3 reasons why Timothy Castagne makes sense for Arsenal

2. Versatile

This is an attribute almost always discussed when assessing a potential newbie. We all know how much Mikel Arteta appreciates versatility. He wants players capable of performing multiple functions within his framework, and Castagne certainly has the scope to do that.

The 27-year-old has predominantly lined up as a right-back/right wing-back in his senior career (206 games according to transfermarkt.com), but he’s also adept off the opposite flank. Castagne has played 75 games off the left.

Thus, Arteta potentially views Castagne in a similar vein to Takehiro Tomiyasu. The athletic and relatively imposing Belgian could join the Japanese international in the Swiss Army knife crew. However, while he can line up on both sides, some might question whether he’s capable of performing the inverted function which has developed into a crucial function within Arteta’s system.

The 27-year-old has never been tasked with performing such a metronomic role, and Oleksandr Zinchenko has set the highest of bars. Kieran Tierney’s rigidity when utilised infield depicted the difficulty of the position. It’s certainly not for everyone.

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