FC-Basel-v-VfL-Wolfsburg-Friendly-Match-1559474563 — BASEL, SWITZERLAND - JULY 19: Eder Balanta of FC Basel during the friendly match between FC Basel and VfL Wolfsburg at St. Jakob-Park on July 19, 2016, in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images)

Arsenal Gossip

Arsenal offered FC Basel defender Eder Balanta for just £4m

Jun 2, 2019

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign FC Basel defender Eder Balanta for just £4m, according to reports.

TOPSHOT FBL EUR C1 BASEL MAN UTD 1559474640 — Manchester United’s Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini (C) vies for the ball with Basel’s Ivorian midfielder Geoffroy Serey Die (L) and Basel’s Colombian defender Eder Balanta during the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between FC Basel and Manchester United on November 22, 2017, in Basel. / AFP PHOTO / Fabrice COFFRINI / Getty Images

The Irish Mirror reports that Unai Emery is interested in signing Balanta for Arsenal this summer. The 26-year-old Colombian centre-back, who can also play at left-back, has just a year left on his contract in Switzerland, and as a result, he would be available for just £4m.

That sort of bargain deal is obviously going to appeal to the club’s transfer team, considering they reportedly only have a budget of £45m to work with this summer.

Balanta made 31 appearances for Basel as they finished second in the Swiss Super League this season. His campaign was pretty heavily disrupted, however, with multiple injuries and suspensions preventing him from playing more than five league games in a row.

The defender has featured for Colombia in the past, making eight appearances. The highlight was probably starting a match in Colombian’s exciting 2014 World Cup run, though he’s only played four games in five years since that tournament.

The stats don’t particularly suggest that this is the defender to lift Arsenal out of their rut at the back, though he does at least have the advantage of being left-footed and a good passer, something the current side lack.