Arsenal in for €25m Alexander-Arnold clone

Robin Bairner

• 11 Jan 2024 08:46 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal’s search for a right-back has them examining the possibility of signing a player likened to Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The Gunners are seeking an addition on the right of their defence, where Ben White has typically started this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are seeking a more attacking alternative, though, and are looking to Galatasaray full-back Sacha Boey as a potential addition for a fee in the region of €25 million, according to Spanish outlet AS.

The Turkish club will start negotiations at this value but are hopeful of extracting more for the talented Frenchman, who they signed from Ligue 1 side Rennes for just €1.1m in 2021.

PSG were also linked with the 23-year-old, but that rumour has since been shot down by Fabrizio Romano.

Arsenal, therefore, have a clear track to move for Boey in the meantime, but what sort of player are they hopeful of landing?

Boey could become Arsenal’s Trent

Boey has been compared to Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold in terms of his attacking mindset, with his attacking qualities very much shining through for Galatasaray, where he was expected to be little more than a squad filler but has become an essential part of the first team.

Over the course of last season, his strengths lay primarily in his pressing in a high zone and his excellent late crossing. This helped him pick up four assists and one goal in 31 Super Lig outings.

Boey has also been impressively durable for Galatasaray, rarely missing a match because of injury over the course of the last 18 months.

He represents an alternative to Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen, who is another player Arsenal have been linked with in the right-back area, though concerns have been raised over the Dutchman’s defensive qualities and how they might be exploited in the Premier League.