Arsenal have been watching Wolfsburg defender Ridle Baku for two years now and could make a move to sign him this summer.
Mikel Arteta has transformed the role of his full-backs at Arsenal. Oleksandr Zinchenko barely plays as a defender despite starting at left-back, while the balance Ben White provides at both ends of the pitch on the opposite side is simply phenomenal.
The Arsenal boss is now on the lookout for a new right-back this summer, and Baku could be the one.
Arsenal have watched Ridle Baku for two years now
Dean Jones wrote a story on GiveMeSport this week about the right-backs Arsenal boss Arteta has on his shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window.
As reported in January, Ivan Fresneda of Real Valladolid remains the Gunners’ first choice target in that position. The Spaniard has a release clause of around £25 million.
Other options include Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and Southampton defender Kyle Walker-Peters. The name that caught our eye in the report, however, is Germany international Baku.
It has been claimed that the Gunners have watched the 24-year-old Wolfsburg defender for a couple of years now. Arteta thinks his versatility and work rate as a right-back is perfect and would make him ‘very adaptable’ in his side.
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Baku will enter the final two years of his contract this summer.
He could be Arsenal’s new Zinchenko
Zinchenko has truly revolutionised the left-back role at Arsenal. The Ukrainian has the freedom to take up spots anywhere across the pitch, and he has a huge impact wherever he is.
Baku’s heat map isn’t quite as outrageous as Zinchenko’s – the Arsenal man plays in about six different positions every game – but the German owns the right side of the pitch every time he plays.
The Wolfsburg star has played as a right-back, a right-winger and a right-sided midfielder this season. Scouting Football describes him as a player who likes to ‘come inside and be a playmaker.’
That’s similar to what Zinchenko does on the left side for Arsenal, and after seeing how successful he has been there, Arteta probably wants a right-sided version of the Ukrainian. That could well be Baku.
The German, however, can play as a traditional right back too and is capable of producing ‘dangerous’ crosses (BTL) to hurt the opposition. He seems like a fine player for Arsenal, but he still has a lot to improve with his defending.
