Arsenal have reportedly submitted a bid for Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad ahead of next season.
What’s the latest on Sacha Boey to Arsenal?
According to Turkish outlet Turkiye Gazetesi, Arsenal have submitted a bid in the region of €20m (£17m) for the defender, however, Galatasaray are demanding €25m (£21.5m) for one of their prized assets this summer.
According to the report, the Turkish side want to negotiate and get a deal done which matches their demands, with Arsenal ‘expected to accelerate’ in order to complete the move.
Brighton and Hove Albion are also keen on the 22-year-old, yet the lure of Champions League football next season at the Emirates will surely prove to be the main factor for Boey.
Could Sacha Boey be an upgrade on Takehiro Tomiyasu?
Ahead of Arsenal’s first foray in Europe’s premier club competition since 2016/17, Arteta will be keen to improve various areas of his squad, with the right-back area clearly one that needs to be bolstered.
Ben White was often shifted from his usual centre-back position to deputise on the right last season, whilst Takehiro Tomiyasu made 32 appearances, yet only 13 of those were starts – might Boey be an upgrade on the Japanese defender ahead of next term?
The Frenchman has underlined his importance to his team as they claimed their first league title since 2019 this season. He ranked 6th for overall rating across the whole squad (7.11), fourth for big chances created (seven), third for successful dribbles per game (1.1) and second for tackles per game (2.7), clearly playing a key role in Galatasaray’s title triumph.
Tomiyasu in comparison, ranked 18th in the Arsenal squad for overall rating (6.68), 15th for big chances created (one), 20th for successful dribbles per game (0.0) and sixth for tackles per game (1.3), clearly indicating that the 22-year-old would make for a much better option on the right side of Arteta’s defence next season.
Journalist Zach Lowy once described Boey as an “intriguing prospect” in 2021 before he made the move to Turkey, and it's fair to suggest that he has indeed developed into a well-rounded right-back, who can both defend and attack effectively, judging by his returns in the Galatasaray squad this term.
It’s evident that Arteta needs some major strength across his defence in order to sustain another Premier League title challenge in 2023/24 and luring Boey to the club for an aforementioned fee of £21.5m could prove to be a wise investment over the coming years.