Mikel Arteta wants to bring this player to Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen on signing Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi as a backup option to William Saliba, who has been sidelined due to injury. The Gunners had been pushing for their first Premier League title in 19 years before a run of four consecutive winless games, culminating in a 4-1 loss to reigning champions Manchester City.

Saliba sustained a lower back injury in a Europa League game against Sporting Lisbon last month and has been unable to play since. Rob Holding, his understudy, has been heavily criticized by Arsenal fans during the club’s slump.

There are concerns that Saliba may miss the rest of the season after Mikel Arteta stated that his recovery is taking longer than expected.

Mikel Arteta has been linked with bolstering his centre-back options in the summer, especially with Champions League football back on the cards next season. The Sun has reported that Guehi is a player that “interests” the Arsenal boss, with the centre-back being considered as a potential backup for Saliba.

Guehi, who has captained Palace on several occasions in his two seasons at Selhurst Park, would command a significant transfer fee as he was signed from Chelsea for around £18million in 2021, and he still has three years remaining on his Palace deal. Furthermore, Guehi has played in almost every minute of all but one Premier League match for the Eagles this campaign.

It remains to be seen whether the 22-year-old would be willing to leave his first-team role in south London to potentially sit on the bench at Arsenal, where Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed a strong partnership this season. Arteta may have to consider his options carefully, as Guehi could prove to be a valuable addition to the Gunners’ squad, especially with Saliba’s injury situation still up in the air.