Arsenal could be about to land a French famous person at the moment at Euro 2024, as supervisor Mikel Arteta reshapes his squad this summer season.
The Gunners have an extended lineage of Gallic greats, with legendary supervisor Arsene Wenger, all-time file scorer Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s final title-winning captain Patrick Vieira all hailing from throughout the channel. Proper now, solely centre-back William Saliba performs for Les Bleus – however the precocious centre-back has referred to as on his employers to encompass him with extra Frenchmen at London Colney.
“After I got here right here there have been numerous French gamers,“ Saliba informed Arsenal’s official media final December, referencing former captains, Alexandre Lacazette, French-born Gabonese worldwide Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, French-born Ivory Coast star Nicolas Pepe and Matteo Guendouzi. “We have to signal extra French gamers! As a result of everybody has their gang. Portuguese, Brazilians they’re all collectively.”
William Saliba desires extra countrymen in north London with him (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Saliba could also be about to get his want – and alongside him within the backline – as journalist Gerard Romero that Arsenal have enquired to Barcelona about signing his worldwide team-mate, Jules Kounde.
Kounde is snug at centre-back and right-back, enjoying an analogous function to Ben White within the Gunners’ setup. With Arteta used Jurrien Timber as a left-back in preseason 12 months in the past earlier than the Dutchman suffered a season-ending ACL damage on Matchday 1 towards Nottingham Forest although, it is doable that former Sevilla man may very well be used anyplace throughout the again 4 like Timber.
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The transfer might be inside the realms of chance given Barça’s dire monetary state of affairs. As per the Athleticfinal month, the Catalan outfit have till June 30 to repair a “€130m gap of their accounts” – that means that smart gives must be thought of for a lot of of their extra worthwhile gamers this summer season.
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In FourFourTwo’s view, it is a transfer that has come out of nowhere however one which we will see the sense in Barcelona accepting – particularly if fellow centre-back/right-back possibility Ronald Araujo stays put this summer season. There are solely a few questions that basically want answering – and each of them come from Arsenal.
Jules Kounde is on Arsenal’s radar (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
The Gunners lack a left-back of Ben White’s ilk and would certainly prioritise one over one other right-back, what with White, Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu all pure suits there. If Arsenal can snare Kounde for an inexpensive sufficient payment, it might be sufficient to persuade Arteta to press on adapting to Timber right into a full-time left-back – however it must be such an impressive deal that it utterly negates the clamour for a correct, conventional left-back.
Kounde is price €45 million, in keeping with Transfermarkt.
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Arsenal are pushing exhausting to signal Ebere Eze from Crystal Palace, Joshua Kimmich has been linked and Mikel Merino is on the radar. Two Arsenal academy graduates are mentioned to be up on the market, as properly.
In the meantime Leandro Trossard’s father has blasted Belgium boss, Domenico Tedesco, and Granit Xhaka is ready for an Emirates return with Bayer Leverkusen this summer season.
