Arsenal reportedly eyeing £26m defender likened to Virgil van Dijk

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Dean Jones has urged Arsenal fans to keep an eye out for a potential Gunners approach for Perr Schuurs.

Arsenal enjoyed an outstanding season last time out, finishing second in the table.

However, a lack of strength in depth contributed to the Gunners stumbling on the home straight.

With that in mind, Arsenal will want to build on their solid foundations in the summer transfer window.

One area the Gunners could do with reinforcing is at centre-back.

William Saliba’s injury late last season proved costly as Arsenal’s form dipped at the worst possible time.

Jones, writing on GiveMeSport, told Gunners fans to ‘look out for their pursuit of a centre-back’.

He named the likes of Marc Guehi, Edmond Tapsoba and Mohamed Simakan as potential targets.

Jones then spoke at length about Torino’s Schuurs as a ‘leftfield’ option for Arsenal.

“Torino’s Perr Schuurs is a left-field name to look out for if other plans do not work out,” he said.

“As they scouted him from a while back.

“He’s already been linked with a few clubs ahead of the window with Italian reports saying he could cost £26m.

“From what I have been told, he has the adaptability and strong playing foundations to build on.

“And he has the room for broadening his skillset that Arteta likes.”

‘Massive, commanding defender’

Schuurs would be a great shout for Arsenal. He’s extremely talented, young, physically imposing and relatively inexpensive.

He made 30 Serie A appearances for Torino last season, quickly hitting the ground running following his move from Ajax.

As per a 90Min report from before his Granata move, Schuurs was ‘viewed as one of the best ball-playing defenders in the Netherlands.

‘His distribution and composure in possession are mightily impressive, and point to his history of playing in midfield as a youth player, though he hasn’t featured there for Ajax.’

90Min also claimed that comparisons to Virgil van Dijk may have been inevitable, but they aren’t baseless.

Schuurs, like Van Dijk, is a ‘massive, commanding defender from the Netherlands, as adept in bringing the ball out from the back and pinging it 40 yards as he is at running straight through a striker to win a header.’