Arsenal could have to spend big to replace the injured William Saliba before the transfer window closes this summer
William Saliba is set for a spell on the sidelines after a back issue worsened while at the World Cup with France. The Arsenal defender was replaced during the semi-final defeat to Spain.
French outlet L’Equipe suggests that ‘likely’ surgery on the problem will see Saliba miss four to five months of action. This puts Arsenal in a difficult position with their squad, with only Cristhian Mosquera available.
Mikel Arteta will have to use some unorthodox options to cover Saliba unless action in the market is taken. One player being linked to fellow London club Chelsea is Maxence Lacroix.
FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
The Frenchman replaced Saliba in the game against Spain, trusted by Didier Deschamps over Ibrahima Konate. Lacroix has adapted brilliantly to the English top flight since leaving the Bundesliga.
He ranks in the top 17% in the Premier League, according to FotMob for duels per 90, the top 13% for aerial duels won per 90, top 15% for defensive contributions per 90, and top 23% for tackles per 90.
In possession, he is above the Premier League average for centre halves in successful dribbles and touches in the opposition box. While passing-wise, he is an accurate long passer of the ball and has an overall pass completion of 88.2%, likely brought down with the attempts to find runners in behind from deep.
To get further insight on Lacroix, we’ve drafted in the expertise of London Sports Editor for football.london and Crystal Palace supporter Matt Maltby.
“There’s a reason Maxence Lacroix is being linked with the big clubs now, with Chelsea chasing the centre-back all summer,” Maltby explained. “Palace are understood to have slapped a £70million price tag on the 26-year-old – and rightly so.
“Much of Palace’s success in recent years has been down to the solid backline, and the Frenchman has been a huge part of the journey to FA Cup and Conference League glory.
“He’s better in a back three, but is confident on the ball and also not afraid to get stuck in. He’s a Rolls-Royce of a defender and is a good character too, bringing experience to a dressing room.
“He’s clearly well-liked by managers, and the fact he came on to replace William Saliba in France’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain speaks volumes.
“Eagles fans won’t want to lose him, but he’s ready to make the step up. Whether he would be willing to join a club like Arsenal without the guarantee of first-team football remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt he has the ability to succeed at the highest level.”
Everything about Lacroix sounds good, except for that fee. The idea of Arsenal spending £70million on another centre-half is likely to put off most suitors, maybe even Arsenal.
It might be they look instead to a free agent like John Stones or a cheaper option. What is for sure is that Arsenal cannot leave it unaddressed.
