Arsenal should be given credit for their transfer dealings so far with a mixture of creative short term and long term solutions but as the transfer window gears up for a manic close, fans are beginning to panic about the defensive holes which look certain to undermine another season.

Dayot Upamecano is a target for Arsenal as Unai Emery seeks to bolster his defence before the transfer window shuts on Thursday. [Standard] #afc pic.twitter.com/KBY5X2aqBL

— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) August 5, 2019

Well, let’s just get some perspective before we go into a full blown meltdown. There are a few reasons that Emery and Co have been reasonably lax in solving their obvious issues at the back for Arsenal.

The William Saliba deal effectively threw a spanner in the works with Saint Étienne insisting on a season loan. Koscielny’s decision to go on strike at Arsenal until he was released from the remainder of his contract was unexpected, although most observers thought that Arsenal would try to offload him.

There are now concerns regarding the long term future of Mavropanos at Arsenal. He arrived in 2018 and at the time was thought to be a permanent solution to Arsenal’s dizzy defence but the word is that the coaching staff are no longer convinced that’s the case.

This may be a shortsighted overview because he has been rather unfortunate with injuries and hasn’t managed a sustained run in the Arsenal side but perhaps this is one of the concerns.

Calum Chambers continues to mystify at times, with fans wondering why he remains an Arsenal employee. He arrived in 2014 and has been farmed out to Middlesbrough and more successfully, Fulham, where he delivered a series of consistent performances which oddly saw him voted player of the year.

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However at Arsenal, he has yet to find his feet at the Emirates and many have suggested that he doesn’t have the tools to bolster the sides leaky, creaky defence. Along with Carl Jenkinson, he is regularly mentioned as a candidate on a list of players that need to move on.

Arsenal in talks with number of clubs over Shkodran Mustafi exit. 27yo (contract until 2021) wants to stay + prove himself. But #AFC want permanent or loan departure. Also hope to bolster central defence pre-deadline & retain interest in Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney #CelticFC

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) July 30, 2019

That dubious list is headed up by Shkodran Mustafi, the World Cup winning German who’s every error is magnified and subjected to a defensive post-mortem.

Yes, he make ridiculous errors, goes to ground far too easily and irritatingly gives away goals but his stats are better than £80m United target Harry Maguire.
That’s right ! Better !

I don’t agree with the sea of statistics that flood social media because they are generally misleading. Even though the stats show that Mustafi holds his own, McGuire is visually at a higher level, I’d still move him on.

* Blocks – Maguire 18, Mustafi 17
* Interceptions – Maguire 37, Mustafi 58
* Tackles – Maguire 31, Mustafi 62
* Tackles won – Maguire 17, Mustafi 45
* Percentage of tackles won – Maguire 55%, Mustafi 73%
* Clearances – Maguire 152, Mustafi 161
* Headed clearances – Maguire 77, Mustafi 106
* Aerial duels won – Maguire 118, Mustafi 123

Despite this bean counting nonsense, Mustafi is not mentally or physically built for the premier league. His reactions are significantly slower, his awareness and positioning are poor and he will surrender a lead in at least every other game by defending like a lumbering cow in clogs.

Having discussed what Arsenal have (or don’t have) what they want is someone on a reasonably long lone of around two seasons and Daniele Rugani (Juventus) would have been ideal.

This is a deal that is apparently on hold with too many caveats involved but as the window ticks down, Arsenal might go back in for the central defender.

West Ham’s Issa Diop, was said to be on the shopping list but the asking price of £65m seems to have ended that enquiry. Lewis Dunk (Brighton) should be another defender who deserves Unai Emery’s consideration and a deal could be made quickly if they act now.

The towering English defender would show a similar desire and ambition that was apparent in the likes of Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn and Lee Dixon for Arsenal.

However, the most likely move for Arsenal is for 33 year old Gary Cahill, who is a free agent and if fully fit, would add experience and composure of the highest level .

I’d personally prefer another option and I’m convinced that the anxiety Arsenal fans are suffering at present will be addressed before the season starts but we also have to consider that Emery may consider that he has the answer at his finger tips.

Arsenal’s 2 main centre back targets right now are Dayot Upamecano of RP Leipzig & Daniele Rugani of Juventus.

Arsenal have made enquires about both players in an attempt to boost our defence before the transfer window shuts in 3 days. #AFC pic.twitter.com/1xJbKIYveG

— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) August 6, 2019

Rob Holding is working his way back to fitness but Joseph Olowu is said to be making an impression in Holding’s absence in training and is known to be favoured by none other than the new assistant coach Freddie Ljungberg.

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