Arsenal’s next signing may be a centre-back, with reports suggesting the Gunners are closer to completing a defensive addition than one in any other position.
ESPN Brasil journalist Bruno Andrade reports that Arsenal are close to completing a move to sign a centre-back, though he doesn’t know who it is at this stage.
“I don’t have the name here, so I can’t call it an exclusive,” Andrade said (via Sport Witness). “But speaking to someone involved in Bruno Guimaraes’ situation, Arsenal are close to signing a centre-back to solve, for now, the issue created by Saliba’s injury.
“They haven’t given me the name yet. I’m trying to find out so I can help our English colleagues too, but it’s a deal that will happen even faster than the Bruno Guimaraes transfer. It’s really imminent.”
It’s certainly an interesting claim, considering recent reports have suggested that Arsenal haven’t made a significant amount of progress on a defensive signing.
The media have claimed in the last few weeks that Arsenal are interested in free agent John Stones, Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa, and Como’s Jacobo Ramon, but all three deals come with major complications.
Stones is seemingly on the way to Inter Milan, so he’s almost off the table entirely. Villa have set a very high asking price for Konsa, and Ramon’s situation is complicated by transfer clauses held by his former club Real Madrid.
Arsenal have been linked with some other defenders, but none of the links have been particularly concrete. So if the Gunners really are close to completing a deal for a centre-back, they’ve done well to keep it so quiet up until now.
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