According to a report from the Daily Mail, Arsenal are interested in signing Espanyol defender Mario Hermoso in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners are making efforts to solve their defensive crisis in the summer after Unai Emery’s side shipped over 50 goals in the 2018/19 Premier League season. The defence has been Arsenal’s Achilles heel for few seasons now and Emery has turned his attention to Mario Hermoso.
Hermoso, 23, started his senior football career at the Spanish capital with Real Madrid before joining Espanyol in 2017. He has since been impressive and produced a host of impressive displays in the Espanyol backline this term as well.
The Spaniard is rated as one of the best centre-halves in La Liga and would fit the bill perfectly at Arsenal.
Arsenal missed out on a top-four finish this past season but still have a chance to qualify for Champions League football. They will need to win the Europa League final against Chelsea later this month to play Champions League football next term. Whatever is the final outcome of the Europa League final, Emery must spend in the summer and in the right areas of the squad.
The north London giants have several areas to address in this transfer window but the most important department is the defence. Without shoring up the defence, Emery’s team simply cannot move forward or in other terms, will never come closer to challenging for the Premier League title.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny are the only Arsenal defenders to emerge with some credit this season. But both are in their 30s and cannot be relied upon for long term. Shkodran Mustafi probably will get sold this summer, which should leave Emery with Konstantinos Mavropanos, Calum Chambers and the injured Rob Holding.
Thus, a new defender or two is a must and Hermoso will be brilliant fit at the Emirates. A classy, ball-playing centre-half, the Spaniard’s distribution skills from the back will certainly appeal to Emery. The 23-year-old is hardworking and dedicated to the team’s cause. He is strong and powerful, good in the air and an asset to have during set-pieces.
The two-cap Spain international is young, talented and is improving all the time with the potential to be the best defender. Truly, he ticks the boxes for Arsenal in their search for central defenders.
Hermoso has earned plenty of plaudits for his brilliant defending this season and it is not difficult to see why he could be a smart addition.
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That said, Arsenal should do everything in their powers to pry the Spaniard away from Espanyol, as getting a player of his quality and potential on board would be a massive coup.