Dan Mountney
David Luiz looks set to leave Arsenal when his contract expires at the end of this month, but who should replace the hapless Brazilian?
The Gooner Fanzine’
Pablo Mari - Flamengo (on loan at Arsenal)
The most likely and obvious replacement for Luiz is a man already at the club.
Having joined on loan from Brazilian giants Flamengo in January, Mari has looked solid and assured in his limited appearances this season.
The Spaniard suffered what could be a serious injury against Manchester City on Wednesday night, but he will be hoping to return soon and earn himself a permanent deal at the Emirates.
Arsenal a reportedly looking to strike an £8m deal for the 26-year-old, an outlay that would be well within the club’s limited summer budget.
Thiago Silva – PSG
Replacing one ageing Brazilian with another seems like a foolish idea, but Thiago Silva certainly comes with a lot more pedigree than his compatriot Luiz.
With more than 700 appearances and nearly 30 trophies in an outstanding career, the 35-year-old could provide some much-needed experience in the centre of Arsenal’s defence.
Available on a free transfer this summer and reportedly happy to take a hefty wage cut, Silva would provide a cheap option for the Gunners, but he would certainly arrive with question marks surrounding his age and ability to keep pace with the demands of the Premier League.
Obvious comparisons will be drawn with Luiz, but unlike his former PSG teammate, Silva has been a solid and reliable performer throughout his glittering career.
Diego Godin – Inter Milan
Another cheap but ageing option who would likely arrive with question marks over his head in Uruguayan stalwart Diego Godin.
The 34-year-old looks set to leave Inter after just one season in Italy, and much like Silva he would provide an abundance of experience.
With nearly 800 career appearances and 11 trophies in a highly successful spell at Atletico Madrid, Godin certainly comes with an impressive CV.
But, the pace of the Premier League could expose his ageing legs and Arsenal could do without another calamity in central defence.
Mario Hermoso – Atletico Madrid
Despite replacing Godin in the Spanish capital just 12 months ago, Atleti are already keen to move Hermoso on, if reports in Spain are to be believed.
After impressing with Espanyol last season, Diego Simeone’s side fought off reported interest from Arsenal to sign the Spaniard in a £25 million deal.
Pacey, strong in the tackle comfortable with the ball at his feet, the 24-year-old is built in the mould of the modern centre-back, and with Atletico happy to sell he provides a solid option for the Gunners to look at.
Lewis Dunk – Brighton
For nearly a decade now, Arsenal have been crying out for a solid, no-nonsense central defender. Brighton’s Lewis Dunk certainly fits that bill.
A tall, powerful, dominant leader in the heart of defence, the Seagulls skipper has been on the radar of top-six clubs for the past few seasons.
A price of £50 million was quoted in January for the 28-year-old, but with the impact of coronavirus on football clubs, Brighton could be willing to lower that fee.
