As Arsenal look to chase down potential transfers to cover their defensive crisis, it appears they aren’t content with just Shkodran Mustafi.
Whilst the Valencia centre back is top of their wish-list, the Gunners have had a £16million bid turned down by Juventus for Merio Lemina, according to reports from The Sun.
Having recently signed this summer for the Serie A side, they don’t view him to being a regular figure in the first team and would be open to making a profit on the 22-year-old.
Interest
Lemina originally became a Juventus player after an intial loan spell in the 2015/16 season, after the club took advantage of their option-to-buy clause for just over £6million.
However, interest grew in the Gabon international before he even moved to the Italian champions, and now Premier League clubs are eyeing up an offer that could tempt Juventus.
The Sun believe that Arsene Wenger has lodged a substantial offer for the midfielder, but in their attempts to make a large profit from the deal they’re holding out for at least £2omillion.
Arsenal have been challenged by West Brom and Liverpool, who are desperate for a defender to replace the underwhelming performances of Alberto Moreno at left full-back.
Who Is He?
Lemina is well-known for being a central midfielder, typically sitting in the holding role but it looks as if Wenger has plans to transform him into more of a defender.
He’s had to cover in both the full-back positions for both Marseille and Lorient, and at such a young age he’s still capable of making that transition for the long-term.
If you had to compare him to a member of the current Arsenal squad, you could easily point the finger at Francis Coquelin due to his nature of working tirelessly across all areas of the pitch.
Having worked as a box-to-box midfielder for the majority of his career, Lemina is a natural in many positions, but his eagerness can often result in silly challenges that run up yellow cards.
He’s got a lot to learn but could have a great future in front of him, the reality is Arsenal aren’t in need of progression right now and instead need a quick fix to accommodate their defensive struggles.
You could see him coming in as a potential replacement for Kieran Gibbs of Mathieu Debuchy, as both stand on the list of a potential move away from the Emirates this summer.
Want more Arsenal news like this? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook!