If Umut Meras was hoping to prove that he is the man to help solve Arsenal’s never-ending defensive woes, then it’s fair to say he didn’t exactly cover himself in glory this week.
Le Havre were always likely to receive a stern test of not only their fitness but also their organisation, their quality and their resilience against a Paris Saint-Germain side sparkling with stardust and ravenous for goals.
But as Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and co ran riot in a game that was ‘friendly’ in name only, Meras’s dreams of a summer switch to a Premier League giant might have gone up in smoke.
Hurriyet claimed in June that Arsenal were planning a bid for the 24-year-old Turkish left-back.
But Sead Kolasinac should be sitting a little more comfortably after Meras and Le Havre were ripped to shreds by the Ligue 1 champions.
The seven-time Turkey international only came off the bench at half-time but 45 minutes was enough for the Gunners-linked defender to be given the runaround by one of Europe’s most fearsome frontlines.
9-0, it finished. Nothing friendly about that scoreline, we’re sure you’ll agree.
And while no one in Le Havre colours covered themself in glory, Meras will not want to watch PSG’s sixth goal back. He was caught floundering in no man’s land as a sublime Marco Verratti pass gifted Pablo Sarabia the easiest of tap-ins.
While he wouldn’t come up against Neymar or Mbappe every week in England, Arsenal should now be having serious doubts about whether Meras is the man to take them forward.
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