Arsenal Has Found Alternative For Gabriel
Arsenal are targeting French defender Evan Ndicka as an alternative to Gabriel Magalhaes.
The Brazilian has established himself as the first choice at the Emirates alongside William Saliba. However, he is the only top left-footed centre-back at the Emirates after Pablo Mari left on loan to Monza.
Arsenal has been successful for most of this season and will want to continue it next term. That will require them to add newer players to their current squad and one of their targets is Ndicka.
According to Standard Sport, Ndicka is considered the best man to compete with Gabriel for a starting spot at the Emirates………Continue Reading
He helped the Germans win the Europa League last season and has been a part of their team in the Champions League this term.
Everything you need to know about Evan Ndicka
Who is Evan Ndicka?
Ndicka is a French defender who plays as a center-back for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga. The 23-year-old joined the German outfit from Ligue 1 side, Auxerre, in 2018 for a reported fee of £5million on a five-year deal.
Ndicka started out his youth career with two local amateur sides before joining Auxerre at the age of 13 in 2012. After making his professional debut in January 2017, he signed his first professional contract the following month before impressing throughout the 2017-18 season, joining Frankfurt that summer.
The 23-year-old has featured for France’s youth squads from the Under-16 to the Under-21’s but is yet to be capped by the French senior squad. The center-back has been a regular in the Frankfurt side and has recorded 153 appearances, contributing with 10 goals and nine assists.
Why does Arsenal want him?
At 18 years old, Ndicka quickly established himself in Frankfurt’s first team, winning Rookie of the Month in February during his debut season, as well as being nominated for Rookie of the Season in 2018/19. His physical stature makes him an intimidating presence at the back but despite standing at 6ft 4in tall, he is assured on the ball and uses his long stride to good effect when tracking back to stop counter-attacking moves.
Despite only being 23 years old, his understanding of the game and ability to read and intercept attacks before they happen makes him a key asset in defence.
How would he fit in?
Ndicka is left-footed, meaning he would likely slot in alongside William Saliba at the heart of the Arsenal defence. The Gunners remain keen on signing a left-sided centre-back to add competition and depth in a key area for Mikel Arteta.
The 23-year-old can also be utilized at left-back if required should Arsenal suffer injuries to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney, or if Arteta looks to make use of Ndicka’s versatility.
What’s been said?
Arsenal was first linked with signing Ndicka back in February following a report from German outlet BILD which claimed that Frankfurt would look to sell their prized asset for around £17.5million in the summer. Ndicka’s contract is set to expire next summer following failed negotiations in extending his current deal with the Bundesliga side now resigned to losing their star defender on a free transfer with Premier League clubs increasing their interest in him.
Ndicka remains at the club but Il Romanista claims the Gunners hold a long-term interest in the defender. They will have to rival AS Roma for his signature, whilst north London rivals Tottenham were also keen on signing the defender over the summer.
Ndicka has previously stated his intentions to reach a similar level to that of Manchester United star Raphael Varane. The 23-year-old said: “I like the way Raphael Varane plays. Or Adil Rami. I watch them. Getting close to this standard wouldn’t be that bad for me.
