FA Cup winners Arsenal are reportedly plotting a move to sign Sevilla defender Diego Carlos.
Carlos has attracted a lot of attention recently owing to his exceptional performances for the Spanish Primera Liga outfit in the 2019-20 season, and is one of the hottest properties in Europe at the moment.
According to the Telegraph, Mikel Arteta is desperate to bolster their defence, and has identified Carlos as a prime target.
The Brazilian defender has been a mainstay in Sevilla’s defence, and it has been reported that his contract has a release clause of £68million.
However, it is understood that Julen Lopetegui’s camp will accept a fee of £54.5million, which is still a pretty hefty fee.
Diego Carlos to Arsenal – The remedy for Arsenal’s problems?
Arsenal do have as many as seven centre-backs at their disposal but none of them has been consistent enough. Sokratis and Calum Chambers are expected to leave, while Pablo Mari and Shkodran Mustafi will still be sidelined when the new season begins.
William Saliba will start his spell in the English top-flight next season, but he is still only 19 and will take a bit of time to settle down and push for a first-team berth.
David Luiz and Rob Holding are the only senior players who Arteta seems to trust, so the need to sign someone like Carlos is imperative.
With a strong physical presence and remarkable athleticism on offer, Carlos knows exactly how to use strength to dominate opposition forwards. He also has the pace to burn and is an astute tackler, which makes him good in one-vs-one situations.
The 27-year-old is good at reading the game, and Arsenal could do with someone with that intuition. In 35 La Liga appearances in the recently concluded Spanish Primera Liga campaign, Carlos mustered 1 tackle and 5 clearances per game on an average.
If they can rope in Carlos — who has the calibre of getting into Arsenal’s starting lineup straightaway — Arteta side will be in a good position to challenge for a top 4 spot next season.
However, it remains to be seen if Arsenal will have the budget to sign Carlos. They might have to sell a few players to raise some money, if they want their man.
Statistics Credits: Whoscored
