Arsenal: Armando Izzo just another name in the transfer hat

Arsenal need defensive help, and they’re getting a wide spectrum of links, but at this point, just draw a name out of the hat and call it a day.

If you were to ask me what my ideal signing for this Arsenal defense would be, I would say, “A strong, athletic centerback between the ages of 18 and 28.” That’s as specific as I need to be because there’s no need to get more complicated than that. So now that Armando Izzo is linked to a move to the club and fits in those parameters, my response is going to be the same as it has been for Joachim Andersen and William Saliba: “Sounds great, sign him up.”

Armando Izzo crushed it at Torino this year. His numbers, when stacked against the Gunners defenders, would be top of the pile nearly across the board. Despite Torino finishing seventh, they boasted the fifth best defense.

Of course, defensive numbers aren’t always the best judgement of a centerback, so consider the style with which he plays – aggressive, proactive, no nonsense.

That is the way that Laurent Koscielny played the game, which is why it was such a great combination when Koscielny and Sokratis worked out well together. Sokratis was a sponge, Koscielny was the opposite.

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Seeing as how we still have Sokratis doing his sponging, throwing another proactive defender like Armando Izzo in to be his partner makes sense. Not least of all because Izzo showcased tremendous aerial ability and even notched four goals last year.

There’s nothing to dislike about Izzo. He doens’t have disciplinary problems, as he only amassed six yellow cards, just one more than Nacho Monreal. He’s a bit of a zealous passer, but so was Shkodran Mustafi, and that was one of the few things we actually liked about the German.

What this comes down to is pulling a name out of the hat. Seriously. We have so many fantastic defensive solutions, and when it comes to solving our defensive woes, it would be really hard to get it wrong. Izzo is valued at around £20m, which is right in line with what Andersen and Saliba are at, granted he’s on the older side of the spectrum at 27, but that just means more experience.

So draw a name out of that transfer hat, pay the fee, and let the defense improve. That’s the biggest thing that needs help this summer right?