Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Ecuadorian defender Willian Pacho from Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.
According to German journalist Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal and Liverpool are keen on Willian Pacho. The 22-year-old defender will cost €60 million in the summer transfer window. Eintracht Frankfurt will not want to sell a key player for cheap, and the Premier League clubs will have to pay the asking price to sign him.
It Is no secret that Liverpool need to bring in defensive reinforcements, and Willian Pacho could prove to be a quality long-term acquisition. He would be the ideal replacement for Joel Matip in theory. Matip will be a free agent in the summer, and he will have to be replaced adequately.
Meanwhile, Arsenal already have four quality central defenders, and it remains to be seen how the accommodate defender next season. Unless they decide to sell someone, moving for another central defender will be a surprise decision. Nonetheless, Willian Pacho is on their radar.
The 22-year-old will cost a substantial amount of money, and Arsenal have other priorities as well. They need to bring in a quality striker and a defensive midfielder first. It is fair to assume that Liverpool could have an advantage in the transfer race.
Liverpool move would be ideal for Willian Pacho
Willian Pacho will want to join a club where he will get ample game time, and Liverpool might be able to provide him with more opportunities compared to Arsenal. A move to the Premier League would be a major step up for the young defender, and Arsenal and Liverpool are some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Regular football in the Premier League could help him develop further and fulfil his tremendous potential. The €60 million asking price seems like a premium, and it remains to be seen whether the two English clubs are ready to break the bank for him.
There is no doubt that Arsenal and Liverpool have the financial resources to pay the reported asking price if they are truly interested in him and convinced about his abilities in the long term. With that said, they will still hope to sign him for a more reasonable price.
