Thomas Meunier looks like he will be leaving PSG this summer and there won’t be a shortage of suitors to sign the Belgian international.
Manchester United and Arsenal have been heavily linked with the attacking full back in recent weeks, with Unai Emery keen to reunite with his former player.
During Emery’s last season at PSG, Meunier started 16 league games and made 8 sub appearances, contributing 4 goals and 4 assists.
Hector Bellerin is still suffering with a long term inury and the Gunners have struggled in his absence. Stephan Lichtsteiner signed in the summer and was supposed to be Hector’s deputy, but he has seriously struggled and that allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles to become the starting right-back.
The young Englishman has shown glimpses of top quality but frequent lapses in concentration remind fans that he is not a defender.
Maitland-Niles has a lot of potential but continuing to play him out of position risks him never reaching that potential. He needs to feature more frequently in central midfield or as a wide midfielder, and Meunier’s arrival would allow for him to do just that.
Meunier would add a lot of experience to the defence without being ‘past it’. Aged 27 he’s in his prime years now and with 36 caps to his name, he has experience of playing at a high level for club and country.
Another great quality that Thomas would bring to the club is his height and physicality. The Belgian stands at 6ft 3’ and is strong in duels, something the Gunners all too often lose out on.
With a limited transfer budget, the club have a difficult task in signing all areas that need strengthening this summer and it must be said that a new right-back is not the highest priority. A new central defender, left back, winger and central midfielder are the clubs most pressing needs, but £20million for Meunier would be a shrewd bit of business and give the Gunners squad more depth in order to allow for them to stay competitive for longer.
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