According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has identified defensive reinforcement as an urgent need for Arsenal and wants to bring in Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
Despite suffering back-to-back defeats in the last couple of weeks, the Gunners’ are firmly embroiled in another Premier League title race. Arsenal are aiming to go one better than last season and lift their first domestic title since the Invincible season of 2003/04.
The Gunners’ have shown a willingness to add to their ranks in the winter window in recent years. Indeed, all three of Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, and Leandro Trossard arrived through the door in the first month of 2023. As such, Arteta has made no secret of his desire to land more reinforcements next month, despite a very limited war chest available to him.
The North Londoners are fairly short on numbers in defence, with injuries to Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, and Takehiro Tomiyasu leaving Mikel Arteta light at the back. Even if Tomiyasu and Partey recover quickly, they could then be unavailable while away with Japan and Ghana on international duty. The Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations both take place in early 2024.
As such, a defender addition is labelled Arsenal’s top priority for next month, and Arteta’s dream signing is said to be Bayern Munich’s Matthijs De Ligt. The Dutch international is highly rated across Europe, having been an instrumental part of the incredibly talented Ajax side that reached the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League semi-final under now-Man United boss Erik ten Hag.
The 24-year-old has struggled for game time with Bayern Munich this term, having made just eleven appearances in all competitions for Thomas Tuchel’s side so far. The Dutchman is just 17 months into his five-year contract with the reigning Bundesliga champions and cost the club £60 million, making a January deal tricky to negotiate.
De Ligt will be keen to earn playing time before the Netherlands compete in Euro 2024 in Germany this summer, so he can confirm his spot in the starting XI.
A loan deal with the option to purchase in the summer may be better for both de Ligt and Arsenal, but Tuchel may not be open to a winter sale for one of his vital squad members and would at least want to keep him until the end of the season in order to maintain the quality depth needed to compete across all boards.
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