Premier League giants and Europa League finalists Arsenal need a centre-back and are reportedly targeting Roma’s Serie A star Kostas Manolas.
Arsenal are desperate to land Roma defender Kostas Manolas this summer and Calciomercato reports that they are even willing to pay in excess of his £31 million release-clause.
The Gunners have conceded more than 50 Premier League goals in Unai Emery’s first season at the helm with the club’s perennially shaky back line continuing to undermine the attacking brilliance of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Error-prone Shkodran Mustafi has endured another dismal season while Sokratis Papastathopoulos has had a mixed time since moving to North London from Borussia Dortmund.
According to Calciomercato, Arsenal could now turn to Sokratis’ fellow Greece international Manolas as they look to finally solve the club’s long-standing Achilles heel.
The 27-year-old has been one of Europe’s most coveted defenders for a number of years now. He has made over 200 appearances for Roma and scored one of the most famous goals in their history last year, netting the winner in the dramatic Champions League comeback against Barcelona at the Stadio Olimpico.
Manolas has a £31 million release-clause in his contract but Calciomercato claims that Arsenal are willing to offer an even bigger fee in order to secure his signature, though the payments would be split into a number of instalments.
The defender’s agent claimed back in 2017 that Arsenal had a £34 million bid knocked back for Manolas, in quotes reported by Goal, but will they get their man two years on?
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