Arsenal are reportedly lining up a move for Burkina Faso star Edmond Tapsoba, according to Football Transfers.
Mikel Arteta has been looking to bolster his defence this summer, and with a failed move for Argentine Lisandro Martinez, Tapsoba appears next on the agenda.
The Bayer Leverkusen star is a behemoth of a defender, standing at 1.94m yet with a nimbleness and speed that allows him to operate in a high-line.
Arsenal are blessed with centre-back options currently, with Gabriel, Ben White and the returning William Saliba forming a formidable trifecta.
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However, Arteta is taking inspiration from the Premier League’s two dominant clubs in City and Liverpool.
Both clubs have four top quality central defenders at their disposal.
In the pursuit of the top seat of English football, Tapsoba seemingly represents the next up the ladder, with the Gunners preparing a bid in the coming days.
It is said that a fee of at least €40 million will be required for the German outfit to even contemplate selling the 23-year-old, who they signed from Vitória de Guimarães in 2020.
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The move would represent a shift in profile however, with Tapsoba being a far different profile of player to the previously pursued Martinez.
Martinez represented a versatile option, with Arteta seeing him as an inverted full-back as opposed to a starting central defensive option.
However, with the impending completion of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, the Arsenal solution to missing out on the Argentine’s versatility seems to be buying two players in his place.
Whether a move materialises for the Leverkusen man remains to be seen.
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Transfer priorities for technical director Edu seemingly lie further up the pitch as things stand.
However, the transfer of Tapsoba in a condensed, gruelling season ahead would represent a smart move for the Gunners as they seek to return football’s holy grail, the Champions League.
Featured Image Credit: Juergen Schwarz / Alamy Stock PhotoTopics: Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal