On December 20, 2019, Arsenal FC hired Mikel Arteta as manager and while the results since haven’t all been positive, there is one decision that the Spaniard has made that should give their supporters some hope that the club is finally on the right track.
According to Paris United (via Metro), Arsenal’s interest in Paris Saint-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa waned after Arteta stepped in and vetoed a potential transfer that was being driven by technical director Edu Gaspar.
Previously, The Athletic reported that Kurzawa was in “advanced talks” with the North London club and it was thought that the Frenchman could provide cover at left-back with Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac out due to injury.
Shortly after that report though, transfer rumors between PSG and Arsenal ceased and suddenly, Kurzawa was thought to be going to Juventus FC. Now we know why. It was due to Arteta.
The Spaniard has had to play 18-year-old Bukayo Saka out of position at left-back, so it’s not like Arsenal don’t need a left-back. Arteta just didn’t think it was worth paying €5-€7 million for Kurzawa who is out of contract at the end of June and could be signed for free. In fact, there was a report that Arsenal felt they were being taken advantage of by PSG.
There’s also the fact that Kurzawa hasn’t exactly impressed at PSG and we even included him in our list of the worst PSG transfers of the decade.
Arsenal players are often criticized for having a weak mentality and not working hard on the pitch and Kurzawa would fit perfectly within that mold. Arteta is trying to change that perception and that likely played into his decision to shut down the transfer.
Financially, Arsenal’s move for Kurzawa didn’t make sense. It didn’t make sense if you looked at his career at PSG either. He’s been injury-prone and unable to take over the starting left-back role at PSG since arriving from AS Monaco in 2015.
Like PSG who found a competent manager after Unai Emery, it appears Arsenal has done the same thing.
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