English journalist Steve Kay reported that Premier League leaders Arsenal are interested in signing defender Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen.
Kay says that Arsenal has looked up Tapsoba’s name, which means that the Gunners are thinking about signing him in the summer. The 24-year-old defender, who is said to be worth €60 million, is an essential component of Leverkusen’s system. In 2026, his contract with the German club expires.
The possibility of the team of Mikel Arteta moving to Tapsoba is not new. When Arsenal were looking for a new center back last summer, it is thought that Tapsoba was on their radar. They eventually gave up on the idea and decided to bring in Oleksandr Zinchenko to help the left back position. At the time, Leverkusen valued Tapsoba at between €40 and €50 million.
The north Londoners tried to sign the Burkina Faso international again in 2021. They were at last deterred by Leverkusen’s €60 million asking cost at that point. In the summer of 2020, Tapsoba signed with Bayer Leverkusen for an fee of €18 million. Since then, he has made a name for himself as one of the first names on the Leverkusen roster.
Tapsoba is a good center back because he is quick, acrobatic, good in the air, and strong physically. He can also play out of the back because he is a great passer and can keep his cool under pressure.
Tapsoba has scored four goals for Bayer Leverkusen in 121 games across all competitions since joining the Bundesliga club.
Jamie Carragher is of the opinion that Arsenal owes a lot of credit for coping with Gabriel Jesus’ absence.
Since the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Gabriel Jesus hasn’t played for Mikel Arteta’s team. The Brazilian striker, who helped Arsenal open a five-point lead over Manchester City, which was in second place, prior to the tournament, was one of Arsenal’s best players.
Many people believed that without their designated goal scorer, the Londoners would struggle to succeed. Through sheer collaboration, Arteta’s men have relieved said fears, keeping up with their five-point advantage in the Head Association race.
Jamie Carragher, a legendary Liverpool player, has praised the leaders for not giving in in the absence of Jesus, whom he believes was a revelation prior to his injury.
In the 2022-23 season, Jesus has played in 20 games for the Emirates team, scoring five times and providing seven assists across all competitions.