Arsenal: Mertesacker Injury Has Upside For Future

Arsenal’s new captain Per Mertesacker went down with an injury against Lens. Replacing him will be a task that FORCES Arsene Wenger to rebuild his defense.

Arsenal’s veteran center back Per Mertesacker suffered a serious knee injury in Arsenal’s 1-1 friendly draw against RC Lens on July 22.

Mertesacker, 31, is now in his sixth year at the club and has just been named captain by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

That decision may have to be rethought, though, because Wenger has told the media that Mertesacker’s knee could force him out of the picture for a lengthened period of time.

Arsene Wenger has already brought in Bolton’s Rob Holding to boost Arsenal’s defense, but he is a young defender, inexperienced at Premier League level and not ready to fill Mertesacker’s role in any way, shape or form.

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Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista are the center backs Arsenal have that are experienced at top European level, where the Gunners want to compete.

Gabriel Paulista has tonsillitis, so he will need to recover before being comfortable alongside Koscielny – but Laurent Koscielny played in the final of EURO 2016, which means Arsene Wenger might be a lovely man and consider resting him for Arsenal’s opening match.

Without Gabriel and Koscielny, even though it is just for a moment, Arsenal have only Calum Chambers and Rob Holding match fit and healthy to play in central defense.

That’s a huge problem.

Not to worry, though, Arsenal fans. Wenger has told sky sports that following Mertesacker’s injury, he is in the market for a new central defender. The problem is that this ‘decision’, which seems more like a capitulation than an initiative, has come far too late.

Even when Gabriel Paulista joined Arsenal from Villarreal CF in January 2016, it was clear that Arsenal needed four ready central defenders if they wanted to keep their title hopes alive. And Gabriel Paulista wasn’t even remotely Premiership-ready.

Now, the best young defenders like Samuel Umtiti and Eric Bailly have already made moves. The next group of available defenders, like Kalidou Koulibaly and Matthias Ginter, are being priced out of moves by their selling clubs thanks to so many suitors.