Arsenal have been linked with a young full-back who could end up replacing Ben White - but would he be a suitable signing for the Gunners?
While Arsenal’s primary focus in the newly-opened transfer window is expected to be their search for a new left winger, that isn’t the only position under the microscope: With Ben White’s future up in the air, they may be in the market for a right-back as well.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Artetaplaceholder image
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta | AFP via Getty Images
Fitness issues have plagued White, and he found himself below Jurriën Timber in the pecking order even before a medial ligament injury simultaneously ended his season and his hopes of making England’s World Cup squad. Reports suggest that there is a chance he moves on this summer, and that would create the need for a replacement – and the name of long-term target Iván Fresneda has reappeared in the gossip columns.
Arsenal showing renewed interest in Iván Fresneda – reports
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, whose report has been summarised by Sport Witness, Arsenal are once again considering a bid for the 21-year-old Fresneda, the Sporting full-back who has been linked with a move to the Emirates on a relatively regular basis since he first broke through with Valladolid in his home country.
The Gunners were alleged to be keeping a watching brief on Fresneda back in 2023, when Sporting signed him from his Spanish side for a fee of around £9.5m, and have been monitoring him ever since. Now, with the youngster established as a regular starter in Portugal, Arsenal could finally make a long-awaited move.
Reports from the recent past have suggested that Sporting could have been prepared to listen to offers in the region of €30m (£26m), but A Bola’s story suggests that things have changed – Sporting now view him as “untouchable” and a future leader of the side. If Arsenal want to get their hands on him, they may have to be rather persuasive.
Sporting have developed a reputation as a team that won’t sell key players for knock-down prices. They still have Gonçalo Inácio and Ousmane Diomande on the books despite widespread interest from elite sides, while Chelsea had to spend an extraordinary £44m to sign 19-year-old winger Geovany Quenda. That £26m price tag may be very optimistic.
Arsenal’s biggest advantage is the fact that Fresneda only has two years left on his current contract, meaning that Sporting are in a position where they will either need to extend his deal or consider a sale in order to maximise their profits. If the Spain Under-21 international isn’t keen to stay at the José Alvalade Stadium for too much longer, then his club may be compelled to consider a sale they would much rather avoid.
Arsenal aren’t the only team said to be paying attention to developments. Manchester City and Newcastle, both sides on the hunt for reinforcements at full-back over the summer, are also mentioned as prospective suitors, and if it becomes clear that Fresneda is available then many more clubs could join the chase.
In short, Arsenal won’t have an easy time of it if they do decide to launch an offer, and they probably wouldn’t be the only team in the bidding. If they do get hold of him, however, how would he fit into Mikel Arteta’s system?
Why Fresneda would suit Arsenal if they make a move
There are plenty of sides who wouldn’t necessarily be keen on a player like Fresneda due to a relative lack of cutting edge in the final third – he’s not a player who bursts towards the byline on the overlap or who has the kind of precise crossing which creates a high volume of chances.
Arsenal, however, have been relatively conservative in their use of full-backs under Arteta and players like White and Timber were signed less for their attacking qualities than for their technical skill and their defensive reliability. Those are attributes Fresneda seems to have in droves.
An excellent passer with good ball control and a strong sense of defensive positioning, Fresneda is a player who seldom finds himself forced into lunging tackles or desperate manoeuvres at the back, but instead has the knack of being in the right place at the right time to shut down opposing wingers.
He suits a primarily defensive, possession-based system like Arsenal’s neatly, which is presumably why Arsenal have monitored him for such a long time. He may not be a creative force – he has yet to register a single assists for Sporting in 74 appearances – but he offers control and a strong base for his side.
That should make him a good fit for Arsenal if they do move on from White, and if they can persuade Sporting to part ways with him. His current club don’t want to lose him and have every reason to want to keep hold of a talented young player whose is already an established part of their starting XI, but Arsenal’s financial firepower would most likely be able to twist their arm if they made a move. We’ll find out whether they do so over the coming weeks.
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