Arsenal FC Sign Charlton Athletic Right-Back Carl Jenkinson

When Arsene Wenger said he would be busy this summer, it wasn't expected that his first signing would be a right-back.

Bacary Sagna has had a solid season, and now the news is out that Arsenal have signed Carl Jenkinson from Charlton Athletic as understudy to Sagna.

In world football, there aren't many better right-backs than Sagna, and Jenkinson should consider himself lucky to get in with a chance to learn from the French fullback himself.

The Finnish Football Association has confirmed the transfer. The reported compensation fee is £1 million.

Considering the £2 million fee Liverpool paid last year for highly-rated former Charlton Athletic midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, this deal seems to be a profitable one for all parties involved as the player had refused to sign a contract extension.

Jenkinson is no way an established player, but has the potential to improve with experience and the right guidance.

The upside of this signing is the versatility that Jenkinson offers, which may prove crucial if and when Arsenal face a defensive crisis, as the 19-year-old can play anywhere across the backline.

His frame of 6'1" is something that Arsenal could make use of while defending set-pieces. The Finnish player is also a good crosser of the ball with both feet—an area where Arsenal struggled in recent years.

Primarily a right-footed player, he's at home playing the right-back role but in the long-run is expected to evolve into a centre-back.

That he's powerful enough to hold his own against attackers goes without saying, which suggests he would go straight into Arsenal's first-team squad.

What that means is Emmanuel Eboue's days at the Emirates are numbered. He's always been known as a good squad player and it seems Arsenal can do without that squad player from now on.

It's also known that Jenkinson is an Arsenal fan, which automatically means he would be passionate to play his heart out for the Gunners and may not need additional motivation, and as a result more likely to endear himself to the fans.

It's a welcome addition to the Arsenal squad which will also trigger the much-needed departure of Eboue.

Read more on the transfer here.