes in January despite links to Arsenal.

According to Goal's Charles Watts, the Gunners have been in talks with the Parisian club to sign him this month.

However, Tuchel told reporters ahead of Sunday's Coupe de France meeting with Lorient that he is reluctant to lose the 27-year-old:

"Honestly, we need him.

"I didn't talk with Kurzawa or anyone else about his departure. Now, we have Juan Bernat for the position, but he is injured. So, what should we do without Kurzawa?

"He played well, he is there. He is training really well and it is always the same. He has to show that he is ready, that we can count on him.

"He did great games for us, and if he is still fit, he will play [on Sunday]."

Arsenal signed left-back Kieran Tierney from Celtic in the summer, but he is likely out until at least March with a dislocated shoulder.

Meanwhile, Sead Kolasinac missed Saturday's 1-1 draw with Sheffield United with a thigh injury, forcing winger Bukayo Saka to provide cover.

The 18-year-old performed well, though, prompting some suggestions the Gunners should not pursue Kurzawa:

Stats Bomb's Ted Knutson isn't convinced the France international would be a particularly shrewd acquisition, either:

PSG signed Kurzawa from Monaco at the age of 22 for €22 million (£16 million).

He has scored 12 goals and assisted 20 in 114 games for the French giants, but he hasn't quite kicked on as the club would have hoped.

A contributing factor to that has been injuries. According to Transfermarkt, he has missed 43 matches through injury during his time in Paris.

Kurzawa will be out of contract in the summer, at which point he'll be a free agent and a relatively low-risk acquisition.

If PSG aren't willing to let him go cheaply in January, the Gunners could see how Saka fares in his new position in the coming months before making a decision on whether to reignite their pursuit for Kurzawa at the end of the season.