Arsenal: 3 things Willian and Chris Smalling have in common

1. We just plain don’t need them!

Even if Willian and Chris Smalling weren’t cast-offs from rivals, and were still, say, 26-years old, we just don’t need who they are as players. Willian is a winger. I can’t think of a position we need less right now than a winger. We just spent loads on Nicolas Pepe, we’re building up Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson is hungry to get back into the picture.

Which one of those four would you want sitting behind Willian? Ask me the same question and I’ll tell you—no one. I prefer all four of our options to the Chelsea castaway.

And Chris Smalling? This is funny because five years ago, when he actually was still in his mid-20s and suiting up at United, I still didn’t want him because we didn’t need him. We can do better than him, and in the current state, with William Saliba joining the club, Calum Chambers on the mend and David Luiz playing anchor, I wouldn’t even slot him into the fourth or fifth slot. That would go to Rob Holding and/or Konstantinos Mavropanos.

If we’re going to buy a centerback, make it someone who can actually make a difference—Dayot Upamecano or Jonathan Tah, for instance. Don’t waste time and money on players and positions we don’t need.