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Arsenal Make Late Lunge for €30 Million Rated Young Lille Defender

Sven Botman, Arsenal

According to reports in Italy, Arsenal have made contact with LOSC Lille defender Sven Botman. The Gunners are seemingly interested in signing the Dutch defender in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old centre-back has made 32 appearances for the French club this season across all competitions (stats via transfermarkt). Botman has been one of the first names on the team sheet for Lille this campaign, besides scoring three goals.

He won the Ligue 1 with Lille in 20/21, featuring 47 times for the side. His performances has attracted the interest of several top clubs across Europe including AC Milan and Manchester United while newly-bought Newcastle United are also reportedly keen on signing the defender.

Sven Botman, Lille, Arsenal
Image obtained via Ligue 1

According to La Repubblica (via TBR), Arsenal are keen on signing Sven Botman to strengthen their defence this summer and have enquired about a potential move. The player’s contract expires in 2025 but it is unlikely for him to continue with Lille next season. The report states that Manchester United have also made enquiries about the defender.

AC Milan and Newcastle United are reportedly the front-runners to secure the Dutchman’s services. Tottenham tried to sign Botman in January, but he rejected the move, according to Milan Live (via HITC). The player also has reservations about moving to St. James’ Park.

The Gunners unfortunately missed out on Champions League football for next season. They must have realised that they will need to improve their squad in order to compete properly in all competitions next season and potentially win trophies.

Botman remains one of the most appropriate options in this transfer window for the centre-back position. Understandably, the clubs who are rebuilding are keen on signing the young defender. However, rejecting both Newcastle and Tottenham might have lowered Arsenal’s expectations.

Moreover, AC Milan are heavily linked with the Dutch international. The Rossoneri won the Serie A this year and will be competing in the Champions League next season. That makes them one of the prime candidates to sign the 22-year-old, especially with the player himself preferring a move to the San Siro.

Unless Arsenal offer something extraordinary, it will be really difficult for them to convince Sven Botman to move to the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners might need to go an extra step to secure the signing of the Lille centre-back as next season is going to be very crucial.

Should Arsenal Push to Sign Sven Botman?

Arsenal will have to do some serious business in this transfer window, somewhat similar to what they did last summer. The Gunners haven’t played in the Champions League since 2016 and were on their course to change that. However, they fell short by just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur. Nonetheless, they did have a good run of impressive results and also finished above Manchester United.

Signing Botman will give them a reliable option in defence and also a signing for the future. The Dutch defender could be a core figure in the rebuild. He is currently one of the best young defensive options Ligue1 has produced. His excellent passing fits the profile needed in the system of manager Mikel Arteta as Arsenal could then build from the back.

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Meanwhile, William Saliba will also be returning to Arsenal in the transfer window. The French defender is another solid option to have in the squad and that brings the question of why the Gunners are trying to sign Botman. However, it never hurts to have two talented young defenders on stand-by in the squad. Arsenal could sell Rob Holding to cover the expense of signing the Dutchman.

Moreover, having both Saliba and Botman in the squad will create healthy competition in the squad. This could also see the birth of a new solid partnership at the back. Botman does have the perfect skill set to be a success at the North London club. Arsenal will have to increase their squad depth if they want to play in the Champions League next season.

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