Arsenal have Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi ‘high on their list’ of targets if they pursue another centre-back this summer, according to reports.
The Gunners failed in their main objectives this season with Mikel Arteta’s side ultimately ending the season without a trophy to show for a decent campaign.
Arsenal finished second in the Premier League for a third season in a row and were brilliant on their run to the Champions League semi-finals, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta will be keen to keep together their best players, while adding a sprinkling of top stars to further boost the Spaniard’s squad.
Arsenal defenders Gabriel and William Saliba have formed one of, if not the best, central defensive partnership in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons.
Gabriel and Gabriel Jesus could struggle to be fit for the start of next season and Arteta recently insisted that summer transfers will be important to bulk his Arsenal squad out.
Arteta said of transfers last month: “We need that, for sure. With the numbers that we started the season and [the numbers] to provide for next season, with the demands we’re going to have and especially with the players that we have who are coming through long-term surgeries, it’s very unrealistic [to deliver trophies].
“We know that, we have to address that and we’re going to do everything we can to improve it.
“Especially because we are going to lose quite a lot of players. There are players out of contract, there are players who have come here on loan.
“So the squad becomes really thin on top of the injuries that we have. We know we have that duty, that necessity and we have players in the academy that can help. Great, but if not we know what we have to do.”
And now The Athletic have claimed that Crystal Palace and England defender Guehi is top of their list as they look to give competition to Gabiel and Saliba.
The Athletic wrote: ‘Mikel Arteta would also like to sign a central defender to complement the first-choice pair of Gabriel and William Saliba. Arsenal made a significant effort to lure Huijsen from Bournemouth, but the Spanish international ultimately chose Real Madrid.
‘If Arsenal do enter the defender market, one man high on their list is Marc Guehi. The 24-year-old has a year remaining on his contract, which could make him considerably more affordable. The issue may be whether England international Guehi is prepared to join Arsenal, where he must compete for a place against the established pair of Gabriel and Saliba in a World Cup year.’
And Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly insists that William Saliba is likely to leave for Real Madrid in the future and reckons “Arsenal fans should worry”.
Desailly told Oddspedia: “One worry for Arsenal fans is that Saliba has had three and will probably have four seasons in the first-team.
“Will he want a change? We know that Arsenal are never number one. This season he will stay there. I don’t see him going anywhere.
“But in the future I could see him at Real Madrid with a new lifestyle, Arsenal fans should worry.”