Mikel Arteta cannot fall into Jurrien Timber trap despite Arsene Wenger praise for ‘physical monster’

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Arsenal have a number of difficult decisions to make this summer.

Fans are desperate to see a striker walk through the door at the Emirates Stadium and Andrea Berta is in talks with Benjamin Sesko even though the club still hold interest in Viktor Gyokeres.

Gabriel Magalhaes’ contract extension has been confirmed by Arsenal but there is still work to do with William Saliba and Bukayo Saka.

Ethan Nwaneri’s future remains uncertain and the Gunners cannot afford to lose their young star. Mikel Arteta also has another issue that he cannot be tempted by despite some strong words from Arsene Wenger.

READ MORE: Arsenal’s transfer pursuit of Ollie Watkins depends on one thing that Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta cannot control

Arsenal must resist temptation to sign Jules Kounde

As per The Sun, Arsenal are prepared to splash £55m on Jules Kounde this summer after his future at Barcelona has become uncertain.

Wenger was full of praise for Kounde after he was absent for Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan and called the defender ‘very intelligent’ and a ‘monster physically’.

Kounde is exactly the type of player that Arteta loves in his teams: aggressive, versatile and a beast in winning duels both on the ground and in the air.

However, Arsenal are already stacked with versatile defenders in the likes of Ben White and Jurrien Timber, as well as Riccardo Calafiori.

That is not to mention Takehiro Tomiyasu, who is currently out injured long-term and unless the Gunners can negotiate the Japanese international’s departure this summer, signing Kounde makes no sense.

Jurrien Timber is a better defender than Jules Kounde

According to ESPN, Gunners defender Timber was ranked as only the 10th best full back in world football, behind the likes of Federico DiMarco and Kounde, who was ranked 3rd.

Timber was sensational for Arsenal this season and particularly impressed in the Champions League up against the likes of Vinicius Jr and Desire Doue.

His ranking of tenth in ESPN’s list is not representative of his standing within the game and the Dutch star has proven that one v one, there are not many full backs that can cope better, if any at all.

Arteta rates Timber highly and will see the 23-year-old as a key part of his plans, £55m on Kounde could and should be spent on more pressing needs for the team.