Arsenal favourites for crazy Edmond Tapsoba transfer

Some rumours are best left to gather dust in from whence they came, and other times they gather enough momentum to be noticed. Arsenal and their pursuit of a centre-back this summer has seem them become increasingly linked to Edmond Tapsoba, who will cost them an absolute fortune.

There is plenty of debate over whether Arsenal even need another centre-back. They do. One better than what they have.

William Saliba is returning to north London and all the signs coming out of his loan spell in France are as they were: he’s an excellent central defender with the progressive, aggressive and physical capabilities that will make him a success in the Premier League.

That won’t happen overnight and Mikel Arteta needs to begin trusting his (not actually his) £27m signing with a chance to prove that in England, just as has to happen more regularly with Gabriel.

Arsenal favourites for crazy Edmond Tapsoba move in summer transfer window as hunt for centre-back continues

Nonetheless, Saliba will take time to nurture and in the case of him being injured it is Rob Holding who will assume that spot, as with Gabriel being injured it will be Pablo Mari on the other side. Mari has proven himself to be a valuable backup and Holding has come off the back of as good of a season as can he can produce.

Holding is, however, extremely limited and if Arsenal are to push for a top four berth next season with the closest they can to a set starting 11 and bench, Arteta needs to upgrade. If the homegrown quota can be met elsewhere, then Holding should be sold if a buyer can be found. Of course, with no European football there is less of a need for five central defenders – six if Calum Chambers stays as he can move infield and working on the basis that Dinos Mavropanos leaves – but the bar can be raised.

Widely reported that Arsenal are after a centre-back this summer, the latest name to crop up is Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, who has been linked before.

The Burkina Faso defender only joined from Vitória de Guimarães in the winter 2020 market but has risen at a dramatic rate to become one of Europe’s hot properties. News of links to Arsenal first started from Sport Italia’s Gianluigi Longari, but have gathered pace with Sport writer Patrick Berger since revealing that several UK clubs are tracking the 22-year-old, before name dropping just one: Arsenal.

This deal would, however, be crazy.

Continued…

Arsenal Can’t Afford Edmond Tapsoba

It’s been revealed that Tapsoba has no release clause in his contract, one that runs to no sooner than 2026 since he only joined the club in January 2020.

There is no beating around the bush in saying that he’s been exceptional for the Bundesliga side this season. Leverkusen can build from deeper since his arrival due to his exceptional composure and distribution under pressure on the ball, while they have also been able to utilise a higher backline as his athleticism and tackling strength against runners is superb. In other words, he’s very, very good.

And in other words, he’s very, very expensive. It’s stated that a club has to bid €60m just to even open talks. While this won’t be the end result as all selling teams will set their valuation high before being negotiated down, it will still require some outlay for Arsenal to secure their man. They’re classed as the ‘favourites’.

A right-footed centre-back, Tapsoba has spent much of the season fielded on the left side of a back three, although occasionally in a back four. He has that versatility and on Arsenal’s part if they can secure a centre-back with the capability of switching roles across the back, and there is little to suggest he couldn’t shift over to the right side on his favoured foot, then this is a strong profile to aim for.

Yet for the fees mentioned, it’d be crazy business. Arsenal have two younger central defenders who they should be moulding and nurturing into the side long-term, and in the hunt for another centre-back the primary focus should be on acquiring an experienced option ideally with Premier League minutes under their belt – someone challenging for a starting berth but not brushing those already there to one side. Not an easy find, admittedly.

If £55m fees are really what they’re after (and any such interest will be based on bargaining that fee down, of course) then attentions should be turned elsewhere. Even homegrown options like Fikayo Tomori and Ezri Konsa would cost less. They’re not the signings to go for but Arsenal are not blessed with funds and Tapsoba’s fee, along with the rumours of Jules Kounde, would constitute significant outlays.

Arsenal need depth in central defence but it has to be the right depth and splashing £50m (it just won’t happen) to come in and set either Saliba or Gabriel’s development back is the wrong decision.

Tapsoba is excellent and would raise the bar at Arsenal. That much is indisputable. It’s just crazy business at prices Arsenal can’t afford, thus hopefully Edu will be knocked down a peg with Leverkusen standing firm.