Arsenal Want To Sign 24-year-old Defender: Should The Gunners Splash €40m On Him? | OneFootball

Arsenal are already preparing their moves for the upcoming summer transfer window. Mikel Arteta wants to strengthen his squad in advance and might be clearly targetting the defensive line. Although William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães remain untouchable, Jakub Kiwior’s future at the club is in doubt.

The Polish player has performed well in some phases, but his role as a substitute is not entirely convincing. If a good offer comes along, the club would not hold him back. That is why the Gunners are exploring the market with the idea of finding a left-footed centre-back who can compete with or even improve on what the former Spezia player has to offer.

Arsenal Want To Sign Evan Ndicka

In this context, according to information published by La Roma 24, Arsenal have set their sights on Evan Ndicka. The 25-year-old centre-back, who currently plays for Roma, is very popular with the English club’s coaches due to his physical profile, international experience and ability to play in a back three or back four. Roma do not want to sell, but would be willing to negotiate for a figure around £35 million. Newcastle are also interested, but Arsenal have the advantage if they decide to go for him. A firm decision is expected in the coming weeks, once Kiwior’s future is clarified.

Opinion:

Should Arsenal bet £35 million on Ndicka? It depends on the overall plan. Ndicka has quality, but he is not a huge improvement on Kiwior. He offers more experience and leadership, yes, but he does not radically change the defensive dynamics of the team.

If the club have limited funds, it may be better to prioritise another profile, such as a pure right-back or a more positional central midfielder. That said, Ndicka has performed well in Serie A and in European competitions. He is left-footed, strong in the air and comfortable on the ball. In the Premier League, he could adapt fairly quickly if given confidence from the outset.

As for his fit with Arteta, Ndicka does not seem out of place. He knows how to close down space inside, has good game reading and is aggressive when the team presses high. In a line-up with Saliba and Gabriel, he could form an interesting trio.

Even so, keeping Kiwior as a substitute also makes sense, especially if there are no much better alternatives. The key will be not to sign for the sake of signing. If Kiwior leaves, Ndicka is a decent replacement. But if he stays, it might be better to spend the £40 million elsewhere.