Arsenal have been linked with Manuel Akanji – but Borussia Dortmund are yet to receive a single offer for the centre back.
Arsenal may be in the market for another central defender this summer but you would imagine it’s a left-footer on the wish list.
Rob Holding has been providing cover for Ben White as a right-footed centre back, but Gabriel Magalhaes needs competition on the left.
Pablo Mari looks likely to leave permanently, but it’s right footers being linked with Arsenal this summer.
Arsenal have been linked with Manuel Akanji
One of the names in the mix for Arsenal has been Borussia Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji.
The Swiss centre back – who is actually strong on both feet despite being predominantly right-footed – is out of contract in 2023 meaning he is now entering the final year of his deal.
Sport Bild claimed in May that Arsenal had joined Manchester United in the race to sign Akanji this summer with Dortmund keen to sell.
Dortmund have brought in NIklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck so there is no role for Akanji at Dortmund moving forward.
Ruhr Nachrichten now report that Dortmund don’t want to see Akanji leave for nothing next summer and want to sell now.
There are two problems for Dortmund; one is that Akanji is injured and it’s unclear just how long he will be missing.
The other problem is that Dortmund haven’t received a single offer for Akanji this summer.
Despite his contract situation, no clubs around Europe have come forward with a bid for the centre back.
Maybe the interested clubs are biding their time and hoping to take advantage of Dortmund’s desperation to sell by launching a late, cut-price bid in August.
That could be Arsenal’s approach, but it would surely involve them utilising Akanji more on the left side than on the right whilst competing with Gabriel.
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