Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has opened talks to signal a “commanding” defender, who’s now a prime defensive goal for the summer season switch window, in line with a report.
Gunners set sights on new centre-back amid Saliba issues
The Gunners’ centre-back partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba has acquired widespread acclaim over the previous few seasons, with Jamie Carragher saying: “As a partnership, him and Gabriel is pretty much as good as something within the Premier League.
“I feel Saliba is the higher participant however Gabriel is the higher chief, and Saliba must deliver that to his sport if he needs to get to the degrees we speak about with Virgil van Dijk.
“Saliba wants Gabriel. Since Gabriel has come out of the group, that is not the identical Saliba I am watching.”
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is determined to signal a brand new striker this summer season.
It has just lately been revealed the Brazilian defender is now in superior talks over a brand new deal to stay on the Emirates Stadium, however with Actual Madrid expressing an curiosity in Saliba, it might be a smart thought to usher in a brand new centre-back this summer season.
In accordance with a report from Soccer Transfers, that’s precisely what the north Londoners are planning on doing, having now moved forward of Manchester United within the race for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni.
Such is Arsenal’s degree of curiosity in Leoni, he has now been recognized as certainly one of their prime defensive targets for the summer season switch window, with sporting director Berta main talks over a deal to deliver the 18-year-old to north London.
Juventus and Inter Milan are additionally within the race for {the teenager}, who joined Parma in a deal amounting to €8m (£7m) final summer season, which has confirmed to be a savvy funding, on condition that he has emerged as a key participant for the Italian aspect.
“Commanding” Leoni impressing for Parma
At the beginning of the 2024-25 Serie A marketing campaign, the centre-back discovered sport time tough to return by, however he managed to determine himself as a key participant in the course of the second half of the season, which is a formidable feat at such a younger age.
Soccer scout Ben Mattinson has additionally been left impressed by the Italian defender, describing his aerial dominance and duel prowess as “commanding”, whereas additionally stating the teenager is “destined” to play for a prime membership.
Leoni is but to show himself over a sustained time frame, however his emergence as a first-team participant at such a younger age can solely be a very good signal, and the Parma ace might be a stable addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
That mentioned, there are a variety of different fascinating younger defenders on the shortlist for Arsenal, and Arteta might even resolve towards bringing in a brand new centre-back, on condition that Gabriel and Saliba are arguably nearly undroppable when match.
