Fansided

5 players Arsenal should sign this summer

By Ty Finch

Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Unai Emery reacts during the French L1 football match between Caen (SMC) and Paris (PSG) on May 19, 2018, at the Michel d'Ornano stadium, in Caen, northwestern France. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain's Spanish headcoach Unai Emery reacts during the French L1 football match between Caen (SMC) and Paris (PSG) on May 19, 2018, at the Michel d'Ornano stadium, in Caen, northwestern France. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo credit should read CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/Getty Images) /
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HAMBURG, GERMANY – APRIL 21: Caglar Soyuncu of Freiburg in action during the Bundesliga match between Hamburger SV and Sport-Club Freiburg at Volksparkstadion on April 21, 2018 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images)
HAMBURG, GERMANY – APRIL 21: Caglar Soyuncu of Freiburg in action during the Bundesliga match between Hamburger SV and Sport-Club Freiburg at Volksparkstadion on April 21, 2018 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bongarts/Getty Images) /

2. Caglar Soyuncu

Arsenal conceded 51 goals in the Premier League last season, their worst defensive effort since the 1980s. The Gunners have been desperately trying to find a partner to Laurent Koscielny since Per Mertesacker began to decline and fall out of favor.

Arsenal have tried a few different ways of finding that replacement, but none have worked out, and now they have to think about finding Koscielny’s heir as well. Koscielny has been stellar for years, but his body is beginning to break down, and the injuries are pilling up in recent years.

The young, cheap experiments of Calum Chamber and Rob Holding have not been successful, and while Konstantinos Mavropanos played quite well at the end of last season, he’s still too raw to be counted on as a regular first-team player. Besides, Holding and Chambers had their moments in the sun just like Mavropanos had, and they’ve been disastrous more often than not since.

Arsenal’s new director of scouting Sven Mislintat is familiar with Caglar Soyuncu, a 21-year-old center back for Freiburg and the Turkish National team, and is reportedly very close to securing a deal with the German side for his services. Their president even said that Soyuncu is “set to join Arsenal” in the summer.

While Soyuncu is another one of the sort of young, promising center-backs Arsenal seem to collect for fun, he’s one of the most intriguing and promising defenders in Germany. He’s already made nine appearances for his national team, and caught the eye of Bayern Munich and Manchester United. He would be a terrific signing for a leaky defense.

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