Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing 26-year-old French defender Clement Lenglet from Barcelona in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Clement Lenglet is the subject of interest from Arsenal over a possible move in the January transfer window. The Barcelona defender is viewed as a solution to bolster the Gunners’ hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
Clement Lenglet joined Barcelona from Sevilla in July 2018 and has since endured a roller-coaster ride at Camp Nou. The Frenchman was solid in his maiden campaign with the Blaugrana, even establishing himself as a first-choice centre-back for the club. However, he has gone through a steady decline in stature since then.
The 26-year-old has started only four of the 18 La Liga games played by Barcelona in the ongoing campaign, totalling 395 minutes of game-time in the process. However, despite not being a first-choice option anymore for Barcelona, Lenglet has no shortage of suitors, with Arsenal the latest to emerge in his pursuit.
Defence has been the strong suit for Arsenal this season following the addition of Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale in the summer transfer window. So, the interest in Lenglet is surprising to a great extent, considering White has stitched together a strong central defensive partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes.
However, beyond the duo, Mikel Arteta does not have a lot of quality at his disposal, with Rob Holding the only player who inspires some confidence. In addition, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari have been linked with possible departures. Either defender’s exit would leave Arsenal in need of signing a centre-back, thereby making Barcelona defender Lenglet a viable target.
Apart from Lenglet, Arteta is also keen on signing Arthur Melo and Darwin Nunez in the January transfer window. The Arsenal boss believes that bringing in the three players will bolster the Gunners’ chances of clinching a top-four finish, thereby returning to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in six seasons.
However, Arsenal might need to fend off strong competition in the race to sign Lenglet, with Sevilla keen on re-signing the Barcelona defender. However, according to a report by Spanish publication MARCA, Lenglet has no intention of leaving Barcelona in the January transfer window. So, it remains to be seen if Arsenal or some other suitor can convince him to arrive at the Emirates this winter.
