Arsenal: Medhi Benatia not the defender that is needed

Arsenal are being heavily linked with a move for Juventus defender Medhi Benatia. But the experienced defender, while a good player, is not the one that is needed.

Arsenal need defensive additions. They have shown key weaknesses in their defending throughout the season, from the structure and the stability of the midfield to the depth and variety at the full-back positions, and there is a need for investment in several positions. But that investment must be the right investment.

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At centre-half, for example, such was Arsene Wenger’s confidence in the options available to him, that he felt it acceptable to sell Gabrial Paulista in the summer without recruiting a replacement. And that is not a decision that is necessarily wrong. But it does not mean that Arsenal are set at the position.

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In fact, to any sane observer, it is fairly clear that they need to sign another central defender. They do not, however, require an instantaneous impact at the position. They need a future, not a present. In Shkodran Mustafi, Per Mertesacker and the two youngsters, Calum Chambers and Rob Holding, there are more than enough options to see out the rest of the season. The problems next year.

Specifically, problems come with Laurent Koscielny. The Frenchman has been the heart of the Arsenal defence ever since he was signed all the way back in 2010. He has been one of the Gunners’ best players of the past decade, a defensive stalwart whose grace and character have towered over the defensive debacles of recent years.

But his aging legs and his bum Achilles are beginning to take effect, and it is not all that pretty. Koscielny has looked a step slower this season, often caught out of position or behind the play. That is a problem for a player that Arsenal have come to rely on in recent years.

They need a future replacement. That player is not Medhi Benatia. Now, Benatia, who is being heavily linked with a £35 million move to the Emirates, is an experienced, accomplished defender who has flourished at several top-class European teams, from Bayern Munich to Roma. But, by the time the summer rolls around, he will be 31.

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Benatia is not the future that is needed. He would be a wonderful player for the present, and if they were to supplement his arrival with a younger prospect who could learn from him and eventually succeed him, then perhaps his signing makes sense. But otherwise, this is a move that is difficult to understand. He is not quite what is needed.