Arsenal need to prioritise other summer targets over Edmond Tapsoba – TBR View

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With David Luiz departing Arsenal this week, signing a new centre-back is seemingly on the agenda for the Gunners.

The Brazilian international will missed in the squad, with Luiz a player who was well respected in the dressing room. And Arsenal are reportedly already on the hunt for the 34-year-old’s replacement.

Sky-high potential

According to Sport1 journalist Patrick Berger, the Gunners are interested in Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba. The 22-year-old centre-back is valued at €60m (£51.7m), with other Premier League clubs also keen on the Burkina Faso international.

To say Tapsoba is rated highly would be an understatement. Former coach Ivo Vieira told Kicker via Bulinews that the centre-back ‘can become of the greatest’ players in the world.

Indeed, such high praise could be seen as a sign from Arsenal fans that Tapsoba should be signed immediately. Yet the 22-year-old, and any centre-back in general, should not be Mikel Arteta’s transfer priority this summer.

Focussing on other areas

Football.london report that the Gunners are interested in signing a goalkeeper, left-back and right-back as well as a creative midfielder, Arsenal appear not too keen on recruiting a new centre-back this summer.

With William Salbia and Konstantinos Mavropanos also returning to the north London side from their respective loan spells, the Gunners will be well-stocked on young defensive talent heading into next season.

Tapsoba’s price tag also makes the former Vitoria Guimaraes defender a player who could be well out of Arsenal’s financial range. Especially with other Premier League clubs snooping around the Leverkusen defender.

Although there is talk of club owners KSE investing in the squad this summer, spending just over £50m on a player in a position that does not need development would be an unwise source of spending from the Arsenal kingpins.