Marcos Senesi has reportedly agreed terms to move to Tottenham from Bournemouth in the summer, but it’s a deal that Arsenal should be looking to muscle in on.
Senesi will be a free agent in the summer when his contract with the Cherries expires, having proven himself as an elite Premier League defender.
The former Feyenoord star is regarded by SciSports as statistically the best centre-back in England this season, outperforming Gunners duo William Saliba and Gabriel via its analysis, which draws from hundreds of in-game statistics.
Blessed with both speed and stamina, the 28-year-old is at the peak of his powers, and with Arsenal seeking additional cover in the heart of their defence, it would be an error on the Gunners’ part if they did not seriously consider hijacking the deal struck by their relegation-threatened neighbours.
Marcos Senesi and Arsenal: A strong fit
Senesi is very well suited to Arsenal, after all. SciSports’ analysis of the player’s transfer options gives the North London side a score of 79 when adjusted for an ambitious move.
Arteta is capable of drawing the best from the centre-back, who is given five stars in terms of his personal development at the Emirates. Furthermore, he is almost a perfect fit for Arsenal in terms of both playing style and formation.
The one drawback, of course, is that his playing time would be limited. SciSports does not expect Senesi to win much first-team football ahead of Saliba and Gabriel, offering him just one star in this regard.
But on the flip side, Arsenal can offer him the unique chance of playing for a club that is aiming to win the Champions League. By contrast, Spurs will be in a rebuild process at best next season.
Doubts emerge over Spurs deal
Arsenal can be heartened by the fact that Tottenham’s deal for Senesi is not watertight.
Speaking to TalkSport, transfer expert Ben Jacobs explained: “My understanding is that both Senesi and Andy Robertson have agreements in principle to join Tottenham if they stay in the Premier League. But it’s very possibly a different story if they go down.
“He wants the move if they’re a Premier League club. If they’re not, it becomes more of an open race. So it could be quite a difficult limbo period for Spurs.
“If they stay up, they’ll move very quickly and get a couple of really important names through the door.
“But if they go down, you’re signing Championship players and trying to keep hold of names like Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.”
Tottenham’s Premier League status is far from secure, with De Zerbi’s side going into the weekend in the relegation zone, two points from safety with six games remaining.
