ARSENAL are poised to land £2m Basel centre-back Eray Comert but face a battle with Galatasaray.
The bargain swiss defender fits the bill for Mikel Arteta’s cash-strapped Gunners amid the coronavirus crisis.
Comert arrived at Jakob-Park in 2016 and has since dazzled for the Swiss giants, clocking up 73 appearances in all competitions.
The 22-year-old has been an integral member of a defence which has maintained 14 clean sheets in 35 outings this term.
And the centre-back has shone on the European stage, helping Basel push for a quarter-final Europa league spot before Covid-19 halted football across the globe.
Turkish outlet Fanatik have claimed that the Gunners are plotting a swoop but are set to face stiff competition from Super Lig giants Galatasaray.
Arsenal are likely to get creative in the coming transfer window with bargain deals and swaps amid the coronavirus crunch.
Their already limited budget was further hit following the pandemic meaning the club may have to sacrifice at least one of four players including Alexandre Lacazette – to splash in the summer.
The club have already looked to cut costs by announcing that most of the first team and manager Arteta have agreed 12.5 per cent pay cuts for the next 12 months.
Comert has been a long-term bargain target for the Gunners.
They were linked with the defender last summer when Unai Emery was looking to strengthen his backline with on a shoestring budget.
And as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc on the transfer market, landing the Basel ace on the cheap this time round will be an appealing prospect for current boss Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners chief’s transfer plans have reportedly been changing daily but one thing he is set on is securing a defender to bolster the Emirate’s struggling backline.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks almost certain to leave with the Gunners ready to cash in following the killer virus.
An Emirates exodus of valuable assets will make way for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey – who has a £45million release clause in his contract which runs until 2023.
Arteta has warned Arsenal transfer targets that they can’t hesitate over joining, with Willian and Samuel Umtiti also linked.
