3 reasons why Timothy Castagne makes sense for Arsenal

The relentless barrage from transfer aggregators is underway. Welcome to the 2023 summer transfer window, folks!

While the window doesn’t officially open until Wednesday, clubs have already been busy on the transfer front during what is, without question, the most serene period in the footballing calendar.

In terms of Arsenal’s summer plans, several midfield moves are inevitable, while superior depth behind William Saliba and Bukayo Saka is very much needed. The club have been linked with a whole host of names from media outlets spanning the globe, of which 99% will not be an Arsenal player come the start of September.

Perhaps that’ll be true of Timothy Castagne, the Leicester defender who’s the latest to gain traction in rumour mills. According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Arsenal have opened talks with the Foxes for the 27-year-old, who is set to move on from the King Power this summer following the club’s shock relegation.

Arsenal’s full-back situation is certainly an interesting one, and there are questions regarding Ben White’s future down the right despite his quite excellent season in the once-unfamiliar role. The Gunners aren’t looking for a starting full-back, but one that can provide adequate cover and fill-in should White be needed to slide across into a central position.

3 reasons why Timothy Castagne makes sense for Arsenal

Castagne may not be the sexy name that supporters crave, but it’s a move that does make sense for the Gunners. Here are three reasons why.

https://twitter.com/sachatavolieri/status/1667863803629916161

1. Cheap and cheerful

Naysayers will perhaps bemoan Arsenal opting for a simpler option when a move for Joao Cancelo is feasible this summer, but the Gunners don’t have a perpetual flow of cash at their disposal and a potential saga involving Man City for the transfer of the Portuguese international would be far from ideal with their transfer priorities lying in midfield.

Securing the services of Declan Rice will not come cheap.

By opting for a player of Castagne’s valuation, believed to be around £20m, Arsenal will have greater scope to be more aggressive in their pursuits of Rice and other potential targets who could come straight into Mikel Arteta’s starting XI next season.

Should Arsenal strike a deal for Castagne at the aforementioned valuation or thereabouts, there’s little financial risk involved. It’s a high-floor, low-ceiling move with the Belgian international adding another layer of solidity and versatility to Arsenal’s defensive depth chart.

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