Arsenal: 3 ideal options at center-back to shore up the defense

3. Nikola Milenkovic

This is the type of defender Arsenal should pursue. The star of the backline for the Serbian National Team in the 2018 World Cup, Milenkovic combines an extreme physical presence with grace on the ball. He has completed 90% of his passes this season, and would fit very well into Mikel Arteta’s pressing scheme.

An aggressive center-back, he snaps into challenges with fervor, and uses his 6’5” frame to excellent effect, plugging holes and stopping through balls with regularity. He has 35 interceptions on the year, averaging 1.4 per game.

But more than that, he has something special, something that Arsenal center-backs have lacked for years: concentration. How many times has Shkodran Mustafi or Sokratis or David Luiz fallen asleep mentally, gifting an opportunity, and often a goal to the opposition.

Those types of mistakes simply do not come to the 21-year old. He is calm, collected, and locked in at all times. He seems almost ironclad in the singular motivation not to ship goals, and this drive has helped Fiorentina maintain a positive defensive record this season.

If anything, it is the physical side of his game that needs improvement: he can be a tad clumsy off the ball, and while he is not slow, he does not have the speed that most top center-backs possess. But the mental side of his game is complete, and with the right coaching and resources—both of which Arsenal can provide—he can become truly elite. His 34 million dollar value does not accurately represent his talent.

On to No. 2.