Arsenal: The important thing to remember with Caglar Soyuncu

Arsenal are nearing the completion of signing Caglar Soyuncu, but as this deal proceeds, there is one important thing we need to remember.

Arsenal‘s approaching deal with Caglar Soyuncu is hanging out in the ‘neutral’ territory between ‘why?’ and ‘yes please’ on that sliding transfer spectrum scale. He’s carrying a bit of a mixed bag because he’s coming from Bundesliga 2 with a price tag that screams first team.

Soyuncu asserted himself as someone who is ready for the next level during his time at Freiburg, and he has been doing that for awhile now. Plus, if Sven Mislintat has been crazy about this guy, so should all of we.

None of that is the issue. The issue is that he is carrying a £35m price tag, which is the same price tag that Shkodran Mustafi carried when he arrived, and Mustafi was plugged directly into the starting XI, went 19 games unbeaten in the starting XI, and proved himself a sturdy, reliable defender, not including this season of course.

All of this to say that, in a transfer day and age where everything is judged by transfer value, Soyuncu carries with him a hefty weight already.

Multiply that weight by far more because of the simple fact that the Gunner’s transfer budget is supposedly cut drastically this year, and that transfer fee could occupy about 50% of the entire summer budget.

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But as we so often have to do as Arsenal fans, it’s important to remind ourselves to stay grounded. This isn’t a Paul Pogba situation, where we are overspending on a proven commodity with world class potential.

It’s a lower tier than that, but that doesn’t make it any less serious.

Just remember – Soyuncu is not coming to replace anyone. At least he shouldn’t be. We have far too many parts in place already, and far too many growing pieces, to completely upset the balance. Maybe we move a few pieces around and slip Soyuncu higher into the rotation than say, Rob Holding, but Soyuncu is not going to replace Mustafi or Calum Chambers.

Again – at least I hope not.

Expectations need to be tempered. If he can upset the balance and knock over the entire schematic because he is just that good, then so be it, we win. But to expect that because of a price tag is to set him up for failure (in our eyes).

Next: Arsenal Complete 2017/18 Player Ratings

Whatever the case, we have to actually sign him first, so I’ll shut up now.

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