Arsenal: Why fork out for Eric Bailly when we have Calum Chambers?

Arsenal’s defense is the one theater that could still use some significant improvements, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we need more question marks.

Arsenal were on a fever pace to give up way more goals than even last year, when they surrendered over 50. That has since slowed as the defense has taken off their ice skates, hunkered down, and figured out how not to crap their pants any time a runner took off behind them.

There are still improvements to be made, but we’ve gone from giving up 2+ goals a match to giving up less than one per match in the span of just a few weeks. A lot of that comes from Sokratis sorting himself out and becoming a sentinel of sorts, but that’s just one man.

There is still a necessity to build this defense not just for the now, but for the future, when Sokratis won’t be here to bail out Mustafi every time the German gets a bit wonky.

Rob Holding is making headway as a reliable presence, which is fantastic to see after the hesitations following his breakthrough in 2016. And with Konstantinos Mavropanos on the horizon as well, after a few stunning performances at the end of last year, the future is looking bright.

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But more is needed. And Eric Bailly has emerged as a potential target following him being “outcasted” by Manchester United (which is really easy to have done to you these days).

The young defender cost United a ton of money, though, and that’s what makes me nervous about him. If they paid a ton, they are going to want a ton in return. And, from what I have seen of him, I can’t see why we would want to overpay for a young, only semi-proven centerback when we have a young, more proven centerback coming back from loan at the end of the year in Calum Chambers.

While I am still a bit baffled by the loan move to Fulham, I’ve come to terms with it by convincing myself that the way will be paved for him when he gets back. I’m not sure how, but it will. And Bailly isn’t any better than Chambers to merit the heightened price tag he is going to carry.

Maybe another young centerback would be nice, but with Mustafi, Holding, Mavropanos and Chambers already in the “young-ish” category, there’s no real need to over-stress about it.