Friday, April 19, 2024

Report: Arsenal eye deadline day raid for Premier League defender

Arsenal have already been very active in the transfer window this season and it appears they are set to make late moves in the market with the transfer window set to shut on Monday night at 11pm GMT.

Arsenal appear to be looking to Crystal Palace for a new left back this month. After being linked with a move for Tyrick Mitchell, the club are now said to be readying a bid for Patrick van Aanholt (Mirror), with the 30-year-old Dutch defender having lost his place to Mitchell in the Palace starting eleven.

This deal makes a lot of sense to me. The player has just 6 months remaining on his contract at the club and is currently playing second fiddle so is unlikely to hesitate at a similar role at Arsenal. The Gunners would benefit from his Premier League experience, homegrown status and relatively modest wage demands.

A club insider told Fresh Arsenal that the Gunners are looking to sign a left-back before the deadline on Monday.

Cedric Soares has covered for the injured Kieran Tierney in recent weeks, but with Ainsley Maitland-Niles expected to leave on loan this month, Arsenal will need Cedric to compete with Hector Bellerin for the right back berth, meaning a natural left sided defender is vital to ensure Arsenal’s squad remains deep enough to be competitive into the second half of the season.

Palace are unlikely to stand in the way of van Aanholt should Arsenal make a modest bid. For a back up player with just 6 months left on his deal, we could see something similar to what saw Cedric Soares join Arsenal last January. An initial loan deal followed by a bosman signing in the summer.

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