Arsenal should beat Spurs to sign Sampdoria’s Joachim Andersen
According to the Sun, Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in signing Sampdoria’s centre-back Joachim Andersen.
The 22-year-old former Danish U21 international played for Danish outfit Midtjylland at youth levels before shifting bases to the Eredivisie with FC Twente. Following a series of impressive displays at the back for the Dutch side, Sampdoria signed him in the summer of 2017 for a mere £1.25million.
Andersen was a fringe player for the Italian club in the last season but has earned a regular starting role this term in the Serie A, playing every minute of Sampdoria’s campaign so far.
And his stellar run of form this season has seen his value rocket sky-high. Sampdoria have slapped a £25million price tag on the Dane and the Premier League giants will have to break the bank to sign him.
Standing at 6ft. 4 inches, Andersen has an obvious height advantage over the vast majority of his opponents, something that makes him a valuable asset while defending set-pieces and corners. His physicality and aerial prowess are definitely invaluable assets to any team in the Premier League.
Blessed with a sound technique, Andersen is renowned for his ball-playing abilities and excels with his quick and intelligent ball distribution. The 22-year-old is comfortable in possession and is rarely robbed of the ball by the opposition. In other words, he is tailor-made for Unai Emery’s philosophy of playing out from the back.
Andersen has averaged 61.2 passes per game with an accuracy percentage of 87.9 which includes 4.9 successful long balls per game this season. Quite clearly, he is immaculate with his passing and distribution.
The Sampdoria man is also a good reader of the game at the back and times his tackles to perfection. He is not the quickest of centre-backs but makes up for it with his astute positioning. Andersen has averaged 1.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 4.2 clearances per game this term in the Serie A.
Arsenal have made a strong start to the season under their new manager Unai Emery and the Gunners currently sit 5th in the standings, just three points behind their north London rivals Spurs. However, they are eight points behind league leaders Manchester City and will need to step up their game if they are to have any chance of posting a challenge for the title.
As much as Arsenal have promised in the attacking third this season, the Gunners have looked a bit shaky and vulnerable at the back. Shkodran Mustafi hasn’t been anywhere near his best while Rob Holding has struggled to cope with fast and agile opposition. Sokratis, on the other hand, has been in and out of the first-team due to injuries.
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The Gunners have conceded 15 goals in 12 games, which is ten more than table-toppers Manchester City. Quite clearly, Arsenal do not have the best defensive record in the top six of the Premier League, which further epitomises the need for more options at the back in January.
That said, the Gunners should not hesitate to meet Sampdoria’s demands and beat their bitter rivals Tottenham as Joachim Andersen is deemed as a player with a huge potential who can be a long-term solution to Arsenal’s defensive woes.
