Why Arsenal must complete a deal for Croatian World Cup sensation Domagoj Vida

The transfer window has been buzzing all week with just a few days left before the closing day. If latest reports from The Sun are to be believed, Arsenal have shown interest in signing Croatian defender Domagoj Vida from Turkish giants Besiktas.

Arsenal gaffer Unai Emery has been on a signing spree since taking over the reins from Arsene Wenger over a month ago. The signings of Stephan Lichtsteiner, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Bernd Leno have clearly indicated that Arsenal want their defensive wall to be a strong one. To add more value to his defence, Emery must make a move for Vida.

Now, let us take a look at the reasons why Vida could turn out to be an asset for Emery’s side.

An experienced defender

Domagoj Vida has been around for a while, since his club debut back in 2006. He played for the first-team of Croatian club NK Osijek at the age of 17. Since then, he has gone on to represent almost half a dozen clubs around the world. This includes Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Dinamo Zagreb, Dynamo Kyiv.

Having been a regular for Croatia from his U21 days, he has cemented his place in the Croatian national team. The 29-year-old defender has represented Croatia in 65 matches so far.

Strengths

Vida is one of those rare defenders who have the capacity to score from corner-kicks, free-kicks and long throw-ins. His passing abilities and blocking skills have been well-registered in the past, making him one of the best defenders to have donned the Croatian jersey.

Vida is also considered to be strong when it comes to aerial duels and he often ends up winning most of those encounters.

Croatian World Cup hero

Vida played a crucial role in helping Croatia reach the final of the recent World Cup in Russia. His brilliant strike against Russia in the quarter-final helped the team take the lead in extra time. He went on to score again from the spot during the penalty shootout in the same game, helping his team make it to the semi-final for the first time in 20 years.

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Verdict

With the transfer clock ticking fast, Arsenal must make a move immediately to acquire Vida’s services. The prospect of moving to a club like the Gunners should appeal to the talented defender. With that in mind, Emery must go all out to sign him.