Arsenal Opinion: Joachim Andersen and Dennis Praet could solve a lot of problems for the Gunners
According to The Sun, Arsenal have launched an audacious £37 million bid for Sampdoria duo Dennis Praet and Joachim Andersen, with reports claiming that manager Unai Emery is prepared to blow the majority of his summer transfer budget on the Serie A pair.
The Sun understands that Arsenal are likely to have a relatively low transfer budget of £40 million to spend in the transfer market and Emery is keen to bolster his midfield and backline ahead of the upcoming season.
A humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of London rivals Chelsea meant that Arsenal missed out on qualification to the Champions League for the third successive season. The Gunners’ absence from Europe’s elite club competition has taken a toll on their overall budget, although Emery is likely to raise a lot of funds by selling some big-earning players this summer.
Arsenal are likely to look at bargain deals, free agents and players who could possibly offer good value for money in the transfer window this time around and Sampdoria duo Dennis Praet and Joachim Andersen certainly fits the bill. Andersen has attracted plenty of interest from North London rivals Spurs, whilst Man United and AC Milan have also been credited with an interest in the Danish centre-back. (h/t Sun)
It is a no-brainer that Arsenal need to bring in some young blood to bolster their backline this summer and Andersen certainly presents an affordable option.
The Dane rose to prominence with FC Twente in the Eredivisie before completing a switch to Serie A outfit Sampdoria back in the summer of 2017. The 23-year-old’s stocks have been on the rise ever since and his talent and potential haven’t gone unnoticed.
Noted for his calmness and composure in possession and excellent ball-playing abilities as a defender, Andersen has carved out a reputation for himself as one of the most promising young centre-backs in Italian football.
Standing at 6ft. 4 inches with a towering frame, the 23-year-old is an absolute beast in the air and he is pretty much adept at using his physicality to keep the opposition at bay, whilst also showcasing appreciable levels of composure at the back.
With Laurent Koscielny reaching the twilight of his career and Shkodran Mustafi proving himself to be a glaring liability at the Emirates, Arsenal need to look at alternatives in the market to put an end to their existing defensive crisis.
Sokratis has also shown in his first season that he has a propensity for letting the team down with lapses in concentration at crucial moments, and while Rob Holding is expected to be back in contention next season, the Gunners need to increase competition for places at the heart of the defence.
Well, lack of depth in central defence is not the only issue that Emery needs to address this summer, with the imminent departure of Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer posing yet another threat to the Gunners.
Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan didn’t do an awful lot this past season and both the big-earners struggled to cope with Emery’s high-intensity pressing football, meaning that Arsenal are likely to find themselves in a massive hole without the services of the Welshman in their ranks next season.
Denis Praet might not be a household name in European football but the 25-year-old Belgian is highly-rated and he seemingly has all the attributes to fill in boots of Ramsey.
A technically-gifted midfielder noted for hardworking nature and tenacious style of play, the 3-cap Belgian international has the versatility to switch between box-to-box and No.10 roles in the midfield.
Praet’s energetic presence, impressive range of passing, tactical maturity and eye for defence-splitting through balls should make him a perfect fit for Emery’s philosophy and the Belgian’s arrival could possibly add a bit more sting to Arsenal’s attack.
They are going to miss Ramsey big time next season but Praet is also a quality midfielder, although it remains to be seen what kind of an impact he manages to have in his first season in English football.
Suffice to say, the double raid on Sampdoria could solve a lot of problems for Arsenal ahead of the upcoming season. Both Joachim Andersen and Dennis Praet are immensely talented players with lots of potential and the Gunners could reap the benefits of having them in their ranks if Emery manages to extract the best out of them.
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Arsenal raided Sampdoria for Lucas Torreira last summer and the Uruguayan has established himself as one of the key players under Unai Emery.
Hence, there is every chance that the Serie A club might be tempted to sell some of their prized assets once again should the Gunners put a good enough offer on the table.
