3 reasons why Timothy Castagne makes sense for Arsenal

3. Mikel will work his magic

Look, Castagne wouldn’t be the most inspiring of arrivals, but how many times have we said that about an Arsenal transfer in the past two years?

The 27-year-old is a dependable option who notched the most Premier League minutes in an albeit porous Leicester team in 2022/23 as they succumbed to the second tier. He initially emerged as a fan favourite at the King Power following his move from Atalanta in 2020, with many lauding his steady consistency as he bombarded up and down the touchline.

Castagne’s far from spectacular at both ends of the pitch, but he’s a competent and intelligent footballer who’s extremely coachable. Arteta will put him in the best situation to thrive at Arsenal, just as he did with Jorginho following his January arrival. The Spaniard does an excellent job of minimising a player’s flaws all while maximising their talent.

The Belgian wouldn’t be coming in to usurp Arteta’s current starting options, and he’ll instead be expected to supply sturdy competition for both White and Zinchenko. For the reported price and the lack of risk involved, I’m absolutely fine with this move should it transpire. It makes sense on the Gunners’ behalf.