Florian Plettenberg and Philipp Hinze of Sky Sport Deutschland report that talks have taken place between Arsenal and the representatives of RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Henrichs.
The Gunners are reportedly considering Henrichs as a backup defender for their squad, and Mikel Arteta holds a high opinion of the German international.
But Henrichs has a contract with Leipzig until 2025, and he’s considered an important player by head coach Marco Rose, so it might not be an easy deal to do.
German outlet Kicker were the first to break the news of Arsenal’s pursuit of Henrichs, claiming the defender is an alternative to the earlier reports of interest in Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo.
Henrichs largely plays at right-back for Leipzig, but he’s also capable of filling in as a midfielder or on the left.
The 26-year-old made 44 appearances for Leipzig this season, scoring four goals and assisting three.
Yet as mentioned after the recent links between Arsenal and Ben Johnson of West Ham, it would be a surprise to see the Gunners pursuing another right-back.
As it stands, Mikel Arteta has Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu available to him, even if Cedric Soares leaves the club as expected.
Tomiyasu’s injury problems have often left a gap in the squad, but the proposed addition of Ajax’s Jurrien Timber would address this.
If Arteta has White, Tomiyasu, and Timber available to him at right-back going into the coming season, it’s hard to see how another new signing would get minutes.
Both Johnson and Henrichs are versatile defenders, capable of playing multiple positions. They could easily provide cover for a number of roles if they joined.
But Tomiyasu can also play at left-back and centre-back, Jakub Kiwior ended the season in a left-back role, White and Timber have both spent plenty of time in central areas.
Another versatile defender doesn’t feel like a pressing need for Arsenal.
