VfB Stuttgart centre-back Ozan Kabak has drawn a lot of attention from Arsenal as the Gunners look to add more steel to their defence.
Arsenal are set to compete with Premier League rivals Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Kabak, as per the Express.
All the three sides have been monitoring Kabak closely and will have to pay £13.2 million to sign the talented defender.
Arsenal’s inconsistent defending cost them a place in the Champions League last season, as they missed out on the top four and lost against Chelsea in the Europa League final.
Unai Emery has to ensure he adds the requisite personnel at the back for Arsenal to move forward next season, so it’s no surprise that they have been linked with Kabak.
Ozan Kabak: Profile
Kabak emerged through the youth ranks of Turkish side Galatasaray, and after a brief yet impressive spell with their senior side, he was lured to the Mercedes-Benz Arena in the January transfer window earlier this year.
Despite being just 19, Kabak put in consistent displays that caught the attention of several clubs. He mustered 13 appearances in Turkish Super Lig during the first half of the previous campaign, scoring 3 goals.
After his move to Stuttgart, he made 15 appearances in German Bundesliga and managed impressive defensive statistics. His tackling was particularly strong as he mustered 2.2 tackles a game to go with his 1.5 interceptions and 3.5 clearances.
Kabak has also represented all the Turkish youth sides, and has shown the maturity that belies his age.
Why Arsenal must sign Kabak
Kabak is an unfinished product, but his performances indicate a certain level of maturity rarely seen in young centre-backs these days.
The Turk is strong in the air, passes the ball really well from the back, likes being involved in the build-up play, something Emery desperately needs in the Arsenal backline.
With Shkodran Mustafi being erratic and Laurent Koscielny no longer at his peak and nearing the end of his Arsenal career, Kabak could be Arsenal’s future.
The young defender could be deployed alongside Sokratis in the central defence at Arsenal as he has the pace to let Emery implement a higher backline.
His transfer fee isn’t all that high either, so the Gunners should make a good attempt to sign him up.
