Arsenal Opinion: Gunners should look at Lewis Dunk as a more affordable alternative to Harry Maguire
According to reports from The Daily Mail, football pundit Jamie Redknapp has urged Arsenal to sign Brighton and Hove Albion centre-back Lewis Dunk this summer in a bid to overcome the ongoing defensive crisis.
Redknapp hailed Dunk’s dogged and adamant defensive display in Brighton’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal a couple of weeks back, as the 27-year-old centre-back put in yet another solid shift at the heart of the defence to help the Seagulls pinch a crucial point in the relegation battle. (h/t Daily Mail)
As quoted by the Daily Mail, Redknapp believes the 1-cap England international can be an upgrade on any of the centre-backs at the Emirates and the Gunners would do themselves a world of good by signing him in the summer.
Brighton managed to beat the drop in their second season in the Premier League at the expense of Cardiff City, who got relegated to the Championship despite an impressive 2-0 victory over Man United on the final day.
That, however, wasn’t enough for manager Chris Hughton to keep his position at the helm of affairs, with the hierarchy at the Amex pulling the trigger on the former Ireland international after a poor run of results this season.
Indeed, Arsenal should pay heed to Redknapp’s advice given that the Gunners desperately need to bring in defensive reinforcements this summer. The north Londoners have conceded a total of 51 goals in the Premier League this season, which is the third worst defensive record in the top ten.
Arsenal have been linked with £60 million-rated Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire but the price, as well as stiff competition from Man United and Spurs, should prompt the Gunners to look at cheaper and more affordable alternatives in the market.
Considering that manager Unai Emery is expected to work under serious financial constraints in the transfer window, Brighton’s Lewis Dunk presents an excellent option.
Dunk rose through the youth ranks at Brighton and has been an integral part of the Seagulls’ journey from the League One to the Championship, and eventually to the Premier League.
He established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Championship in his earlier days and played a key role in Brighton’s promotion-winning campaign before proving his mettle in the Premier League as well.
Brighton barely managed to avoid relegation in the Premier League this season, as the Seagulls failed to gather any sort of consistency throughout the campaign and performed well below expectations.
Dunk, though, has impressed despite the club’s struggles in the Premier League and earned his first England cap last year. A seasoned campaigner for Brighton, Dunk lacks the profile of someone like Maguire but he boasts of a staggering 270 appearances for the Seagulls in all competitions till date, scoring 16 goals.
Standing at 6ft. 4 inches, Dunk is basically an old-school centre-back, who also has the ball-playing qualities of a modern-day defender.
Noted for his supreme physical strength, astute positioning and incredible aerial ability, Dunk not only has the ability to win headers inside the box all day but he is also agile and athletic enough to throw his body on the line to kame crucial blocks.
A good reader of the game at the back, the 27-year-old has shown a lot of character and resilience at Brighton and those are exactly the qualities that Arsenal have lacked defensively this season.
The Englishman has shown that his aerial prowess can be an asset to the team in both penalty boxes and he would definitely be an upgrade on someone like Shkodran Mustafi, who has been slammed by the fans and the pundits numerous times for his nightmarish defending.
Dunk boasts of a pass success percentage of 82.8, including 4.5 successful long balls, 1.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 5.4 clearances per game in the Premier League this season, figures which are a clear testament to his all-around abilities as a centre-back.
The Gunners need replacements for ageing club-captain Laurent Koscielny and Mustafi, and whilst they have the likes of Sokratis, Mavropanos and Rob Holding in their ranks, Dunk’s commanding presence at the back would help them improve massively at the back.
To Read More Arsenal News, Click Here:- Latest Arsenal News
That said, Arsenal should look at Lewis Dunk as a cheap a more affordable alternative to Harry Maguire given that he has enough in his repertoire to shore up the club’s leaky backline.
