Arsenal have been paired with a possible move for Besiktas and Croatia defender Domagoj Vida, and it’s suggested that a £6m swoop could be enough to sign him.
The 31-year-old has a wealth of experience having enjoyed spells with Dinamo Zagreb, Dynamo Kyiv and Besiktas while he has 79 caps to his name for his country.
His no-nonsense style of defending could arguably suit the physicality and tempo of the Premier League, and it’s suggested that he could have an option to move to England this summer.
According to The Express, Arsenal are considering a move for the centre-half, and it’s suggested that they could snap him up for just £6m as Besiktas look to get his wages off their books.
On one hand, Vida could provide some steeliness and leadership in the Arsenal backline and that is something that they’ve arguably been missing for some time.
However, with veterans such as David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis already in the squad, it’s questionable as to whether moving for another stalwart is a smart plan as it could be questioned as to whether or not they would really be making an upgrade in that department if there was an exit.
Pablo Mari, Rob Holding and Calum Chambers will all hope to be involved in the battle for a starting berth next season, while William Saliba returns from his loan spell to offer another option.
In turn, it could be argued that Arsenal aren’t really in need of further defensive reinforcements, but if Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster that department, then he should perhaps be looking at a top-level, long-term solution rather than another veteran who could do a job for him in a limited window.
Time will tell how the situation plays out, but Arteta will no doubt hope to stamp his mark on the squad this summer and bring in players better suited to his style and ideas.
They’ve certainly improved defensively under his stewardship already though, as in 13 games across all competitions since the turn of the year, they’ve kept seven clean sheets and conceded just nine goals.
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