Arsenal Join The Race For In-demand Bundesliga Midfield Ace: Good Fit Under Arteta?

Arsenal could make a move for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria this summer. The 24-year-old has been with the club since 2017, having moved from Swiss side Young Boys.

Bild have reported that Arsenal, along with city rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton, are interested in signing Zakaria. The midfielder could cost around £17 million (as per The Sun), which is a huge reduction in his price tag from previous transfer windows. The German club are willing to sell the Swiss international this summer.

Denis Zakaria has just a year remaining on his current deal at the club. He has been an ever-present fixture at Gladbach, making over 120 appearances in his four seasons at the club.

Denis Zakaria: A Good fit?

Arsenal have been active in the transfer window ahead of the 2021-22 Premier League season, signing three players for the first team. The Gunners have signed highly-rated English defender Ben White, Portuguese full-back Nuno Tavares, and another youngster in midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The North London club could look to add a few more players before the season starts, players who could go right into the first-team. Denis Zakaria is one such player as he has the experience and quality to go straight into the Gunners starting XI.

The Swiss international is a defensive midfielder who likes to impose himself defensively with his speed, power and strength. He averaged 1.2 tackles per game in Bundesliga last season for Monchengladbach. Zakaria is a speedy and skillful dribbler, who can wriggle out of tricky situations in the middle of the park with his quick feet.

He has the ability to glide past opposition midfielders with his speed and energy in the middle of the park. Zakaria’s speed allows him to be deadly in counter-attacking situations for his side. The 24-year-old could slot into the Arsenal midfield alongside Granit Xhaka or Thomas Partey and will be able to add something different to an Arsenal side which has looked weary in midfield.

He is an imposing figure standing at 6’3″ and can do defensive and attacking duties for his side. He can play as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder, while he has also been used on a few occasions as a centre-back.

The Gunners need another option in midfield as the two quality options that they currently have are Xhaka and Partey. Partey is also injured at the moment and will miss the opening few games of the season, while Joe Willock’s impending departure makes it even more important for the Gunners to sign someone like Zakaria.