Arsenal in Josh Doig and Ryan Bertrand transfer battle

Arsenal are facing competition from Premier League rivals as they seek to acquire a backup for Kieran Tierney, with Watford and Leicester both competing for two of their targets, Josh Doig and Ryan Bertrand.

The hunt for a left-back has been ongoing since January, when Mikel Arteta sanctioned the welcome departure of Sead Kolasinac but failed to secure a replacement to protect ‘never gets injured, ever’ Kieran Tierney.

It proved a detrimental step, although the amount of blame that can be attributed to the club needs tempering. The January transfer window is exceedingly tough to work in at the best of times, not least in a coronavirus impacted market when the player you’re after needs to be convinced of joining, potentially for just six months, to play second fiddle.

Failed efforts were made to sign Bertrand from Southampton and that interest has remained prevalent as the club work on securing his signing for the summer. However, as per the Evening Standard, they’ve hit a snag with Leicester also in the race, one they could win should Champions League football be secured on the final day of the Premier League season.

Arsenal in Josh Doig and Ryan Bertrand summer transfer window battle with Watford and Leicester

Bertrand is a cop out. The easy option. It’s repeating past mistakes shrouded in short-termism and simply postponing the correct signing until two or three years down the line.

They’re still after him though, as well as Josh Doig.

There is competition on this front too, with newly promoted Watford at the ‘front of the queue’ for the 19-year-old as the seek competition for Adam Masina en route to the top-flight. Arsenal are among a number of clubs scouting the Scotsman, having seen a move for Tyrick Mitchell fail to materialise with the Crystal Palace defender signing a new deal at Selhurst Park.

Pushing through with Doig is where the focus should be. While convincing someone of that age to be the second choice option at the club will prove troublesome, using the allure of Arsenal’s stature, the chance to play minutes in cup competitions and hopefully European outings in just over a years’ time could sway him to the club.

It isn’t out of the realms of possibility that both Doig and Bertrand arrive, in which case the latter can play backup for a season and the former can go out on loan ahead of full-time integration.

That’s too savvy of Arsenal though, isn’t it? The likelihood is that only one, if any, will arrive as the report doesn’t state whether the Gunners are pursuing two deals, but if it comes down to it then the Hibernian defender has to be the priority.