Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba is the latest player to be linked with a summer transfer to Arsenal.
Ajax star Lisandro Martinez had been mooted as the north London club's primary target for defence but the Argentine now looks set to reunite with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United instead. That leaves Arsenal looking for another player to help bolster their backline and according to transfersdotcom, that is Tapsoba.
The Gunners are said to have moved on quickly and are now preparing to make a move for the Burkina Faso international in this window, with Leverkusen said to value him at between €40 million- €50 million (£34 million - £44 million). But who is the 23-year-old and what would he bring to the Emirates Stadium if he signed?
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football.london takes a closer look.
Who is Edmond Tapsoba?
Aged just 23, Tapsoba is a talented defender born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
He is a commanding centre-half, standing at 6ft 4ins and currently plies his trade with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. The highly-rated youngster had previously played for Portuguese outfit Vitoria, where he played against Arsenal during their 2019/20 UEFA Europa League campaign.
What would he bring to Arsenal?
According to the official Bundesliga website, Tapsoba's play style is reminiscent of former Manchester City and Bayern Munich ace Jerome Boateng. The Burkina Faso international is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet, something that would help him fit right in if he was to sign for the Gunners this summer.
In fact, he averaged 2.92 progressive passes and 3.77 progressive carries per 90 minutes last season, as per fbref. Comparatively, Ben White registered 2.81 and 3.13 respectively, with Gabriel Magalhaes scoring 2.44 and 4.23 in the two categories.
Tapsoba is also not afraid to get stuck in defensively. He averaged 2.59 interceptions, 1.82 blocks and 10.21 pressures per 90 last term, much higher than both White or Gabriel in each of those areas.
What has been said?
The young centre-back has previously been linked with Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City but he made it clear that Leverkusen was a great place to develop. Speaking to The Athletic back in 2020, he said: "They [Leicester and Wolves] often sent scouts over.
"However, I spoke to my mentor Boureima Maiga and he emphasised that it is important that I do not skip any steps in my development. Switching to the Premier League, where I might not play, would not have been a good idea.
"Bayer Leverkusen is a team with many young players who are developing well there. They also play good football and we thought that their style suited my style of play.
“I am ambitious but also young. I have time. This is just the beginning."
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