Ousmane Dembele
Arsenal are keeping close tabs on Barcelona and French winger Ousmane Dembele and are interested in signing him this summer. However, the Catalans have slapped a price tag of €140million on the player to regain the funds they spent on signing about a year back.
For the Gunners and Unai Emery though, it is a great opportunity to make a telling statement to their Premier League rivals. If they sign someone of Dembele’s quality, it will not only enhance the performances of the squad but also refresh the mood at the Emirates. Furthermore, it will act as a catalyst for the North London club to challenge for the domestic title again.
Let us just take an in-depth look at the player and figure out how will he fit in at Arsenal.
Age – 21
Position – Attacking midfielder (Centre, Left or Right)
Dembele is best described as a winger who does things at a higher pace to leave defenders with no chance. The 21-year-old possesses quick feet and fantastic dribbling skills to get past opponents without any fuss. He had a dribble success rate of 2.4 per game in the La Liga last season, proving his propensity to breeze past people before they know it.
Furthermore, the French international has the ability to receive the ball in the half-space between the central and wide areas, allowing him to turn and cut inside. He excels at creating spaces for other players and his direct runs can drive through the toughest of defences. In fact, Arsenal’s full-backs will love the spaces fabricated by him.
In Emery’s 4-3-3 system, Dembele can be deployed on either wing. He has the required pace, directness and unimaginably quick feet to handle the intensity of the Premier League.
Arsenal’s transfer activities have been quite methodical and planned so far. However, they could utilize a pacy winger like Dembele to fully complete their squad. Signing the youngster will surely turn Arsenal into genuine title contenders next season.
That said, the Gunners must be wary of his injury issues even though he seems to be on the verge of regaining full fitness this summer. A fully-fit Dembele can wreak havoc among Premier League defenders and make a world of difference for Arsenal next season.
