Arsenal are on the lookout for a right-back this summer in order to provide Mikel Arteta with both greater depth and variation regarding the options in the role. Currently, the Spaniard has a choice of Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Granted Cedric Soares returns this summer and football.london understands that he wants to fight for his place. However, the Portuguese simply has not proven himself of the level required for a side looking to challenge Manchester City for a title – his loan spell at Fulham did little to change this verdict on the experienced full-back.
White and Tomiyasu are far too similar and substitutions in the season which saw one replace the other failed to create any dramatic difference. A great example showed at Everton when Arsenal needed a goal, meanwhile when the Gunners want to refresh from a winning position this switch has worked.
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With that in mind, two players linked to Arsenal this summer have been Galatasaray full-back Sacha Boey and RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan. The pair have both enjoyed excellent seasons and would command a sizeable investment upward of £20million if Arsenal wanted to make a move.
There are differences in the pair’s games with Simakan possessing the versatility to cover as a right-sided centre-half too. Meanwhile, Boey is a more natural full-back possessing great speed and strength and could offer Arteta something of his own Kyle Walker to take on the fastest wingers in both the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Both have their strengths and would provide Arsenal with plenty of quality but how to choose between them? Well, perhaps the perfect way has been gifted to the Gunners this summer.
The under-21 European Championships take place in Georgia and Romania this summer. France are one of the favourites and expected to go deep in the competition sporting some of the best young talent available such as Michael Olise, Enzo Le Fee and Khephren Thuram.
Sylvain Ripoll has called up both Boey and Simakan to the squad. The Galatasaray representative is the only player in Ripoll’s team not currently playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues, a testament to his quality and how highly he is regarded.
Due to Simakan’s versatility, it will be a chance potentially to see both play. Although Bafode Diakite of Lille and Pierre Kalulu of AC Milan are also right-back options so competition will be tough for minutes.
But for Arsenal still, they will have their eyes peeled on the tournament. That is of course if they haven’t made their move already but with the competition starting on June 21, they don’t have long.
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