According to a report by The Sun, Arsenal are interested in signing Atalanta defender Gianluca Mancini. The report further states that the club recently sent scouts to monitor the youngster’s performances in the Serie A.
The 22-year-old centre-back has featured 11 times for the Italian outfit this season, scoring 4 goals in all competitions. The Sun also claims that Borussia Dortmund are also eyeing a move for the powerful youngster.
Arsenal have shipped 15 goals in 12 appearances in the Premier League so far, making it the highest amongst the top five. Hence, it comes as no surprise that Unai Emery is interested in Mancini. But let’s take a closer look at the youngster’s profile.
Born in 1996 in Pontedera, Italy, Mancini joined Fiorentina’s youth setup in 2010 and spent five years with them. He was sent out on loan to Perugia in mid-2015 and returned to Fiorentina in 2016. However, the Italian outfit then sold him to Atalanta in January 2017.
The player was immediately loaned back to Perugia but since returning to Atalanta, he established himself as a key member of the first-team squad. And now, he is an indispensable option for the Serie A club, illustrated by his contributions on both ends of the pitch.
Mancini is an immensely pacy centre-back. Blessed with lightning fast speed and agility, he can cover a lot of ground at once which helps him launch attacks to a great extent. The fact that he has scored 4 goals and provided one assist for Atalanta across competitions is quite impressive.
A closer look at his stats reveals his ability to surge forward and trouble the opposition defenders. Mancini has averaged 1.9 shots per game with a passing accuracy of 84.4%. In addition to that, the young Italian has won an average of 2.9 aerial duels per game, meaning he is quite proficient in the air.
As far as his defensive numbers are concerned, Mancini has averaged 0.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.3 clearances per game.
Mancini might not break into the first-team setup at Arsenal immediately. Emery has the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Rob Holding and Sokratis Papastathopoulos to choose from. However, with Mustafi putting in underwhelming displays, Emery might need a new face to shore up the backline further.
And to that end, a move for Mancini could prove to be rewarding. He is young, skilled and blessed with an abundance of talent, making him a truly enticing option for Arsenal.
