Arsenal have submitted a bid to Benfica for Spanish left-back Alejandro Grimaldo as they look to bolster their defensive options.
What’s the story?
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, the Gunners have made a proposal of €7m (£5.9m) for the defender who is entering the last year of his contract at the club.
He is rated at £18m by Transfermarkt so if Arsenal can secure his services for less than half that price then it would be a huge bargain for the club.
It’s not the first time he has been linked with a move to the north London side, he was rumoured as a possible replacement for Nacho Monreal in 2019 but a move never materialised.
He’s what Arteta needs
The move comes with the club potentially willing to offload another player they signed from Benfica in Nuno Tavares. The 22-year-old joined the Gunners last summer but are now happy to let the player leave.
It means manager Mikel Arteta is in need of a back-up to Kieran Tierney which is why the club have submitted an offer for Grimaldo. Supporters will be hoping that this time buying a left-back from Benfica will turn out more successful than the aforementioned Tavares who has had a rather topsy-turvy spell at the Emirates.
The Spaniard made 29 appearances in Liga Portugal last season, assisting five goals and creating 13 big chances, proving that he can be a big threat going forward.
Having also scored some insane goals during his career, showcasing his attacking potential, Mootaz Chehade has described him as “special” while comparing him to a certain Roberto Carlos.
He’s an expert at finding the right pass with a crazy accuracy percentage of 85% per game but importantly, Grimaldo can offer real competition in his position and really push Tierney all the way. Thus, it’s a move that makes sense given the price tag too.
It’s not just going forward where he impresses though, defensively he’s a match for the Scotsman making 20 more tackles last season which resulted in his team winning possession of the ball.
Signing him rather than spending big on a replacement for Tavares will allow Arteta to invest more in other areas which is likely to result in more success on the pitch.
The Gunners’ ambitions for next season will be to get back into the Champions League, and Grimaldo can help them do that by providing good competition and improving their options.
