Arsenal have held talks with free agent Malang Sarr as the club looks to bring in some defensive reinforcements, according to Goal. The defense is one area where the North London club have been struggling this season, as a combination of injuries and bad form have played a big part in producing problems in that part of the team this season.
Injuries to Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney earlier in the season saw Bukayo Saka play as a left back, and now due to a shortage of centre backs, both Kolasinac and Tierney have been forced to play there.
So strengthening the defense will be one of the top priorities for Mikel Arteta once the season concludes.
The report in Goal states that Arsenal are looking at bringing in Malang Sarr who is a free agent now that his contract with Nice has ended.
The North London club have begun talks with his representatives but have not tabled a contract offer yet.
However, with the Gunners finances still unclear due to the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of Champions League football, they are yet to make any firm commitments. He is wanted by a lot of clubs including Torino, and the discussions with other clubs are at an advanced stage.
With Konstantinos Mavropanos joining Stuttgart on loan for next season and the uncertainty over the future of Shkodran Mustafi, there might be scope for another centre back. When manager Mikel Arteta was asked about the finances needed to make transfers, he said:
“You need it to build a squad. It’s not magic. You need to improve with quality players in the squad and you need bigger squads to compete in this competition. There’s the challenge.”
Malang Sarr is a versatile player who is also capable of playing as a left back and this will certainly appeal to the Gunners. He is only 21 years old and has the potential to grow into a top-class defender. The youngster has made more than 100 appearances for Nice and was a crucial part of their end of season form.
Getting him on a free transfer would be an excellent deal for the club. There are 2 games left in the Premier League season and Arsenal will have to win both the games if they are to get back into the Europa League. With finances being on the shorter side, the club will have to play smart in the transfer market.