As Arsenal prepare to go into the 2015/16 season, a title challenge will be expected of the current squad. The squad has the right quality, enough depth and the correct mentality to fight for England’s most prestigious trophy. However, it is imperative that Arsenal seal up any deficiencies in the team if they are to mount an assault on the league from Matchday 1 to Matchday 38. Arsenal vice-captain Per Mertesacker has had a inconsistent 14/15 campaign, which started poorly, but picked up as the Gunners’ form increased. It’s clear though that his lack of agility, and his declining form as age takes over, does not make him suited for a season-long title challenge in a league that on average has almost 3 goals conceded every game, and that is famed for its pace, diversity and power. Here are five defenders who I think will improve upon Mertesacker, and who will power Arsenal towards a first league title in over a decade.
Nicolas Otamendi – Valencia
Arsenal are slowly but surely building up an impressive transfer portfolio in the last few years, snatching some of the most wanted players of that window away from their European rivals. For example, Mesut Özil away from Manchester United, Alexis Sánchez from Liverpool, and now Petr Cech from teams like PSG. Signing a player like Otamendi, who has been linked to Manchester United and Real Madrid, would signal the club’s intent for 3 years running – to sign the elite of European football in order to push themselves to the pinnacle of competition. The 27-year old has just come off his best season to date, at Valencia, averaging 3 tackles and 3 interceptions a match, a strong tally. The former Porto man is a complete centre-back in many ways – he’s famed for his power in the air (especially his threat at set-pieces), as well as his precise tackling, reading of the game and his ability to use his pace and strength to contribute towards the build-up of the attack, especially to a longer distance. Such a centre-back in the mould of Otamendi is required in England’s top tier – a league famed for how varied it is, and how it combines a mixture of flair, pace, power and experience, to pose a major problem to the opposition defenders – and if Arsenal would acquire such a player, it would make the 12-time FA Cup Champions defensively sound going into the 2015/16 season.
Mats Hummels – Borussia Dortmund
If the North London side were to replace Per Mertesacker, they would experience a lack of leadership from the go. The apparent first-choice XI would have a lack of leaders, especially with the dropping of Mikel Arteta for Francis Coquelin. Therefore it is crucial that Arsenal bring in a player that can replace both Mertesacker and the commanding strength that would be lost, even if they weren’t to be captain right from the beginning. Mats Hummels is the current captain of a Dortmund side that finished a disappointing 5th in the 14/15 Bundesliga season, and whilst the Dortmund have endured a mediocre last 9 months, the passion in characters such as Jurgen Klopp, Roman Weidenfeller and Hummels himself, especially in the iconic scene football fans saw all over the world, as two of the aforementioned confronted the Westfalenstadion faithful after a home loss to Augsburg. The character shown then is exactly what we want to see now – a powerful, resilient player who cares for the fans and his team-mates. Also, bringing in Hummels would aid our defensive performance in terms of in the air – it is well-known that the current Gunners back-line (Bellerin-Mertesacker-Koscielny-Monreal) isn’t the best in that department, and when averaging over 6 aerial duels won per match, the 26-year old would instantly help the back four. Finally, he compliments French international Laurent Koscielny very well – power, height and strength joining with agility, speed and reaction. The World Cup winner’s ability to build-up an attack with precision, combined with his strength and tackling prowess makes him a fantastic talent. We saw how well such a partnership worked in the 13/14 season, and given an exodus is on the horizon for Dortmund this summer, it’s the perfect time to snatch one of the biggest talents at Dortmund.
Ezequiel Garay – Zenit
As I’ve said before, the partnership between your defenders is one of the most important cogs in the team, and as a result the Argentinian Garay could be a vital signing for the Gunners. The former Benfica player is part of a Andre Villas-Boas side that has kept 17 clean sheets in 30 games – a very strong amount, and he’s simply fantastic at building up the attack well, a quality that is obviously vital – and mentioned so many times simply because of the passing style of play that Arsène Wenger chooses to advocate. Averaging a 7.01 rating on WhoScored for the last league season, it’s clear he’s a trusted player who can consistently put in a strong performance. Such a quality is needed in a league where the opposition will always pose a threat, and I believe he compliments Laurent Koscielny very well. Finally, an upside of signing the player would be the availability – unlike many other top centre-backs on the market at the moment, Garay doesn’t play for a major club in Europe’s top 5 leagues. That incentive would be very persuasive in a bid for the man who recently appeared in the Copa America – and overall a smart signing for Arsenal.
Aymeric Laporte – Athletic Club
None of the aforementioned centre-backs are under the age of 25, and as a result it is important to look at the different outcomes of signing different centre-backs. Whilst the previous 3 offer instant quality, Frenchman Aymeric Laporte offers not only a solid presence at the moment, but also being one of the biggest young talents in Europe at the moment. His ability when holding off the opposition is shown well on WhoScored, as he averages 2 tackles a match, almost 4 interceptions and 4.4 clearances, with an average rating of 7.15 when combining both La Liga, the Champions League and the Europa League – very strong stats that really do back-up his potential and media hype around him. And whilst his defensive contribution is good, what stands out for me is his ability on the ball. The 21-year old is a strong passer and good dribbler – averaging over 50 passes a match, 4.3 long balls and an 80% pass completion rate – really highlighting this stand-out quality of his. If Arsenal are to become a major power in European football, they have to think not only in the present – signing players like Petr Cech – but also looking to the future – with promising youth such as Hector Bellerín and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Laporte fits this ideology, and is essential if Arsenal are to follow through properly after paying off the infamous Emirates debt.
Gabriel Paulista – Arsenal FC
Finally, I feel it’s important to not only look to other clubs for potential signings, but also slightly closer to home – N5, in fact. Our own Brazilian Gabriel has put in good and promising performances in his 6 months at Arsenal, despite such appearances being restricted due to the importance of Koscielny, Mertesacker being captain in the absence of Mikel Arteta, and a couple injury setbacks. His ability as a “classic” centre-back: embodying a tough-tackling persona who is essential at set-pieces (due to his ability in an aerial manner), and is willing to clear the ball to a great distance. However, you only have to look at his 2014/15 form for his previous club, Villarreal – the Arsenal number five was part of a defence that had the 2nd highest amount of clean sheets in Spain’s top tier before his departure, a staggering stat considering the presence of defensively strong teams like Real Madrid and Atleti. Perhaps there’s no need to splash the cash, instead focusing on advocating the current young defenders the Gunners currently possess in Calum Chambers and Gabriel, both possessing great potential.
Altogether, the method in which the 13-time league winners try to fix up any holes in a side looking to challenge for major honours has many variations – all seeming very useful and effective. It remains to be seen how Arsenal and Arsène Wenger undertake the next phase of such an ambitious project.
