Arsenal see €20m bid for Chelsea ace rejected as Unai Emery looks to address key flaw

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Arsenal had the unwanted record of having the worst defence out of the top seven sides in the Premier League last season, and it could in turn lead to new signings to shore things up.

The Gunners conceded 51 goals in 38 league games, and to put that into further context as to how much of a gulf exists between them and the top sides, champions Man City only conceded 27.

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In turn, with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the other end of the pitch, tightening things up at the back and putting in place a balance in the side will be crucial for Unai Emery ahead of his first season in charge.

As per BBC Sport, they’ve already added experienced right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, and according to Le10Sport, they are continuing to look at defensive targets with the report suggesting that they submitted a €20m bid for Chelsea’s David Luiz.

As well as his season being plagued by injury, the 31-year-old was also restricted to just 17 appearances last year after a reported falling out with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, as noted by The Sun.

In turn, with his future in doubt coupled with Arsenal’s requirement for defenders, it would seem like a move that could make sense for all parties.

However, after the reported offer was rejected, it remains to be seen whether or not Arsenal return with an improved bid to try and prise the former Paris Saint-Germain ace away from Stamford Bridge to north London.

Admittedly, while Luiz has always received praise for his technical quality and ability to bring the ball out from the back to initiate attacks, his defending has been criticised in the past and so perhaps if Arsenal are looking to add defensive steel to the backline, he might not be the best choice for the job.

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