Arsenal: Jerome Boateng transfer worth the accompanying risks

Arsenal’s defense needs real, palpable help, and that comes with signings. Enter Jerome Boateng, the man worth whatever risks come along with.

I have been strong against overhauling the personnel in the Arsenal defense, but I’m still not 100% sure why. I favored a change in philosophy over a change in what were clearly talented defenders in their own rights (on occasion…).

That said, the problems are looking to be much bigger than originally anticipated. Unai Emery has tried numerous defensive make-ups for the club and nothing has worked to stem the seemingly unending tide of goals against.

Adding Sokratis in the summer was a step in the right direction, but he alone hasn’t been enough and, given his age, if he isn’t given some assistance in the coming windows, his signing will have all been for naught.

However, given the budget problems within the club, I like the principle behind the Sokratis signing – find someone who is clearly talented, a veteran (to chop down the price) and, if possible, our of favor, to drive the price down all the more.

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Hence how we were able to get such a class defender as Sokratis for a measly £17m. I don’t care who you are, that’s a bargain.

Jerome Boateng could be another. The Bayern Munich defender has been renowned for years now as one of the best defenders out there. The only problem has been his injury record, as he can’t seem to stay on the pitch consistently enough.

That’s not something Arsenal would be unfamiliar with, but it also shouldn’t be a deterrent. Knowing now that Manchester United nearly landed Jerome Boateng, and knowing that the German has been a transfer target of many teams for quite some time now, why shouldn’t Arsenal swoop in for the 30-year-old and nurse a few good years out of him, hoping to find more in him of what they found in Sokratis?

The market value of Boateng is not what it once was, as it hovers below £30m, and that’s on a good day. If that can’t be found in the wallet of Stan Kroenke, than nothing will ever be found, because quality costs money, and no matter what comes with Boateng, the potential for injury and the limited remaining time, the price of his quality being that low is a solution worth pursuing.

Then again, here I am, dreaming again. But Sokratis and Boateng in a back line? Even for two years, that’s a dream.