Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are ready to battle it out in pursuit of Club Brugge’s defensive ace Odilon Kossounou this summer.
According to the Swedish news outlet, Expressen, Odilon Kossonou could be on the verge of a big-money move this summer. The Club Brugge centre-back has attracted widespread interest among top European clubs, with the Belgian outfit ready to cash in on him for a fee of around €20 million – €30 million after the end of the season.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are among the said clubs that are keeping a close on the situation of Kossounou. The former Hammardy starlet has already enjoyed immense success since joining Club Brugge in 2019, for a fee of around €4 million.
The Ivorian has established himself as a first-team regular for Club Brugge, creating a formidable defensive partnership alongside Belgian international Brandon Mechele this season. Their collective contributions at the back have played a key role in helping the club seal the Jupiler Pro League title by quite a margin.
Kossounou’s performances have not gone unnoticed in England either, with Arsenal, in particular, open to signing him in the summer. It appears the 20-year-old has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for David Luiz, who is on the verge of departing the Emirates following the expiry of his contract.
Tottenham Hotspur, as well, are keen on making defensive reinforcements this summer, as they look to provide competition for the likes of Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez next season.
The addition of someone like Kossounou does make sense as the Ivorian can not only add depth to the squad but can also emerge as an option for the future. Spurs, though, have also been linked with a move for other alternatives, including LOSC Lille’s defensive giant Sven Botman this summer.
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Arsenal, on the other hand, face a complicated situation on the market, as they need to first offload their fringe players in order to fund a move for summer targets. One of the players linked with a departure is Bernd Leno, although Arteta is also expected to multiple other stars including Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Alexandre Lacazette.
Arsenal and Tottenham could also face stiff competition from other clubs including Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City in the pursuit of Kossonou, so it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga transpires this summer.
