Arsenal have expressed their interest in Real Madrid left-back Marcelo who seems to have fallen down the pecking order at Santiago Bernabeu after the new arrival of Ferland Mendy.
According to a report from the Metro, the Brazilian fullback has asked Los Blancos for a transfer and the Gunners have joined the long list of potential suitors for the 31-year-old.
Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and AC Milan are also in the contention for the signature of Marcelo and the Brazilian is assessing his options, the report adds.
He managed 9 goal contributions netting the ball on 3 occasions in 34 appearances across all competitions in the recently concluded campaign.
Right move by Emery?
Until the penultimate season, the Brazilian was the best left-back in the world but his reputation took a severe hit as Galacticos endured a trophyless 2018/19 campaign.
Despite that, Marcelo remains one of the best fullbacks in the world even at 31 years of age.
The former Fluminense man possesses a good passing range and excellent concentration on the pitch which has stemmed from his long and successful career. He averaged a pass success rate of 84.1% and 3.3 long balls per game across all competitions last term.
The fullback, like most Brazilians, is technically astute and skilful with the ball at his feet. He also boasts excellent dribbling skills and can hold on to the possession in tight spaces, thanks to his close control and comfortable nature on the ball.
He managed 1.4 dribbles, 1.6 key passes and 1.5 shots per 90 minutes last term, which highlights his confidence in the attacking phase of the game.
Although the Brazilian doesn’t have exceptional defensive skills, what he lacks in his own half, he makes up in other areas on the pitch especially with his offensive prowess in the final third.
He managed 1.4 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 0.7 clearances which could hamper his chances of success in the Premier League where the game remains more physical with slightly less emphasis on the technical side of the play as compared to the Spanish top-flight.
The north London club have struggled in the fullback areas with Nacho Monreal preferred in a three-man defence while Sead Kolasinac has suffered from inconsistency.
Arsenal boss, Unai Emery, who demands a high work-rate on the pitch from his players is on the lookout for a viable option to add to his squad but might be disappointed with Marcelo’s output over the course of 90 minutes.
It was the same reason which saw the Brazilian getting dropped by Los Blancos’ former manager Santiago Solari who preferred the young legs of Sergio Reguilon over the 31-year-old.
This could be a fruitful signing for the Gunners for the short-term success it could bring, however, another one of Arsenal’s target in Celtic’s Kieran Tierney seems better suited for long-term plans at the Emirates Stadium and is the one Emery should intensify efforts to sign.
Stat Courtesy: Whoscored, Transfermarkt